Festival of Lessons & Carols 5:00 P.M., December 20, 2020 Christ The

Festival of Lessons & Carols 5:00 p.m., December 20, 2020 Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church Danvers, Massachusetts

Adoration of the Christ Child circa 1526, Correggio (1489–1534) (Uffizi Galleries, Florence, Italy)

Welcome to our annual (abridged) choral Christmas service.

The Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols originated at Truro Cathedral, England, in 1880. It was adapted in 1918 for the Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, England, where the service has received its widest fame, due especially to the live BBC radio broadcasts on Christmas Eve since 1928, and to the many recordings by the Choir of King’s College.

We celebrate God becoming human for our sake: he lived, suffered, died, and rose so that we may have life, and he will return in glory to make all things new. Amen; come, Lord Jesus!

Our choirs have rehearsed online, plus once in person. Participants are separated 10 feet, are wearing masks, and are following COVID-19 protocols.

INTROIT Once in royal David’s city (Lily Harper, solo)

Once in royal David’s city stood a lowly cattle shed, where a mother laid her baby in a manger for his bed; Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ, her little child.

He came down to earth from heaven, who is God and Lord of all, and his shelter was a stable, and his cradle was a stall; with the poor and mean and lowly, lived on earth our Savior holy.

And through all his wondrous childhood he would honor and obey, love and watch the lowly maiden, in whose gentle arms he lay: Christian children all must be mild, obedient, good as he.

For he is our childhood’s pattern: day by day like us he grew, he was little, weak, and helpless, tears and smiles like us he knew; thus he feeleth for our sadness, and he shareth in our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see him through his own redeeming love, for that Child so dear and gentle is our Lord in heaven above; and he leads his children on to the place where he is gone.

Not in that poor lowly stable with the oxen standing by we shall see him, but in heaven, set at God’s right hand on high, where like stars his children crowned all in white shall wait around.

THE BIDDING PRAYER (Canon Timothy Clayton)

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9–13)

The Almighty God † bless us with his grace, Christ give us the joys of everlasting life, and unto the fellowship of the citizens above may the King of Angels bring us all. Amen.

THE FIRST LESSON Luke 1:26–38 The angel Gabriel salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary. (Madeleine Trumbull, reader)

THE FIRST CAROL The angel Gabriel from heaven came

The angel Gabriel from heaven came, his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame; “All hail,” said he, “thou lowly maiden Mary, most highly favored lady,” Gloria!

“For know a blessed Mother thou shalt be, all generations laud and honor thee, thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold, most highly favored lady,” Gloria!

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head, “To me be as it pleaseth God,” she said. “My soul shall laud and magnify his holy Name.” Most highly favored lady, Gloria!

Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ, was born in Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn, and Christian folk throughout the world will ever say: “Most highly favored lady,” Gloria!

Words & Music: traditional Basque carol Translation: Sabine Baring-Gould (1834–1924) Harmonization: 1892, Edgar Pettman (1865–1943)

THE SECOND LESSON Luke 2:1–7 Saint Luke tells of the birth of Jesus. (Nathaniel Youndt, reader)

THE SECOND CAROL In the bleak midwinter

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, in the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain; heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign: in the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed the Lord God incarnate, Jesus Christ.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there, cherubim and seraphim thronged the air; but his mother only, in her maiden bliss, worshiped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; if I were a wise man, I would do my part; yet what I can I give him: give my heart.

Words: 1872, Christina Rossetti (1830–1894) Music: 1906, Gustav Holst (1874–1934)

THE THIRD LESSON Luke 2:8–20 The shepherds go to the manger. (Andrew Neill, reader)

THE THIRD CAROL O come, all ye faithful

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; come, and behold him, born the King of angels. O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord.

God from God, Light from Light eternal, lo! he abhors not the Virgin’s womb; only-begotten Son of the Father. O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord.

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation, sing, all ye citizens of heaven above: glory to God, glory in the highest. O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord.

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to thee be glory given; Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing. O come, let us adore him, Christ, the Lord.

THE FOURTH LESSON Matthew 2:1–11 The wise men are led by the star to Jesus. (Jackie Meuse, reader)

THE FOURTH CAROL We three kings of Orient are

We three kings of Orient are, bearing gifts we traverse afar, field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.

O star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright; westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain, gold I bring to crown him again, King for ever, ceasing never over us all to reign.

Frankincense to offer have I: incense owns a Deity nigh; prayer and praising, gladly raising, worship him, God Most High.

Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume breathes a life of gathering gloom; sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stonecold tomb.

Glorious now behold him arise, King and God and Sacrifice; heaven sings alleluia: alleluia the earth replies.

O star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright; westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.

Words & Music: 1857, John Henry Hopkins, Jr. (1820–1891)

THE FIFTH LESSON John 1:1–14 Saint John unfolds the great mystery of the Incarnation. (Canon Timothy Clayton, reader)

THE FIFTH CAROL Of the Father’s love begotten

Of the Father’s love begotten, ere the worlds began to be, he is Alpha and Omega, he the source, the ending, he, of the things that are, that have been, and that future years shall see, evermore and evermore!

O that birth for ever blessed, when the Virgin, full of grace, by the Holy Ghost conceiving, bore the Savior of our race, and the Babe, the world’s Redeemer, first revealed his sacred face, evermore and evermore!

O ye heights of heaven, adore him;, angel hosts, his praises sing; powers, dominions, bow before him and extol our God and King; let no tongue on earth be silent, every voice in concert ring, evermore and evermore!

COLLECT, BLESSING, DISMISSAL

THE FINAL CAROL Hark! the herald angels sing

Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King; peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!” Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies, with the angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!” Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord! Late in time behold him come, offspring of the Virgin’s womb. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail the incarnate Deity, pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel. Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings. Mild, he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth. Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

WORSHIP LEADERS The Rev. Canon Timothy Clayton, Rector Daniel McKinley, Minister of Music/Organist & Choirmaster

THE CHOIR OF CHRIST THE REDEEMER Patsy Ames Cindy Bolshaw Kathy Carpenter Peter Cherry Rebecca Cherry Andy French Colin Harper Cyndi Kreyling Mike McDonald Jackie Meuse Briana Moonan Andrew Neill Janet Potts Beth Welin Jeff Welin Sarah Wellwood Nathaniel Youndt

THE SERAPHIM CHOIR Henry Cherry Meghan Donis Lily Harper Liffy Keifer Jack Trumbull Madeleine Trumbull

RECORDING ENGINEER Michael Pritzl