A SERVICE OF LESSONS AND CAROLS FOR ADVENT SUNDAY , NOVEMBER 28, 2010 5:OO PM INTRODUCTION : FROM ADVENT TO CHRISTMAS TO NOW “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in ritual sacrifice but “to do justice, love mercy, and walk God, and God abides in them. We love because God first humbly with God.” loved us. The commandment we have from God is this: Isaiah sees that the nation of Israel will be able to those who love God must love their brothers and sisters realize God’s redemption—to break the grip of sin, also.” violence, and murder—only through great suffering These words, from the First Letter of John, state endured by an innocent servant (to many readers the a central tenet of our faith, and sum up in a few words nation of Israel itself). This servant will become the much of the message of the Bible. The story of the Bible receptacle for all violence, an atoning human scapegoat. is the story of the Advent of Christ, the gradual Isaiah envisions redemption for Israel through unfolding of our understanding of God’s message of love suffering that is God’s will (Isa. 53:10). With the coming and redemption. The readings tonight were chosen to of the Christ, it becomes clear that redemption is for all illuminate this process. humankind, and that the servant —Jesus—suffers not Cain murders Abel in a time when there were no because of God’s will for suffering, but because a world recorded rules against murder, when the Bible’s matrix of wedded to violence will have it no other way (Sixth morality and conscience was still unrevealed, ‘a formless Lesson). The Apostle Paul restates Isaiah’s Servant Song void.’ It is in this void that humankind—Cain—first as a hymn to Christ, whose perfect obedience to the chooses violence, a decision with consequences Father’s commandment that we love God and neighbor bequeathed to every generation since. leads inexorably to the cross, and through the sacrifice of God voices displeasure at Cain’s act, and in the cross, to salvation. Leviticus gives Moses the great commandment: to love The great prologue to the Gospel of John neighbor as oneself. The Third Lesson is from Micah, one concludes the readings: The Word—Jesus—though of the Hebrew prophets who proclaim a vision of peace rejected by this sinful world, overwhelmed that rejection and justice. Micah also teaches that the Lord requires not and lives among us, giving those who receive him power to become children of God. ORDER OF SERVICE ORGAN VOLUNTARY Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland BWV 659 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Please rise when the clergy and choir enter the church. MATIN RESPONSORY Sung by the choir. Adapted from G. P. da Palestrina (1525-1594) by David Willcocks (b. 1919) I look from afar. And lo, I see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole earth. Go ye out to meet him and say: “Tell us, art thou he that should come to reign over thy people Israel? “High and low, rich and poor, one with another?” Go ye out to meet him and say: “Hear, O thou shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep, “Tell us, art thou he that should come?” “Stir up thy strength, O Lord and come, to reign over thy people Israel.” Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. HYMN “Come thou, Redeemer of the earth” Stanzas 1-4 sung by the choir, in procession. 1 Come thou, redeemer of the earth, 2 Begotten of no human will, And manifest thy virgin birth: But of the Spirit, thou art still Let ev’ry age adoring fall, The Word of God in flesh arrayed, Such birth befits the God of all. The promised one to all displayed. 3 From God the Father he proceeds, 4 Thy cradle here shall glitter bright, To God the Father back he speeds; And darkness breathe a newer light, Defeating both the cross and grave, Where endless faith shall shine serene, At God’s right hand he lives to save. And twilight never intervene. O e -qual to the Fa -ther, thou! Gird on thy 5 - Harmony 5 6 All laud, e - ter - nal Son, to thee Whose ad - vent 6 - Unison flesh - ly man - tle now; The weak -ness of our sets thy peo - ple free, Who with the Fa - ther mor -tal state With death - less might in -vi - gor - ate. we a - dore, And Ho - ly Ghost for ev - er more. A - men. Words: Saint Ambrose (340-397), trans. J. M. Neale (1818-1866), alt. LM Music: Puer nobis , melody from Trier Ms., 15th cent,; adapt. Michael Praetorius (1571-1621); harm. Hymns Ancient and Modern. THE BIDDING PRAYER Said by the Rector Beloved in Christ, as we await the great festival of Christmas let us prepare ourselves so that we may be shown its true meaning. Let us hear, in lessons from Holy Scripture, how the prophets of Israel conveyed God’s promise of redemption and healing for his waiting people. Let us rejoice in our carols and hymns, that the good purpose of God is being mightily fulfilled. Let us celebrate the promise that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, will bring all people and all things into the glory of God’s eternal kingdom. The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor receive ministry and hope. But first, let us pray for the world which God so loves; for those who have not heard the Good News of God, or who do not believe it; for those who walk in darkness and the shadow of death; and for the Church in this place and everywhere, that it may be freed from all evil and fear, and may in pure joy lift up the light of the love of God. These prayers and praises let us humbly offer to God, in the words which Christ himself taught us All, together 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. The people may be seated for the readings from Scripture. THE FIRST LESSON Genesis 4:1-16 Reader: David, a Chorister After Adam and Eve are expelled from Eden, Cain murders his brother HYMN 1 O come, O come, Em - man - u - el, and ran - som cap - tive Is - ra - 2 O come, thou Wis - dom from on high, who or - derest all things might - i - - 3 O come, O come, thou Lord of might, who to thy tribes on Si nai's 4 O come, De - sire of na - tions, bind in one the hearts of all man - 5 O come, O come, Em - man - u - el, and ran - som cap - tive Is - ra - 1 el, that mourns in low - ly ex - ile here un - til the Son of 2 ly; to us the path of know - ledge show, and teach us in her - -- 3 height in an cient times didst give the law, in cloud and ma jes 4 kind; bid thou our sad di - vi - sions cease, and be thy - self our 5 el, that mourns in low - ly ex - ile here un - til the Son of 1 God ap - pear. 2 ways to go. 3 ty and awe. Re - joice! Re - joice! Em - 4 King of peace. 5 God ap - pear. man - u - el shall come to thee, O Is - ra - el. Words: Latin, ca. 9th cent.; ver. Hymnal 1940 , alt. Music: Veni, veni Emmanuel, plainsong, Mode I, Processionale, 15th cent.; adapt. Thomas Helmore (1811-1890); arr. Philip Ledger (b. 1937) LM with Refrain THE SECOND LESSON Leviticus 19:1-4, 9-18 Reader: James, A Gentleman of the Choir God gives his people the Great Commandment HYMN 71 “Hark! The glad sound, the Savior comes” Bristol THE THIRD LESSON Micah 4:1-4 Reader: Lucy, A Choir Parent The Prophet Micah envisions the peace of God’s reign. MOTET Robert Parsons (1530-1571) Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum, Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, benedicta tu in mulieribus blessed are you among women, Et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesus. Amen. and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Amen. HYMN Sung by the Choir John Tavener (b. 1944) In you, O Woman full of grace, the angelic choirs and the human race, all creation rejoices. O sanctified Temple, mystical Paradise, and glory of virgins. Words: Orthodox Liturgy of St. Basil THE FOURTH LESSON Isaiah 50:4-11 Reader: Joseph Ripka, Organ Scholar The Prophet Isaiah speaks of the Lord’s atoning Servant. MAGNIFICAT Harold Darke (1888-1976) My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations. He hath showed strength with his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.