CHURCH OF THE INCARNATION, NEW YORK CITY Service of Christmas Lessons and Carols Sunday, December 13, 2020 at 5:00 PM INVITATORY MUSIC Christmas Concerto, Op. 6, No. 8 Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) Vivace-Grave-Allegro Adagio-Allegro-Adagio HYMN 102 All stand. tune: Irby Stanzas 1 – 3 sung by the choir, stanzas 4 – 6 sung by all Jamilyn Manning-White, soprano 1 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. 2 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, the scorned, the lowly, lived on earth our Savior holy. 3 We, like Mary, rest confounded that a stable should display heaven’s Word, The world’s creator, cradled there on Christmas Day, yet this child, our Lord and brother, brought us love for one another. 4 For he is our lifelong pattern; daily when on earth he grew, He was tempted, scorned, rejected, tears and smiles like us he knew. Thus he feels for all our sadness, and he shares in all our gladness. 5 And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love; For that child who seemed so helpless is our Lord in heaven above; And he leads his children on to the place where he is gone. 6 Not in that poor lowly stable, with the oxen standing round, We shall see him; but in heaven, where his saints his throne surround: Christ revealed to faithful eye, set at God’s right hand on high. 1 BIDDING PRAYER Beloved in Christ, at this Christmas-tide let it be our care and delight to hear again the message of the angels, and in heart and mind to go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass, and the Babe lying in a manger. Therefore let us read and mark in Holy Scripture the tale of the loving purposes of God from the first days of our disobedience unto the glorious Redemption brought us by this Holy Child. But first, let us pray for the needs of the whole world; for peace on earth and goodwill among all people; for unity, brotherhood and sisterhood within the Church Christ came to build, and especially in this our diocese. And because this would rejoice his heart, let us remember, in his name, the poor and helpless, the cold, the hungry, and the oppressed; the sick and them that mourn, the lonely and the unloved, the aged and the little children; all those who know not the Lord Jesus, or who love him not, or who, by sin, have grieved his heart of love. Lastly, let us remember before God all those who rejoice with us, but upon another shore, and in a greater light, that multitude which no one can number, whose hope was in the Word made flesh, and with whom in the Lord Jesus we are one for evermore. These prayers and praises let us humbly offer up to the Throne of Heaven; in the words which Christ himself hath taught us: 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. ANTHEM All sit. In the Bleak Mid-Winter Harold Darke (1888-1976) In the bleak mid-winter, 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 mid-winter long ago. Our God, heav’n cannot hold him, nor earth sustain; Heav’n and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign: In the bleak mid-winter a stable-place sufficed The Lord God Almighty Jesus Christ. Enough for him, whom cherubim worship night and day, 2 A breast full of milk, and a manger-ful of hay; Enough for him, whom angels fall down before, The ox and ass and camel, which adore. 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. FIRST LESSON Genesis iii read by Janara Kellerman God announces in the Garden of Eden that the seed of woman shall bruise the serpent’s head. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. ANTHEM Adam Lay Y-Bounden Peter Warlock (1894-1930) Adam lay y-bounden, bounden in a bond; Four thousand winter thought he not too long. And all was for an apple, an apple that he took, As clerkès finden written in their book. Ne had the apple taken been, the apple taken been, Ne had never Our Lady a-been heavenè queen. Blessed be the time that apple taken was, Therefore we moun singen Deo gracias! SECOND LESSON Genesis xxii read by Baird Johnson God promises to faithful Abraham that in his seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. HYMN 82 standing tune: Divinum mysterium Stanza 1 sung by all, stanza 2 sung by women and children, stanza 3 sung by men, stanza 4 sung by all 3 HOMILY The Rev. Adrian Dannhauser ANTHEM On this day earth shall ring H.C. Stewart (1868-1942) On this day earth shall ring God’s bright star, o’er His head, With the song children sing Wise men three to Him led; To the Son, Christ the King. Kneel they low by his bed, Born on earth to save us, Lay their gifts before Him, Him the Father gave us. Praise Him and adore Him. Ideo, Ideo, Ideo, Gloria in excelsis Deo. Ideo, Ideo, Ideo, Gloria in excelsis Deo. 4 His the doom, ours the mirth; On this day Angels sing; When he came down to earth With their song earth shall ring, Bethlehem saw His birth; Praising Christ, Heaven’s King. Ox and ass beside Him Born on earth to save us; From the cold would hide Him. Peace and love He gave us. Ideo, Ideo, Ideo, Gloria in excelsis Deo. Ideo, Ideo, Ideo, Gloria in excelsis Deo. THIRD LESSON Isaiah ix read by Florin Georgescu Christ’s birth and kingdom are foretold by Isaiah. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. ANTHEM All sit. from the Christmas Oratorio J.S. Bach (1685-1750) Break forth, O beauteous heavenly light, and usher in the morning; Ye shepherds, shrink not with affright, but hear the angel’s warning. This child, now weak in infancy, our confidence and joy shall be, The power of Satan breaking, our peace eternal making.