A large congregation, which included familiar faces and ‘new’ faces, came together despite the terrible weather to raise the roof when needed for the annual Carols by Candlelight service. It proved to be a most fitting occasion with spirited singing and appropriate readings.
This year, and by request, we have a ‘singing’ service linked with readings. The ordering of the service was been based on Ancient Christmas Carols collected by Davies Gilbert in 1822 and in particular the carol, ‘A virgin most pure’. The congregational carols were chosen by popular vote of the church family here at Agnew Road.
ORDER OF SERVICE FOR
CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT
PRELUDES
“Offertoire” … DR Munro
The Shepherds’ Farewell … Hector Berlioz
Rocking … arranged by Willcocks
Zither Carol … arranged by Malcolm Sargent
Romanza … DR Munro
Deck the Hall with Boughs of Holly … Traditional
A Virgin so Pure … arranged Ch Wood [1]
THE SERVICE PROCEEDED UNANNOUNCED
INTROIT: Come, see this little stranger
READER 1: A virgin most pure as the prophets do tell …
CAROL (Rejoice & Sing 144): It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old. (Tune: Noel. Music: English traditional melody extended and adapted Arthur Sullivan. Words: EH Shears.)
READER 2: At Bethlehem in Jewry, a city there was …
CAROL (145): O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie! (Tune Forest Green. Music: English traditional melody harmonised R Vaughan Williams. Words: Phillips Brooks.)
READER 3: But when they had entered the city so fair …
CAROL (149): Infant holy, infant lowly, for his bed a cattle stall (Tune: Infant holy. Music: Polish carol. Words: Polish carol translated by Edith MG Reed.)
READER 4: Then were they constrained in a stable to lie …
CHOIR: Away in a manger, no crib for a bed (Tune: Cradle song. Music: Melody by WJ Kirkpatrick harmonised by Eric H Thiman. Words: Anonymous.)
READER 5: The King of all kings to this world being brought …
CAROL: See! amid the winter’s snow, born for us on earth below (Tune: Humility (Oxford). Music: John Goss. Words: Edward Caswall.)
READER 6: Then God sent an angel from heaven
so high …
CAROL (155): While shepherds watched their flocks by night (Tune: Lyngham. Music: Thomas Jarman. Words: Luke 2:8-14 paraphrased by Nahum Tate.)
READER 7: Then presently after the shepherds did spy …
CHOIR: O holy Night (Music: Aldophe Adam. Words: JS Dwight.)
READER 8: Now to the Lord sing praises …
CAROL (162): In the bleak midwinter frosty wind made moan (Tune: Cranham. Music: Gustav Holst. Words: Christina Rossetti.)
READER 9: Eternal light doth now appear …
CAROL (163): Angels from the realm of glory, wing your flight o’er all the earth (Tune: Iris. Music: Flemish or French carol melody. Words: James Montgomery.)
READER 10: Then with angel-love inspired …
CAROL: We three kings of Orient are (Words and music by JH Hopkins.)
READER 11: And when they came unto that place …
CAROL 614: Love came down at Christmas (Tune: Yuletide. Music: Sidney Hann. Words: Christina Rossetti.)
READER 12: All this did he for us freely …
CHOIR: O come, holy Saviour (Music: Traditional German carol by JAP Schulz arranged by Anna Laura Page. Words: Jean Anne Shafferman.)
PRAYER
CAROL (160): O come, all ye faithful (Tune: Adeste fideles. Music: Melody from MS of c-1745 possibly by John F
Wade. Words: Latin possibly by John F Wade translated by Frederick Oakley.)
PRAYER OF DISMISSAL
POSTLUDE:
Toccata … Widor
The singers were: Denise Berry, Liz Boden, Chris Cadwallader, Georgia Barker, Lauren Whitehead and Imogen Barker. The readers: Sandra Birch, Anne Shipway, Karen Abram (We wont mention the distinctive head-ware!), David Wilkinson, Joanne Leadbetter, Wendy Slattery, Jean Roby, Jean Wadsworth, Robert Wadsworth, Ann Shadbolt, Rene Stevenson and Stan Leadbetter. The organist was John Gibson, whose fingers and toes were an inch shorter at the end than the beginning, who was greatly helped by Jonathan Davies. John made the organ ‘sing’ with the postlude, Widor’s ‘Toccata’.
After the service hospitality refreshments, including the donation of mince pies, was provided by a large team of helpers. The night was greatly helped by David & John Wilkinson.
[1] There was no collusion between the organist and creator of the service. John Gibson included ‘A virgin most pure’ as a prelude and the creator as the inspiration for the readings.