The Hymn

1. Sing how the age-long promise of a Saviour

    Spoken through lips of prophets by the Spirit,

    In blessèd Mary, Mother of the Christ-child,

    Finds its fulfilment.

2. Virgin most pure, and wondrously conceiving,

    Bearing incarnate God in awed obedience,

    Now she presents him for a spotless offering

    Unto his Father.

3. In God’s high temple, Simeon the righteous

    Takes to his loving arms with holy rapture

    That One for whom his longing eyes had waited,

    Jesus, Messiah.

4. Where now his Mother next her Son is seated,

    In those fair mansions of the heavenly kingdom,

    May Christ our Saviour grant to us his servants

    Life everlasting.

5. Father eternal, Son, and Holy Spirit,

    Trinity blessèd, Maker and Redeemer,

    Giver of life, and Author of salvation,

    Thine be the glory.    Amen.

Latin, 9^th Century                                                                          Mode ii

THE BLESSING OF LIGHT

A candle is lit in the sanctuary

The Lord is my light and my salvation:

my God shall make my darkness to be light.

The light and peace of Jesus Christ be with you.

All            and also with you.

Blessed are you, Sovereign God, our light and our salvation, to you be glory and praise for ever. Your light springs up for the righteous and all the peoples have seen your glory. You gave the Christ as a light to the nations, and through the anointing of the Spirit you established us as a royal priesthood. As you call us into your marvellous light, may our lives bear witness to your truth and our lips never cease to proclaim your praise:

All            Blessed be God for ever.

Please sit

THE WORD OF GOD

The Reading                            Luke 2: 22-40

And when the days of Mary’s purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought Jesus to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

Choir         Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

Choir         Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

Please carefully extinguish your candle.

The Prayers

Please kneel or sit, according to your custom.

The petitions end with this response:

Lord, hear us. Lord, graciously hear us.

Seeking the salvation of the world, as our Saviour has taught us, so we pray

All            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, the power and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

A CEREMONY OF CAROLS

PROCESSION

Hodie Christus natus est, hodie Salvator apparuit. hodie in terra canunt angeli, laetantur archangeli; exsultant justi dicentes gloria in excelsis Deo, Alleluia!

Today Christ is born, today the Saviour has appeared today angels sing on earth, archangels rejoice; the righteous exult, saying Glory to God in the highest, Alleluia!

WOLCUM YOLE!

A 14th-century carol for Christmas Day and the following feast-days

Wolcum be thou hevenè king. Wolcum, born in one morning, wolcum for whom we sall sing! Wolcum be ye, Stevene and Jon, wolcum, innocentes every one, wolcum, Thomas marter one. Wolcum be ye, good Newe Yere, Wolcum, Twelfth Day, both in fere, wolcum seintes lefe and dere. Wolcum be ye, Candelmesse, wolcum be ye, Quene of bliss, wolcum bothe to more and lesse. Wolcum be ye that are here, wolcum alle and make good cheer, wolcum alle another yere. Wolcum Yole. Wolcum!

THERE IS NO ROSE

An early 15th-century carol

There is no rose of such vertu as is the rose that bare Jesu: Alleluia. For in this rose conteinèd was heaven and earth in litel space, Res miranda. By that rose we may well see there be one God in persons three, Pares forma. The aungels sungen the shepherds to: Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gaudeamus. Leave we all this werldly mirth, and follow we this joyful birth. Transeamus.

THAT YONGË CHILD

A 14th-century carol

That yongë child when it gan weep with song she lulled him asleep: That was so sweet a melody it passèd alle minstrelsy. The nightingalë sang also; Her song is hoarse and nought thereto: Whoso attendeth to her song and leaveth the first, then doth he wrong.

BALULALOW

James, John and Robert Wedderburn, (1548), 1561

O my dear heart, young Jesu sweit, prepare thy creidil in my spreit, and I sall rock thee to my hert and never mair from thee depart. But I sall praise thee evermoir with sanges sweit unto thy gloir; The knees of my hert sall I bow, and sing that richt Balulalow!

AS DEW IN APRILLE

Anonymous 15th-century carol

I sing of a maiden that is makèless: King of all kings to her son she ches. He came also stille there his moder was, as dew in Aprille that falleth on the grass. He came also stille to his moder’s bour, as dew in Aprille that falleth on the flour. He came also stille there his moder lay, as dew in Aprille that falleth on the spray. Moder and mayden was never none but she: Well may such a lady Goddes moder be.

THIS LITTLE BABE

From a poem by Robert Southwell (d.1595)

This little Babe so few days old is come to rifle Satan’s fold; All hell doth at his presence quake, though he himself for cold do shake; For in this weak unarmèd wise the gates of hell he will surprise. With tears he fights and wins the field, his naked breast stands for a shield; His battering shot are babish cries, his arrows, looks of weeping eyes, His martial ensigns, Cold and Need, and feeble flesh his warrior’s steed. His camp is pitchèd in a stall, his bulwark but a broken wall; The crib his trench, haystalks his stakes; of shepherds he his muster makes; And thus, as sure his foe to wound, the angels’ trumps alarum sound. My soul, with Christ join thou in fight; stick to the tents that he hath pight. Within his crib is surest ward; this little Babe will be thy guard. If thou wilt foil thy foes with joy, then flit not from this heavenly Boy.

INTERLUDE

Harp solo

IN FREEZING WINTER NIGHT

(Robert Southwell, d. 1595)

Behold, a silly tender babe, in freezing winter night, In homely manger trembling lies. Alas, a piteous sight! The inns are full; no man will yield this little pilgrim bed. But forced he is with silly beasts in crib to shroud his head. This stable is a Prince’s court, this crib his chair of State; The beasts are parcel of his pomp, the wooden dish his plate. The persons in that poor attire his royal liveries wear; The Prince himself is come from heaven; this pomp is prized there. With joy approach, O Christian wight, do homage to thy King, And highly praise his humble pomp, wich he from Heaven doth bring

SPRING CAROL

A poem by William Cornish (c.1468, d.1523)

Pleasure it is to hear, iwis, the birdès sing, the deer in the dale, the sheep in the vale, the corn springing. God’s purveyance for sustenance, it is for man. Then we always to him give praise, and thank him than.

DEO GRATIAS

Fifteenth-century carol

Adam lay i-bounden, bounden in a bond; four thousand winter thought he not too long. And all was for an appil, an appil that he tok, as clerkès finden written in their book. Ne had the appil takè ben, the appil takè ben, ne haddè never our lady a-ben hevenè quene. Blessèd be the time that appil takè was. Therefore we moun singen, Deo gracias!

RECESSION

Hodie Christus natus est, hodie Salvator apparuit. hodie in terra canunt angeli, laetantur archangeli; exsultant justi dicentes gloria in excelsis Deo, Alleluia!

Today Christ is born, today the Saviour has appeared today angels sing on earth, archangels rejoice; the righteous exult, saying Glory to God in the highest, Alleluia!

Silence is kept

The Blessing

May Christ, the Light of the world,

lead you from darkness to light

that you may rejoice in his truth

and proclaim his glory in all the world;

And the blessing of God Almighty,

the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit

be with you all, evermore.  Amen.

Please stand as the clergy and choir process in silence.

A retiring collection is made.