December 16th 10:30am Lessons and Carols Service

Sunday, December 16th, 10:30AM

About This Service This morning’s lessons and banners are arranged around the verses of the favorite Advent Hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”. Each verse is based on an “O antiphon”, an ancient prayer for deliverance, and they all begin by addressing the Messiah by one of the prophetic titles found in the Old Testament:

Dec 17 Dec 18 Dec 19 Dec 20 Dec 21 Dec 22 Dec 23

O Sapientia (Wisdom) - Scroll O Adonai (Lord and Law-Giver) – Burning Bush O Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse) - Tree O Clavis David (Key of David) - Key O Oriens (Dayspring) - Sun O Rex Genitum (King of the nations) - Crown O Emmanuel (God with us) – Star and Manger

Here’s a fun fact-- the second letter of each antiphon read in inverse order (from last to first) spell out the Latin words ERO CRAS, which mean “tomorrow I will be with you,”. Together, we look forward to Christmas Day. Come, Lord Jesus!

We are presenting Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols a bit early for its Christmas themes, but we thought the piece felt at home within the Latin antiphons and the solemn feel of this service. We hope you enjoy the bell-like sonorities of the St. Cecilia Choir’s young voices with our harpist and the thrill of the entire forces singing together on the first and last few movements. Though Benjamin Britten was a 20th century composer, the sources of the text of A Ceremony of Carols is taken from Medieval manuscripts by anonymous authors. Written in Latin, Middle English and Early Modern English, a few songs are macaronic, meaning the shift between more than one language! As you can expect, thorough translations are provided so that you can embrace the true meaning of each movement, even the movements that are fairly close to modern English. Many thanks to Dr. Ray Moye, Associate Professor of English at Coastal Carolina University, for carefully editing my translations before they made it into this program.

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Gathering PRELUDE:

“Title”

By: Composer

At the Procession, all STAND.

PROCESSIONAL

“Procession” From A Ceremony of Carols, By: Benjamin Britten

Choir: Hodie Christus natus est: hodie Salvator apparuit: hodie in terra canunt angeli laetantur archangeli: hodie exultant justi dicentes: Gloria in excelsis Deo. Alleluia!

Today Christ is born: today the Savior appears: today on earth the angels sing rejoicing with Archangels: today the righteous exult, saying: “Glory to God in the highest.

Alleluia!”

INVOCATION AND COLLECT Celebrant: People: Celebrant: People: Celebrant: People: Celebrant: People: Celebrant: People:

Blessed be God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit And blessed be His Kingdom, now and forever. Amen.

The Spirit and the church cry out, Come, Lord Jesus.

All those who await his appearance pray: Come, Lord Jesus.

The whole creation pleads: Come, Lord Jesus.

The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

Let us pray. Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and as we are sorely hindered by our sins from running the race that is set before us, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever.

People: Amen.

Please sit and remain seated through the Seventh Lesson.

Celebrant:

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I. O Saptientia (O Wisdom)

Stanza 2 of Hymn 56

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

All:

FIRST LESSON 1

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins. 3A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; 4

make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” 6A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. 8The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. 9Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” 10Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

ANTHEM

“Wolcum Yole!”

From A Ceremony of Carols, By: Benjamin Britten

Choir: Wolcum be thou hevenè king, Welcome be thou heavenly king, Wolcum Yole!

Welcome, yule!

Wolcum, born in one morning, Welcome, thou born in one morning Wolcum for whom we sall sing!

Welcome for whom we must sing!

Wolcum, be ye, Stevene and Jon, Welcome, be ye Saints Steven and Jon, Wolcum, Thomas marter one, Welcome, Saint Thomas the Martyr.

Wolcum Innocentes every one, Welcome, Holy Innocents of Bethlehem, Wolcum seintes lefe and dere, Welcome, Saints beloved & dear, Wolcum be ye good Newe Yere.

We should welcome the good New Year, At the time this text was written, New Year’s was Christmas Day.

Wolcum, Twelfthe-Day

And also welcome the Twelfth-day,

The Twelth-day is the Feast of Epiphany, January 6th.

both in fere, Candelmesse, Quene of bliss,

both together, friends, Candelmas, Queen of bliss,

Candelmas is the Feast of the Presentation, February 2nd.

Wolcum bothe to more and lesse. Welcome all (to these feasts), both rich and poor.

Wolcum be ye that are here, Welcome be all that are here, Wolcum alle and make good cheer. Welcome all and make good cheer.

Wolcum alle another yere!

Welcome all another year!

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II. O Adonai (O Sacred Lord)

Stanza 3 of Hymn 56 All:

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O Come, O Come Emmanuel

SECOND LESSON

Exodus 6:2-7, ESV

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God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the LORD. 3I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. 4I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. 5Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. 6Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. 7I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

ANTHEM

“There is no Rose” From A Ceremony of Carols, By: Benjamin Britten

Choir: 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, Resmiranda.

By that rose we well may see There is one God in persons three, Paresforma.

The aungels sungen the shepherds to: Gloria in excelsis, Deo! Gaudeamus.

Leave we all this worldly mirth, and follow we this joyful birth.

Transeamus.

There is no rose of such power & virtue As the rose that bore Jesus.

Alleluia.

For in this rose was contained Heaven and earth in little space, What a marvelous thing!

By that rose we well may see There is one God in three persons, Equal in nature.

The angels sang to the shepherds: “Glory to God in the highest!”

Let us rejoice.

Leave we all this worldly mirth, and follow this joyful birth.

Let us go together.

“Transeamus,” was the response of the shepherds to the angels’ message of Jesus’s birth, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

-Matt 2:15, ESV

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III. O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse)

Stanza 4 of Hymn 56

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

All:

THIRD LESSON 1

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 3And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, 4but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the 8

meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins. 6The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. 7The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.

9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

ANTHEMS

“That Yonge Child” From A Ceremony of Carols, By: Benjamin Britten

Choir: That yongë child when it gan weep With song she lulled him asleep: That was so sweet a melody It passèd alle minstrelsy.

The nightingale sang also: Her song is hoarse and nought thereto: Whoso attendeth to her song and leaveth the first then doth he wrong.

When the young Jesus wept Mary lulled Him to sleep with a song: It was so sweet a melody It surpassed all other merriment.

The nightingale also sang: Her song is hoarse and nothing in comparison: Whoever hears this song and leaves before it is over is wrong.

“Balulalow” From A Ceremony of Carols, By: Benjamin Britten Choir: O my deare hert, young Jesu sweit, Prepare thy credil 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!

O sweet young Jesus, my dear heart, Prepare my spirit to be Thy cradle, And I shall rock Thee to my heartbeat, And I will never depart from Thee.

But I shall praise Thee evermore With sweet songs to Thy glory; The knees of my heart shall I bow, And sing Thee a sweet lullaby.

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IV. O Clavis David (O Key of David)

Stanza 5 of Hymn 56

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

All:

FOURTH LESSON 5

Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: 6“I am the 10

LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, 7to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. 9Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

ANTHEM

“As Dew in Aprille” From A Ceremony of Carols, By: Benjamin Britten

Choir: I sing of a maiden that is makèless: I sing of a maiden that is matchless: King of all Kings to her son she ches.

She chose for her son the King of all Kings.

He came also stille there his moder was, He came quietly where His Mother was As dew in Aprille that falleth on the grass. as the dew in April falls on the grass.

In Latin texts, the phrase “as the dewfall” may describe the physical intercession of the Holy Spirit.

He came also stille to his moder’s bour, He came quietly to His Mother’s chamber As dew on Aprille that falleth on the flour.

As dew in April falls on the flowers.

He came also stille there his moder lay, He came quietly to where His Mother lay As dew in Aprille that falleth on the spray.

As dew in April falls on the branches.

Moder and mayden was never none but she: There was never a mother or a maiden such as she.

Well may such a lady Goddes moder be.

It is fitting that such a lady be God’s Mother.

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V. O Oriens (O Dayspring)

Stanza 6 of Hymn 56

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

All:

FIFTH LESSON 68

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 70as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand 12

of all who hate us; 72to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us 74that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, 75in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, 78because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high 79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

ANTHEM

“This Little Babe” From A Ceremony of Carols, By: Benjamin Britten

Choir: 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.

This little Babe so few days old, Is come to plunder Satan’s fold; All hell doth at His presence quake, Though He Himself for cold do shake; For in this week, unarmed state The gates of hell He will attack.

With tears He fights and wins the field, His naked chest stands for a shield; His arsenal is babish cries, His arrows are weeping eyes, His marching flag is cold and need, And feeble flesh His warrior’s steed.

His camp is pitched in a stall, His fortress but a broken wall; His crib His trench, haystalks His shields A stake is an archer’s long shield, covering his entire body.

He prepares shepherds for battle; And thus, as sure as He will wound his foe, The angels’ trumpets will sound an alarm My soul will join with Christ in the fight; I will stay with the tents that He hath pitched.

Within His crib is surest protection; This little Babe will be thy guardian.

If thou will confound thy foes with joy, then leave not Jesus’s side.

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VI. O Rex Genitum (O King of Nations)

Stanza 7 of Hymn 56 All:

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O Come, O Come Emmanuel

SIXTH LESSON 4

Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” 5Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water.

ANTHEM

“In Freezing Winter Night” From A Ceremony of Carols, By: Benjamin Britten

Choir: 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 heav’n; This pomp is prizèd there.

With joy approach, O Christian wight, Do homage to thy King, And highly praise his humble pomp, wich he from Heav’n doth bring.

Behold, a helpless tender babe, In freezing winter night, In a sparse manger lies trembling— Alas, a piteous sight!

The inns are full; no man will yield This little pilgrim a bed.

So forced in is He with helpless beasts Gathered around His cradle.

This stable is a Prince’s court, This crib is His throne: The beasts are part of His riches, The wooden dish is His prized silver.

The people in peasants’ clothes Are His royal servants in their uniforms; The Prince himself is come from heav’n; These riches are prized there.

With joy approach, O Christian being, Give worship to thy King, And highly praise His humble riches, Which He from Heaven brings.

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VII. O Emmanuel

Stanza 1 of Hymn 56

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

All:

SEVENTH LESSON 14

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

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ANTHEM

“Deo Gracias” From A Ceremony of Carols, By: Benjamin Britten

Choir: Deo gracias!

Give thanks to God! Adam lay ibounden, bounden in a bond; Adam’s sin has imprisoned him.

Four thousand winter thought he not to long.

He did not consider the length of his bondage.

Deo gracias!

Give thanks to God! And all was for an appil, an appil that he tok, And all was for an apple that he took, As clerkès finden written in their book.

As the learned men wrote in the Bible.

Deo gracias!

Give thanks to God! Ne had the appil takè ben, If the apple was never taken, Ne haddè never our lady a ben hevenè queen.

Then neither would Mary be the mother of Jesus.

Blessèd be the time the appil takè was.

So, blessed be the time the apple was taken!

Therefore we moun singen, Deo gracias!

Therefore we must sing, “give thanks to God!”

SERMON

The Rev. Gregory M. Smith, Rector

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THE NICENE CREED All:

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one Being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; He suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified.

He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

At the conclusion of the Creed, Please KNEEL as you are able.

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PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Let us pray for the Church and for the world, saying, Lord, in your mercy People: Hear our prayer.

Reader: For the peace of the whole world, and for the well-being and unity of the people of God, let us pray to the Lord.

Lord, in your mercy, People: Hear our prayer.

Reader: Let us pray for our own needs and those of others. You are invited to add your prayers either silently or aloud.

Celebrant: Heavenly Father, grant these our prayers for Jesus Christ’s sake, our only Mediator and Advocate, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.

People: Amen.

Celebrant:

CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Let us humbly confess our sins to Almighty God. 1 John 1:8-9 Celebrant: Most merciful God, People: we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

Celebrant: Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who in his great mercy has promised forgiveness of sins to all those who sincerely repent and with true faith turn to him, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and bring you to everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

People: Amen.

Celebrant:

Please stand.

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GREETING Celebrant: People:

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And with your spirit.

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

THE HOLY COMMUNION PRESENTATION OF THE GIFTS OFFERTORY SENTENCE Celebrant: Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!

-Psalm 96:8

“Spring Carol” From A Ceremony of Carols, By: Benjamin Britten Choir: Pleasure it is to hear iwis, A pleasure it is, certainly, The Birdès sing, to hear the birds sing, The deer in the dale, the deer in the hills, the sheep in the vale, the sheep in the forest, the corn springing the corn growing God’s purveyance God providing good gifts For sustenance. to sustain us.

It is for man.

Gifts for all.

Then we always So we shall always to him give praise, give Him thanks and thank him than. and praise Him. OFFERTORY

After the Offertory anthem, all respond: Celebrant: People:

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All things come of Thee, O Lord And of Thine own have we given Thee.

SURSUM CORDA Celebrant: People: Celebrant: People: Celebrant: People: Celebrant:

The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give him thanks and praise.

It is right, our duty and our joy, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord; who on the first day of the week overcame death and the grave, and by his glorious resurrection opened to us the way of everlasting life.

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who forever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

SANCTUS

S–125

Setting By: Richard Proulx

All:

Holy, holy, holy Lord. God of power and might, Heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest.

Celebrant:

Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself; and when we had sinned against you and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent your only Son into the world for our salvation. By the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary he became flesh and dwelt among us. In obedience to your will, he stretched out his arms upon the cross and offered himself once for all, that by his suffering and death we might be saved. By his resurrection he broke the bonds of death, trampling Hell and Satan under his feet. As our great high priest, he ascended to your right hand in glory, that we might come with confidence before the throne of grace.

On the night that he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and 21

gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is my Body which is given for you: Do this in remembrance of me.”

Likewise, after supper, Jesus took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink this, all of you; for this is my Blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for you, and for many, for the forgiveness of sins: Whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.”

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith: People: Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

Celebrant: We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, and we offer you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Word and Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Sanctify us also, that we may worthily receive this holy sacrament, and be made one body with him, so that he may dwell in us and we in him. And bring us with all your saints into the fullness of your heavenly kingdom, where we shall see our Lord face to face.

All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and forever.

People: Celebrant:

Amen.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to 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, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

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THE FRACTION Celebrant: People:

Alleluia, Christ our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed, once and for all upon the cross.

Therefore let us keep the feast, Alleluia.

PRAYER OF HUMBLE ACCESS All:

We do not presume to come to this your Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in your manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under your Table. But you are the same Lord whose property is always to have mercy. Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of your dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us.

Amen.

THE MINISTRATION OF COMMUNION Celebrant: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

John 1:29, Revelation 19:9

INVITATION TO COMMUNION Holy Communion is an open and welcoming Table as the Lord himself is the host of this meal. All who have been baptized are invited forward to receive the Body and Blood of Christ. Those who prefer not to receive Communion are welcome to come forward for a blessing.

COMMUNION MEDITATION

“Interlude” from Ceremony of Carols By: Benjamin Britten

POST COMMUNION PRAYER Celebrant: Let us pray.

All: Heavenly Father, we thank you for feeding us with the

spiritual food of the most precious body and blood of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ: and for assuring us in 23

these holy mysteries that we are living members of the body of your Son, and heirs of your eternal Kingdom.

And now Father, send us out into the world to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.

BLESSING Celebrant:

People:

May the Holy Trinity make you strong in faith and love, defend you on every side, and guide you in truth and peace; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit be among you, and remain with you always.

Amen.

DISMISSAL Celebrant: People:

Alleluia. Let us go forth in the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit.

Thanks be to God. Alleluia!

PROCESSIONAL

“Procession” From A Ceremony of Carols, By: Benjamin Britten

Choir: Hodie Christus natus est: hodie Salvator apparuit: hodie in terra canunt angeli laetantur archangeli: hodie exultant justi dicentes: Gloria in excelsis Deo. Alleluia!

POSTLUDE

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Today Christ is born: today the Savior appears: today on earth the angels sing rejoicing with Archangels: today the righteous exult, saying: “Glory to God in the highest. Alleluia!”

Magnificat Primi Toni

By: Dieterich Buxtehude