2014 advent carol service at malmesbury abbey

ADVENT CAROL SERVICE

BY CANDLELIGHT

O sing unto the Lord a new song,

Sing unto the Lord all the whole earth.

(Psalm 96:1)

SUNDAY 30 T H NOVEMBER 2014 , 6 . 30PM

V ICAR ' S WELCOME

I would like to warmly welcome you to Malmesbury Abbey for

tonight’s Advent Carol Service by Candlelight. Since the monks

first gathered on this site in the 7th century, the season of Advent

has been observed as a time of disciplined spiritual preparation

for the Christmas feast ahead. Well, we might be a little less

disciplined than Aldhelm and William, perhaps it’s just me, but

this night we become a part of that ancient tradition. And I hope

you will find our service inspirational as it points to God, beyond

our imagining, yet a light, right here in SN16.

Given a year in which we have not only reflected on the outbreak

of World War I but also witnessed grave atrocities in conflict and

the consequence of the Ebola virus, we understand all too easily

the symbolism of darkness. And that is where our service begins,

in the darkness and chaos before creation.

But darkness, ultimately, is the absence of light, the absence of

God. And our service keeps calling, in music, readings and prayer,

for the light of Jesus Christ in the darkness not just of a broken

world, but also in the hidden darkness of our ordinary lives. And

our service reaches a climax with three great words of hope: ‘Lo,

he comes!’

Tonight God brings us His light. We then carry it to others.

Revd Canon Neill Archer

Advent Sunday, 2014.

Guidance for the Service

• The service is lit by candles alone and begins in darkness

• When candles are being lit please take great care when

passing the light to others

• Please secure all loose hair and clothing

• Because of the large number of candles in this service

there is a significant risk – please take care with your

candle at all times

• Unless otherwise directed, please stand for all

congregational hymns during the organ introduction,

and then sit afterwards

• There is a retiring collection – if you are a UK tax payer

please use the gift aid envelope included in this order of

service. Thank you.

Organ Preludes

Please remain seated in silence during the final organ prelude as the

Abbey is gradually darkened.

Chorale Prelude on ‘Nun komm der Heiden Heiland’, Bach

Chorale Prelude on ‘Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen’, Brahms

Silence

Choir The Advent Matins Responsory

Palestrina

Sung from St Aldhelm’s Chapel

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.

Reading 1 Genesis 1:1-5

Read by Catherine Price

Lay Minister

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now

the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface

of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. 4 God saw

that the light was good, and he separated the light from the

darkness. 5 God called the light ‘day’, and the darkness he called

‘night’. And there was evening, and there was morning– the first

day.

This is the word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

Choir Creator of the stars (mode iv)

The light is passed through the Abbey, with the congregation still

seated, as the choir process to the font at the West End.

Creator of the stars of night,

Thy people’s everlasting light,

O Jesu, Saviour of us all,

Regard thy servants when they call.

Thou, grieving at the bitter cry

of all creation doomed to die,

didst come to save a ruined race

with healing gifts of heavenly grace.

Thou cam’st, the Bridegroom of the bride,

As drew the world to evening-tide;

Proceeding from a virgin shrine,

The Son of Man, yet Lord divine.

At Thy great name exalted now,

All knees must bend, all hearts must bow;

And things in heaven and earth shall own,

That Thou art Lord and King alone.

To thee, O Holy One, we pray

our judge in that tremendous day;

Preserve us, while we dwell below

From every onslaught of the foe.

All praise, eternal Son, to thee

Whose advent sets thy people free;

Whom with the Father we adore

And Spirit blest, forevermore. Amen

Hymn Of the Father’s heart begotten

arranged Sir David Willcocks

f the Father’s heart begotten,

Ere the world from chaos rose,

He is Alpha: from that fountain

All that is and hath been flows;

He is Omega, of all things

Yet to come the mystic close

Evermore and evermore!

By His Word was all created;

He commanded and ‘twas done;

Earth and sky and boundless ocean,

Universe of three in one,

All that sees the moon’s soft radiance,

All that breathes beneath the sun,


This is he whom seers and prophets

Sang in ages long gone by;

This is he of old reveal-ed

In the page of prophesy;

Lo! He comes, the promised Saviour;

Let the world his praises cry!


O

Sing ye heights of heaven his praises

Angels and Archangels sing!

Wheresoe’er ye be, ye faithful

Let your joyous anthems ring.

Every tongue his name confessing,

Countless voices answering,


Please remain standing

Bidding Prayer Revd Canon Neill Archer

Vicar, Malmesbury Abbey

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, which art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;

thy Kingdom come,

thy will be done,

in 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.

Hymn Come thou redeemer of the Earth

arranged Sir David Willcocks

During which the choir process to the centre of the Nave

ome, thou Redeemer of the earth,

And manifest thy virgin-birth:

Let every age adoring fall;

Such birth befits the God of all.

Begotten of no human will,

but of the Spirit, thou art still

The Word of God in flesh arrayed,

The promised fruit to man displayed.

The virgin womb that burden gained

With virgin honour all unstained;

The banners there of virtue glow;

God in His temple dwells below.

Forth from His chamber goeth He,

That royal home of purity,

A giant in twofold substance one,

Rejoicing now His course to run.

O equal to thy Father, thou!

Gird on thy fleshly mantle now,

The weakness of our mortal state

With deathless might invigorate.

C

All laud eternal Son to Thee

Whose advent sets thy people free;

Whom with the Father we adore

And Holy Ghost for evermore. Amen

Reading 2 Psalm 13

Read by Lesley Wilson

Churchwarden

1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me for ever?

How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts

and day after day have sorrow in my heart?

How long will my enemy triumph over me? 3 Look on me and answer, Lord my God.

Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, 4 and my enemy will say, ‘I have overcome him,’

and my foes will rejoice when I fall. 5 But I trust in your unfailing love;

my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing the Lord’s praise,

for he has been good to me.


Thanks be to God

Choir O nata lux de lumine

Morten Lauridsen

O Light born of Light, Jesus, Redeemer of the world,

with loving-kindness deign to receive suppliant praise and prayer.

Thou who once deigned to be clothed in flesh for the sake of the lost,

grant us to be members of thy blessed body.

Reading 3 Isaiah 9:2,3,6,7

Read by Revd John Monaghan

Curate, Malmesbury Abbey

2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. 3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they

rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors

rejoice when dividing the plunder. 6 For to us a child is born, to us

a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And

he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting

Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and

peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and

over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and

righteousness from that time on and for ever. The zeal of

the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.


Thanks be to God

Hymn Come thou long expected Jesus

ome, thou long-expected Jesus,

born to set thy people free;

from our fears and sins release us,

let us find our rest in thee.

Israel's strength and consolation,

hope of all the earth thou art:

dear desire of every nation,

joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,

born a child, and yet a king,

born to reign in us for ever,

now thy gracious kingdom bring.

By thine own eternal Spirit

rule in all our hearts alone;

by thine all-sufficient merit

raise us to thy glorious throne.

Choir Bogoroditse Devo

Sergei Rachmaninoff

Rejoice Virgin, God bearer

Mary, full of Grace, the Lord be with you.

Blessed are you amongst women

and blessed is the fruit of your womb,

for you have borne the Saviour of our souls

(Part based on Luke 1:42)

C

Reading 4 Isaiah 60:1-5a

Read by Revd Mandy Churcher

Associate Minister

‘Arise, shine, for your light has come,

and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth

and thick darkness is over the peoples,

but the LORD rises upon you

and his glory appears over you. 3 Nations will come to your light,

and kings to the brightness of your dawn. 4 ‘Lift up your eyes and look about you:

all assemble and come to you;

your sons come from afar,

and your daughters are carried on the hip. 5 Then you will look and be radiant,

your heart will throb and swell with joy;


Thanks be to God

Hymn On Jordan’s banks the Baptist’s Cry

n Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry

announces that the Lord is nigh;

awake and hearken, for he brings

glad tidings of the King of kings.

Then cleansed be every breast from sin;

make straight the way for God within,

prepare we in our hearts a home

where such a mighty Guest may come.

For thou art our salvation, Lord,

our refuge and our great reward;

without thy grace we waste away

like flowers that wither and decay.

To heal the sick stretch out thine hand,

and bid the fallen sinner stand;

shine forth and let thy light restore

earth's own true loveliness once more.

All praise, eternal Son, to thee,

whose advent doth thy people free;

whom with the Father we adore

and Holy Ghost for evermore. Amen.

O

Reading 5 Matthew 25:1-13

Read by Diana Crowe

Churchwarden

‘At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who

took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of

them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their

lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones,

however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom

was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell

asleep.

6 ‘At midnight the cry rang out: “Here’s the bridegroom! Come out

to meet him!” 7 ‘Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their

lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, “Give us some of your

oil; our lamps are going out.” 9 ‘“No,” they replied, “there may not

be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil

and buy some for yourselves.” 10 ‘But while they were on their way

to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were

ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door

was shut. 11 ‘Later the others also came. “Lord, Lord,” they said,

“open the door for us!” 12 ‘But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I don’t

know you.” 13 ‘Therefore keep watch, because you do not know

the day or the hour.


Thanks be to God

Choir Audivi Vocem de caelo

Thomas Tallis

I heard a voice come from heaven:

Come all ye most-wise virgins,

Store up oil in your vessels until the Bridegroom comes.

In the middle of the night the cry was made:

Behold the Bridegroom comes.

Store up oil in your vessels until the Bridegroom comes.

(Based on Matthew 25:1-13)

Reading 6 Revelation 1:4b-8

Read by Revd Linda Sullivan


4 Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who

is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5 and

from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from

the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who

loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has

made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and

Father – to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. 7 ‘Look, he is coming with the clouds,’ and ‘every eye will see him,

even those who pierced him’; and all peoples on earth ‘will

mourn because of him.’ So shall it be! Amen. 8 ‘I am the Alpha and

the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is

to come, the Almighty.’


Thanks be to God

Choir E’en so, Lord Jesus, quickly come

Paul Ganz

Peace be to you and grace from Him who freed us from our sin,

who loved us all, and shed his blood that we might saved be.

Sing holy, holy to our Lord, the Lord almighty God

Who was and is, and is to come. Sing holy, holy Lord

Rejoice in heaven, all ye that dwell therein,

Rejoice on earth, ye saints below for Christ is coming soon.

E'en so Lord Jesus quickly come and night shall be no more

They need no light, no lamp, nor sun for Christ will be their all!

(Adapted from Revelation 22)

Hymn Hark a thrilling voice is sounding

During which the choir process to the sanctuary

ark! a thrilling voice is sounding.

‘Christ is nigh,’ it seems to say;

‘Cast away the dreams of darkness,

O ye children of the day.’

Wakened by the solemn warning,

let the earth-bound soul arise;

Christ, her sun, all ill dispelling,

shines upon the morning skies.

H

Lo, the Lamb, so long expected,

comes with pardon down from heav’n;

let us haste, with tears of sorrow,

one and all to be forgiv’n;

That when next he comes with glory,

and the world is wrapped in fear,

with his mercy he may shield us,

and with words of love draw near.

Honour, glory, might, and blessing

to the Father and the Son,

with the everlasting Spirit,

while eternal ages run.

Choir New Song

James MacMillan

O sing unto the Lord a new song,

sing unto the Lord all the whole earth.

Sing unto the Lord and praise His Name,

be telling of His salvation from day to day.

For he cometh to judge the earth,

and with righteousness to judge the world

and the people with His truth.

(Psalm 96:1,2,13)

Prayers Revd John Monaghan


Lord Jesus, Light of the World

Shine in the darkness

The Advent Collect

Almighty God,

give us grace to cast away the works of darkness

and to put on the armour of light,

now in the time of this mortal life,

in which your Son Jesus Christ

came to us in great humility: so that on the last day,

when he shall come again in his glorious majesty

to judge the living and the dead,

we may rise to the life immortal;

through him who is alive and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

Choir The Advent Vesper Responsory

Palestrina

Judah and Jerusalem, fear not, nor be dismayed;

Tomorrow go ye forth, and the Lord, he will be with you.

Stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord.


Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.


Hymn O come O come Emmanuel

come, O come, Emmanuel!

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here,

Until the Son of God appear:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou Rod of Jesse! free

Thine own from Satan’s tyranny

From depths of hell, thy people save,

And give them victory o’er the grave:



O come, thou dayspring come and cheer

Our spirits by thine advent here;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,,

And death’s dark shadows put to flight:



O come, thou Key of David come

And open wide our heav’nly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery:



O

O come, O come, thou Lord of Might,

Who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height,

In ancient times did give the law

In cloud and majesty and awe:




The Advent Blessing

May God the Father, who loved the world so much that he sent

his only son, give you grace to prepare for the life eternal.

Amen.

May God the Son, who comes to us as Redeemer and Judge,

reveal to you the path from darkness to light.

Amen.

May God the Holy Spirit,

by whose working the Virgin Mary conceived the Christ,

help you bear the fruits of holiness.

Amen.

And the blessing of God Almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.

Amen.

Recessional Lo! He comes with clouds descending

During which the choir processes to St Aldhelm’s Chapel

o, he comes with clouds descending,

Once for favoured sinners slain;

Thousand, thousand saints attending

Swell the triumph of his train:

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Christ appears, on earth to reign.

Every eye shall now behold him

Robed in dreadful majesty;

Those who set at naught and sold him,

Pierced and nailed him to the tree,

Deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing

Shall the true Messiah see.

Those dear tokens of his Passion

Still his dazzling body bears,

Cause of endless exultation

To his ransomed worshippers:

With what rapture, with what rapture, with what

rapture gaze we on those glorious scars!

Yea, amen! Let all adore thee,

High on thine eternal throne;

Saviour, take the power and glory:

Claim the kingdom for thine own:

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou shalt reign, and thou alone.

L


Choir Glory honour power and blessing

J.S. Bach

‘Glory, honour, power and blessing’

all living creatures stand confessing

with harps and cymbals round your throne.

Gates of pearl and streets pure golden,

the saints and angels stand beholding

God’s city, our eternal home.

His glory gives it light;

no eye has seen a sight

of such splendour.

Rejoice afar, ‘Alleluia!’

Forever praise Him, ‘Gloria!’

Dismissal

Our Lord says, ‘I am coming soon.’

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

May the Lord, when he comes,

find us watching and waiting.

Amen.

Organ Voluntary

Fantasia ‘In dulci jubilo’ J.S. Bach

2014 advent carol service at malmesbury abbey

Documents

order of service

service inspirational

tonights advent carol

absence of god

beginning god

hidden darkness

absence of light

spirit of god