Christmas Day – Monday 25 December 2017

Isaiah 9.2-7

² The people who walked in darkness
   have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
   on them light has shined. 
³ You have multiplied the nation,
   you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
   as with joy at the harvest,
   as people exult when dividing plunder. 
⁴ For the yoke of their burden,
   and the bar across their shoulders,
   the rod of their oppressor,
   you have broken as on the day of Midian. 
⁵ For all the boots of the tramping warriors
   and all the garments rolled in blood
   shall be burned as fuel for the fire. 
⁶ For a child has been born for us,
   a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
   and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 
⁷ His authority shall grow continually,
   and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
   He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
   from this time onwards and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. 

 

Psalm 96

1 O sing to the Lord a new song:
sing to the Lord, all the earth.

2 Sing to the Lord and bless his holy name:
proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.

3 Declare his glory among the nations:
and his wonders among all peoples.

4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised:
he is more to be feared than all gods.

5 As for all the gods of the nations, they are mere idols:
it is the Lord who made the heavens.

6 Majesty and glory are before him:
beauty and power are in his sanctuary.

7 Render to the Lord, you families of the nations:
render to the Lord glory and might.

8 Render to the Lord the honour due to his name:
bring offerings and come into his courts.

9 O worship the Lord in the beauty of his holiness:
let the whole earth stand in awe of him.

10 Say among the nations that the Lord is king:
he has made the world so firm
that it can never be moved;
and he shall judge the peoples with equity.

11 Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad:
let the sea roar, and all that fills it:

12 Let the fields rejoice, and everything in them:
then shall all the trees of the wood
shout with joy before the Lord;

13 For he comes, he comes to judge the earth:
he shall judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with his truth.

 

O Sing unto the Lord a New Song 

Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
The Choir of Christ Church, Oxford
Matthew Bright, alto
David Thomas, bass
The English Concert on authentic instruments.
Simon Preston, conductor

O sing unto the Lord a new song. Alleluia. Sing unto the Lord, all the whole earth. Alleluia. Sing unto the Lord, and praise his name: be telling of his salvation from day to day. Declare his honour unto the heathen: and his wonders unto all people. Glory and worship are before him: power and honour are in his sanctuary. The Lord is great, and cannot worthily be praised: he is more to be feared than all gods. As for the gods of the heathen, they are but idols: but it is the Lord that made the heavens. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: let the whole earth stand in awe of him. Tell it out among the heathen that the Lord is King, and that it is he that hath made the round world so sure that it cannot be moved; And how that he shall judge the people righteously. Alleluia. Amen. (words from Psalm 96)

 

Titus 2.11-14

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

 

Tomorrow shall be my dancing day 

English traditional carol, arr David Willcocks
Cambridge Singers
John Rutter, conductor

Tomorrow shall be my dancing day; I would my true love did so chance To see the legend of my play, To call my true love to my dance;    Sing, O my love, O my love, my love, my love,    This have I done for my true love. Then was I born of a virgin pure, Of her I took fleshly substance Thus was I knit to man’s nature To call my true love to my dance. In a manger laid, and wrapped I was So very poor, this was my chance Betwixt an ox and a silly poor ass To call my true love to my dance. Tomorrow shall be my dancing day; I would my true love did so chance To see the legend of my play, To call my true love to my dance;    Sing, O my love, O my love, my love, my love,    This have I done for my true love.

 

Luke 2.1-14 (15-20)

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. ²This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
   ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
   and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

 

Angels we have heard on high 

Sung by Pentatonix

Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o’er the plains, And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains.    Gloria, in excelsis Deo! Angels we have heard on high Singing sweetly through the night, And the mountains in reply Echoing their great delight. Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be Which inspire your heavenly song?  Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing; Come, adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King.

 

Sans Day Carol  

Traditional Cornish Carol, arr John Rutter
The Girls and Lay Clerks of Ely Cathedral Choir
Directed by Sarah MacDonald

Now the holly bears a berry as white as the milk,
And Mary bore Jesus, all wrapped up in silk:

And Mary bore Jesus our Saviour for to be,
And the first tree in the green wood, it was the holly.
Holly! Holly!
And the first tree in the green wood, it was the holly!

Now the holly bears a berry as green as the grass,
And Mary bore Jesus, who died on the cross:

Now the holly bears a berry as black as the coal,
And Mary bore Jesus, who died for us all:

Now the holly bears a berry, as blood is it red,
Then trust we our Saviour, who rose from the dead:

 

What Child is this? 

Thomas Hewitt Jones
Sung by Voces8

What Child is this who, laid to rest On Mary’s lap is sleeping? Whom Angels greet with anthems sweet, While shepherds watch are keeping? This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and Angels sing; Haste, haste, to bring Him laud, The Babe, the Son of Mary. Why lies He in such mean estate, Where ox and ass are feeding? Good Christians, fear, for sinners here The silent Word is pleading. Nails, spear shall pierce Him through, The cross be borne for me, for you. Hail, hail the Word made flesh, The Babe, the Son of Mary. So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh, Come peasant, king to own Him; The King of kings salvation brings, Let loving hearts enthrone Him. Raise, raise a song on high, The virgin sings her lullaby. Joy, joy for Christ is born, The Babe, the Son of Mary.

 

Revealing to you the eternal counsel  

Pavel Chesnokov (1877-1944)
Alexey Doroshenko, bass
Sung by the male-voice choir, Kovcheg
Precentor Alexey Telnov, director

Совет превечный открывая Тебе, Отроковице, Гавриил предста, Тебе лобзая и вещая: радуйся, земле ненасеянная; радуйся, купино неопалимая; радуйся, глубино неудобозримая; радуйся, мосте, к Небесем преводяй, и лествице высокая, юже Иаков виде; радуйся, Божественная стамно манны; / радуйся, разрешение клятвы; радуйся, Адамово воззвание: с Тобою Господь.

Revealing to you the eternal counsel, Gabriel came and stood before you, O Maiden, and in greeting said: Rejoice, earth that has not been sown! Rejoice, burning bush that remains unconsumed! Rejoice, unsearchable depth! Rejoice, bridge that leads to Heaven! Rejoice, ladder raised on high that Jacob saw! Rejoice, divine jar of manna! Rejoice, deliverance from the curse! Rejoice, restoration of Adam; the Lord is with you!

 

A Stable in Bethelehem 

Peter Taylor
Sung by the Ely Imps and the Boys of the Ely Cathedral Choir
Directed by Paul Trepte

Jesus lay in a manger, with an ox and an ass in a stable. Jesus lay in a manger in a stable In a stable in Bethlehem. Three wise men came to worship, bearing gold, bearing myrrh, bearing frankincense. Three wise men came to worship from afar in a stable in Bethlehem. Three kings, kneeling, adore Him, in the light of the star that has guided them. Three kings, kneeling, adore Him in the starlight in a stable in Bethlehem. Now sing loud Alleluia for the Child in a stable in Bethlehem. Now more softly to bring him peace in a stable in Bethlehem.

 

Away in a manger 

William J Kirkpatrick (1838-1921) arr Pat Brandon
Sung by the Boys of the Ely Cathedral Choir
Directed by Paul Trepte

Away in a manger, no crib for his bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head; the stars in the sky looked down where he lay, the little Lord Jesus, asleep in the hay. The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes. but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes. I love thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky and stay by the cradle till morning is nigh.  Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay close by me forever, and love me, I pray! Bless all the dear children in thy tender care and take us to heaven, to live with thee there.

 

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