Sunday, December 28th, 2014
Rite I, First Sunday after Christmas
Guest Pianists: Larry Wilson and Mattie MacDonald
Prelude: Solo by Mattie MacDonald
Processional Hymn: 83 O come, all ye faithful
Gloria: S204 Scottish Chant
First Reading: Isaiah 61:10-62:3
Psalm: Psalm 147 or 147:13-21 read.
Second Reading: Galatians 3:23-25, 4:4-7
Before the Gospel: 107 Good Christian friends, rejoice! Stanzas 1 & 2
Gospel: John 1:1-18
After the Gospel: 107 Good Christian friends, rejoice! Stanza 3
Offertory Anthem: O Come All Ye Faithful, John F. Wade, arr. by Hugh S. Livingston, Jr.
Doxology: Hymn 380, stanza 3
Holy: S117, Hassler/McGregor
Communion Meditation: O Holy Night, Adolphe Adam, arr. by Hugh S. Livingston, Jr.
Communion Hymn 1: 79 O little town of Bethlehem
Communion Hymn 2 if needed: 101 Away in a manger (British version)
Recessional Hymn: 100 Joy to the World
Postlude: Joy To the World, G. F. Handel, arr. by John W. Schaum
No music notes from Ashley Sosis today due to Christmas Vacation. :)
A note from our Pastor
In the last century, the liturgical year has sadly become less and less important for many Christians even in churches that keep it. For centuries, Christmas was a feast that began on December 25th and lasted for twelve whole days! The capstone at the end of this festival was the celebration of Jesus Christ’s revelation to the gentile world when the magi came from afar to worship the Son of God. This has traditionally been celebrated as the feast of Epiphany on January 6th. In recent years, however, the Roman Catholic Church has moved the celebration of Epiphany to the Sunday before January 6th to accommodate a lack of interest in special liturgical days. In years past, Trinity has followed this custom. However, the prayer book, and consequentially the Anglican liturgical calendar, continues to hold Christmas as the twelve days ending on January 5th. While it may seem odd to many of you that we are not celebrating Epiphany at our Eucharist on the Sunday before Epiphany I believe it is important that when the rest of the world throws Christmas away, we keep it! So, this year we will be celebrating the feast of Christmas at our principle Eucharistic celebrations from December 25th through January 5th and will remember Epiphany together with an evensong on Sunday January 4th. Of course, there is no scriptural mandate on what days we celebrate when. It is my prayer, then, not so much that we keep the correct liturgical days but that we daily live in light of the truth that “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
In Him,
Iain Boyd
Rector