Sunday, January 4th, 2014

Rite I, Second Sunday after Christmas

Themes from the Readings: The finding in the Temple, How beautiful are your dwellings, Return to the Lord

Prelude: Adeste Fideles, by: Joseph J. McGrath

Processional Hymn: 87 Hark! The herald angels sing

Gloria: S204 Scottish Chant

First Reading: Jeremiah 31:7-14

Psalm: Psalm 84 or 84:1-8 S188 with congregation at the half verse

Second Reading: Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-19a

Before the Gospel: 82 Of the Father’s love begotten, stanzas 1 and 2

Gospel: Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

After the Gospel: 82 Of the Father’s love begotten, stanzas 3 and 4

Offertory Anthem: Still, still, still German Carol, arranged by: Philip Ledger

Still, still, still, Still, still, still,

weils Kindlein schlafen will! my dear babe sleep!

Maria tut es niedersingen, Maria sings you a lullaby

ihre keusche Brust darbringen. And brings you her true heart.

Schlaf, schlaf, schlaf, Sleep, sleep, sleep,

mein liebes Kindlein schlaf! my loving child, sleep!

Die Engel tun schon musizieren, The angels make beautiful music

vor dem Kindlein jubilieren. joyously for the little child.

Schlaf, schlaf, schlaf, mein liebes Kindlein schlaf! Sleep, sleep, sleep, my loving child, sleep!

Joy, Joy, Joy, My heart is filled with joy,

The God of love has left his throne,

Made this humble word his own,

Joy, joy, joy, My heart is filled with joy!

Doxology: Hymn 380, stanza 3

Holy: S117, Hassler/McGregor

Communion Anthem: Es ist ein Ros entsprungen Canon, by: Melchior Vulpius

Es ist ein Ros entsprungen A rose has sprung up (Lo, how a rose e’er blooming)

au seiner Wurzel zart, from a tender branch (from tender branch has sprung)

wie uns die Alten sungen, as the ancient ones sang (of Jesse’s lineage coming)

von Jesse kam die Art. its origin was from Jesse. (as seers of old have sung)

Communion Meditations: Of the Father’s Love Begotten, by: Flor Peeters,

“Antioch” (Joy to the World) arranged by: Rebecca te Velde.

Communion Hymn: 89 It came upon the midnight clear

Recessional Hymn: 93 Angels, from the realms of glory

Postlude: Divinium Mysterium (Of the Father’s Love Begotten), by: Garth Edmundson

Music Notes

by: Ashley Sosis

Gesegnete Weihnachten und ein glückliches neues Jahr! A blessed Christmas and a joyous new year!

Today’s music selections feature arrangements of two well-loved German Christmas carols. “Es ist ein’ Ros entsprungen” is based on Luke chapters 1-2 and Isaiah 11:1-10 and is believed to date from the fifteenth century. The earliest version of this hymn consisted of twenty-three stanzas! Donnerwetter! (Gosh!)

It may be the gentle feeling of the music, or perhaps it is just that I can’t get a particularly famous recording by the Vienna Boy’s Choir out of my head that I always think of Still, still, still as a children’s Christmas carol. A nod to that is the first verse sung by a young chorister soloist Katie MacDonald.