Sunday, December 14th, 2014
Rite I, Third Sunday of Advent
Themes from the Readings: Joyful expectation of the Lord, John the Baptist going before Jesus
Prelude: Pastoral Symphony (from The Messiah) by: G. F. Handel
Processional Hymn: 436 Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates
First Reading: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Psalm: Psalm 126 S188
Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Before the Gospel: 76 On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry, stanzas 1 and 2
Gospel: John 1:6-8, 19-28
After the Gospel: 76 On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry, stanzas 3-5
Offertory Anthem: Come, Jesus, Holy Son of God by: G. F. Handel, Arr. Hal Hopson
Come, Jesus, Holy Son of God, come. Thy truth unseal, Thy love reveal. Lord, hear Thou in mercy our prayer to Thee, come, Jesus, Holy Son of God, come. Come in Thy might. Send forth Thy light.
Send forth Thy light, come in might, Come send forth Thy light. L:ord, hear Thou in mercy, our prayer to Thee. For Thee we long. Hear Thou our prayer. To Thee be glory now and evermore.
Lord, hear Thou in mercy our prayer to Thee. Come, Jesus Holy Son of God. To Thee be glory, to Thee be glory evermore.
Doxology: Hymn 380, stanza 3
Holy: S117, Hassler/McGregor
Communion Anthem: O Lord, How Shall I Meet You? Hymn tune: Valet Will Ich Dir Geben
O Lord, how shall I meet You,
How welcome You aright?
Your people long to greet You,
My hope, my heart’s delight!
O kindle, Lord most holy, A lamp within my breast,
To do in spirit lowly
All that may pleaseYou best.
Love caused Your incarnation,
Love brought You down to me;
Your thirst for my salvation
Procured my liberty.
O love beyond all telling,
That led You to embrace
In love all loves excelling
Our lost and fallen race.
A glorious crown You give me,
A treasure safe on high,
That will not fail nor leave me
As earthly riches fly.
My heart shall bloom forever
For You with praises new,
And from Your name shall never
Withhold the honor due.
Communion Hymn: 65 Prepare the way, O Zion
Communion Meditation: Pastorale, BWV590, by: J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
Recessional Hymn: 437 Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Postlude: Advent Processional on Truro, by: Franklin D. Ashdown
Music notes
by: Ashley Sosis
To me, a Pastorale is one of the most easily identified musical styles. If a single movement work is entitled “Pastorale” it is very likely to possess the following qualities-
-It sounds placid and/or rustic
-If it was written in the 17th or 18th century, it usually appears in the key of F.
-It gently lilts along in 6-8 or 12-8 meter.
-The lowest notes are held low notes “drones”.
Some popular Pastorales that are not entitled pastorale are the duet “He Shall Feed His Flock” from The Messiah and Sinfonia from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. Pastorales, while not all of them are written as sacred music, have a unique liturgical use for Advent-- they paint a picture of the shepherds peacefully abiding in their fields just before they received the news that Christ has been born. (Luke 2:8)