11am Choral Eucharist, Sunday, December 10th, 2017

Rite II, Second Sunday of Advent

Themes from the Readings: Abraham’s sacrifice; Restore Us, O Lord; The Genealogy of Christ

Sermon Title: The Thrill of Hope

Prelude: People Look East/On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry, from “Three Advent Settings”, By: Anne Krentz Organ, Canterbury Bells Handbell Choir

Processional Hymn: 66 Come, thou long expected Jesus (Stuttgart)

Trisagion: S102, Archangelsky

First Reading: Genesis 22:9-19, Anglican Chant

Psalm: Psalm 85:1-13

Gospel Hymn: 67 Comfort, comfort ye my people (Psalm 42)

Gospel: Matthew 1:1-17

Sermon Hymn: 487 Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life (The Call)

Offertory Anthem: “Carol of the Advent”, Besançon Carol Tune, Arranged By: Philip Dietterich

Choir: People, look East. The time is near of the crowning of the year. Make your house fair as you are able, trim the hearth, and set the table. People, look East, and sing today: Love, the guest is on the way.

Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare, one more seed is planted there: Give up your strength the seed to nourish, that in course the flower may flourish. People, look East, and sing today: Love, the rose, is on the way.

Birds, though ye long have ceased to build, guard the nest that must be filled. Even the hour when wings are frozen, He for fledging time has chosen. People, look East, and sing today: Love, the bird is on the way.

Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim one more light the bowl shall brim, shining beyond the frosty weather, bright as sun and moon together. People, look East, and sing today: Love, the star, is on the way.

Doxology: Hymn 380, stanza 3

Holy: S125, Proulx

Communion Anthem: "Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery", By: By: Matt Papa, Matt Boswell and Michael Bleecker

Choir: Come behold the wondrous mystery, in the dawning of the King. He, the theme of heaven’s praises, robed in frail humanity. In our longing, in our darkness, now the light of life has come! Look to Christ who condescended, took on flesh to ransom us.

Come, behold the wondrous mystery: He the perfect Son of Man, in His living, in His suffering, never trace nor stain of sin. See the true and better Adam, come to save the hell-bound man, Christ the great and sure fulfillment of the law; in Him we stand.

Come behold the wondrous mystery: Christ the Lord upon the tree. In the stead of ruined sinners hangs the Lamb in victory! See the price of our redemption, see the Father’s plan unfold, bringing many sons to glory: grace unmeasured, love untold!

Communion Meditation: Come, thou long expected Jesus, Arranged by: Gregory Hamilton

Recessional Hymn: 436 Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates (Truro)

Postlude: O Come, O Come Emmanuel, Arranged By: Rex Kourky

Music Notes

By: Ashley Sosis

The hymn today’s Offertory Anthem was based on, “People, look east,” was written in 1928 by Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965). It is a lovely little hymn, but it contains almost enough secular imagery to categorize it as a “things we do at Christmas” song with “Deck the halls”, “Here we go a wassailing” and “We wish you a merry Christmas”. Its redemption is that the WHY remains intact. At the end of every stanza, we declare that we are doing these things because Jesus the Guest, the Rose, the Star, and the Lord is on the way.

Eleanor Farjeon also wrote the text to Hymn #8 “Morning has broken”. Her collected poems are a good read—including “Peace,” a heavy poem about war; a handful of delightful poems about cats and the following Christmas poem that just needs to be turned into a song!

Angelic Chorus

Birds in the air, Thy Body for bread,

Beasts in the byre, Thy Blood for the wine,

Straw for thy bed, A thorn for thy crown,

Stars for thy fire. A cross for thy sign.