11am Choral Eucharist, Sunday, December 3rd, 2017

Rite I, First Sunday of Advent NOTE NEW SERVICE MUSIC BELOW!

Themes from the Readings: Adam’s fall; Restore us, O God!; John the Baptist prepares the way of the Lord

Sermon Title: The Thrill of Hope

Begin Year B of the Three Year Lectionary Cycle.

Prelude: Three Variations on “Veni, Emmanuel”, Arranged by: Gregg Sewell

Processional Hymn: 56 O come, O come Emmanuel (Veni Emmanuel)

Trisagion: S102, Archangelsky

First Reading: Genesis 3:1-15

Psalm: Psalm 80:1-7, Gregorian Chant, Tone IV

Choir: Stir up your strength, O Lord, and come to help us.

1. Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock;*

shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.

2. In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh,*

stir up your strength and come to help us.

3. Restore us, O God of hosts;*

show the light of your countenance and, we shall be saved..

4. O Lord God of hosts,*

how long will you be angered despite the prayers of your people?

5. You have fed them with the bread of tears,*

you have given them bowls of tears to drink.

6. You have made us the derision of our neighbors,*

and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

7. Restore us, O God of hosts;*

show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

Stir up your strength, O Lord, and come to help us.

Gospel Hymn: 76 On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry (Winchester New)

Gospel: Mark 1:1-8

Sermon Hymn: 75 There’s a voice in the wilderness crying (Ascension)

Offertory Anthem: Come, Jesus, Holy Son of God, G. F. Handel/Hopson

Choir: Come, Jesus, Holy Son of God, come.

Thy truth unseal. Thy love reveal.

Lord, hear Thou in mercy our prayer to Thee.

Come in Thy might. Send forth Thy light.

For Thee we long.

Hear Thou our prayer.

To Thee be glory now and evermore.

Doxology: Hymn 380, stanza 3

Holy: S125, Proulx

Communion Meditation: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, Adapted from a Chorale harmonized by J. S. Bach

Communion Anthem: "Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery", 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!

Recessional Hymn: 74 Blest be the King whose coming (Valet will ich dir geben)

Postlude: Fanfare and March on “St. Theodulph” By: John S. Dixon

Music Notes

By: Ashley Sosis

I admit that the new Sanctus is as tricky to sing as it is beautiful. There is a reason behind that. It is based on a choral motet for an SSATTB choir by Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612). The motet is in Latin and based on John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” I really love implying those words by using this Sanctus in our Communion rite during Advent, Christmas and Epiphany Sundays.

This weekend is the weekend that the St. Augustine Choir, with the Carolina Master Chorale and the Long Bay Symphony, bring Handel’s Messiah Concert to two different sold-out audiences. The choir agreed that today’s offertory anthem, “Come, Jesus, Holy Son of God,” is the only Handel Chorus sung this weekend at a relaxed tempo. If you couldn’t make it to yesterday’s performance, please consider attending this afternoon’s 2:30pm performance at All Saint’s Church in Pawley’s Island. Tickets are “first-come, first-served”, so you might want to leave after the postlude and eat lunch on the way! This year’s performance includes J. S. Bach’s Cantata 140, “Wachet auf ruft uns die Stimme”, which you might recognize as hymn 61 in our hymnal, “’Sleepers, wake!’ A voice astounds us”. May our hearts be awake and ready in this season of joyful anticipation!