“Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding!” - Cross of Jesus.
“The holly and the ivy are dancing in a ring” - you can guess!
“Make way, make way!”
“On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry” - Winchester New.
“Wild and lone the prophet’s voice” - by Carl Daw. Aberystwyth.
“The King shall come when morning dawns” - Richmond.
The voice of God goes out to all the world (WOODLANDS. Book says MORESTEAD which I don't know and I made an executive decision to ignore the Int Mod's suggestion of ELLERS)
For You, O Lord, My Soul in Stillness Waits/MY SOUL IN STILLNESS WAITS Come Now, O Prince of Peace/O-SO-SO Creator of the Stars of Night/CONDITOR ALME SIDERUM Wild and Lone the Prophet’s Voice/ABERYSTWYTH Prepare the Way, O Zion/BEREDEN VÄG FÖR HERRAN People, Look East/BESANÇON
We sang the first three last week as well, both times as part of the gathering liturgy, but different verses each week. I’m guessing that means the pattern will continue the next two weeks.
I'm beginning to detect a pattern depending on who's preaching, how awful the music will be.
Today we had:
Colours of Day Restore O Lord the Honour of your name To God be the Glory Abba Father, let me be (argh...) Lord Jesus Christ, You have come to us While Shepherds watched (wot?)
I'm beginning to detect a pattern depending on who's preaching, how awful the music will be.
Today we had:
Colours of Day Restore O Lord the Honour of your name To God be the Glory Abba Father, let me be (argh...) Lord Jesus Christ, You have come to us While Shepherds watched (wot?)
Did you accidentally step through a portal to 1987?
I'm beginning to detect a pattern depending on who's preaching, how awful the music will be.
Today we had:
Colours of Day Restore O Lord the Honour of your name To God be the Glory Abba Father, let me be (argh...) Lord Jesus Christ, You have come to us While Shepherds watched (wot?)
Did you accidentally step through a portal to 1987?
I think it's a step back into the Vicar's days in his university CU...
It's not great, but everywhere else in reasonable casting distance is Fundies in Frocks and I can put up with cheesy music marginally better than I can religiously justified misogyny.
I'm beginning to detect a pattern depending on who's preaching, how awful the music will be.
Today we had:
Colours of Day Restore O Lord the Honour of your name To God be the Glory Abba Father, let me be (argh...) Lord Jesus Christ, You have come to us While Shepherds watched (wot?)
Did you accidentally step through a portal to 1987?
I think it's a step back into the Vicar's days in his university CU...
It's not great, but everywhere else in reasonable casting distance is Fundies in Frocks and I can put up with cheesy music marginally better than I can religiously justified misogyny.
I'm reasonably tolerant of that sort of music, it just struck me as being songs that would be considered "modern" when I was a young child (so probably at least a decade old at that point). I suspect I'm as guilty as the vicar of considering the songs learned at university to be "modern" even though it's near 20 years ago.
The thing is, the average age of the congregation is probably about 70. I've half a mind to volunteer to play the organ (they only seem to have a real live organist half the time) just to escape being expected to sing this stuff. Unfortunately, it's been discovered in the three weeks I've been going that I can actually sing. It's the sort of place where that rather marks you out as distinctive...
Wake, awake! for night is flying (Sleepers Wake)
Lo in the wilderness a voice (Luther's Hymn)
What does the Lord require (Sharpthorne)
Christ is the King, O friends rejoice (Vulpius)
The thing is, the average age of the congregation is probably about 70. I've half a mind to volunteer to play the organ (they only seem to have a real live organist half the time) just to escape being expected to sing this stuff. Unfortunately, it's been discovered in the three weeks I've been going that I can actually sing. It's the sort of place where that rather marks you out as distinctive...
The average age of our Sunday congregation has fallen since our heating broke down 2 years ago and we've failed to source an electrician to fix it. Unfortunately so has our average Sunday attendance.
For You, O Lord, My Soul in Stillness Waits/MY SOUL IN STILLNESS WAITS Come Now, O Prince of Peace/O-SO-SO Creator of the Stars of Night/CONDITOR ALME SIDERUM O Come, O Come Emmanuel
“Sleepers Wake!,” A Voice Astounds Us/WACHET AUF Soon and Very Soon
We had:
Tell out my soul (WOODLANDS)
The race that long in darkness pined (St MAGNUS)
I heard the voice of Jesus say (ROWAN TREE)
By cool Siloam's shady rill (BELMONT)
Joy to the world (ANTIOCH)
I'm beginning to detect a pattern depending on who's preaching, how awful the music will be.
Today we had:
Colours of Day Restore O Lord the Honour of your name To God be the Glory Abba Father, let me be (argh...) Lord Jesus Christ, You have come to us While Shepherds watched (wot?)
I have stipulated Colours of Day for my cremation.....
"So light up the fire and let the flame burn
Open the doors let Jesus return."
I'm beginning to detect a pattern depending on who's preaching, how awful the music will be.
Today we had:
Colours of Day Restore O Lord the Honour of your name To God be the Glory Abba Father, let me be (argh...) Lord Jesus Christ, You have come to us While Shepherds watched (wot?)
I have stipulated Colours of Day for my cremation.....
"So light up the fire and let the flame burn
Open the doors let Jesus return."
Not Shine, Jesus, shine then? "set our hearts on fire"
I'm beginning to detect a pattern depending on who's preaching, how awful the music will be.
Today we had:
Colours of Day Restore O Lord the Honour of your name To God be the Glory Abba Father, let me be (argh...) Lord Jesus Christ, You have come to us While Shepherds watched (wot?)
I have stipulated Colours of Day for my cremation.....
"So light up the fire and let the flame burn
Open the doors let Jesus return."
Not Shine, Jesus, shine then? "set our hearts on fire"
Haha.
No, but as people leave "Smoke gets in your eyes."
There’s a light upon the mountain (I noted that this was by the same hymn writer as the first one, similar in melody type as well)
I love them both! But they don't have the same author. I don't know anything about the writer of "There's a light ..."; but "Sing we the King" was written by Sylvester Horne, Congregational minister and erstwhile Liberal MP for Ipswich - also the father of the (somewhat naughty! comedian Kenneth Horne who older Shipmates will remember from your youth. Incidentally there is another set of words to the same tune which was the "theme song" of the 1904-5 Welsh Revival. It begins "When all my labors and trials are o'er" - very appropriate for Welsh miners!
At our "traditional" carol service this morning (to be followed by "family" carols + Christingle this afternoon and "classic" carols this evening). After service refreshments cancelled this week (thank you, Omicron), so no mince pies and mulled wine - Bah Humbug!
Once In Royal David's City IRBY
See Amid The Winter's Snow HUMILITY
Joy To The World ANTIOCH
O Come All Ye Faithful ADESTE FIDELES
In The Bleak Mid Winter CRANHAM
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing MENDELSSOHN
I gritted my teeth and put up with carols almost a full week before Christmas:
Once in royal
O little town
See amid
Hark the glad sound
Christmas is coming
We're intending 9 lessons and carols on Christmas Eve but may decide on Wednesday that it should be online only (if the decision is not made for us before then).
Everything curtailed due to Omicron. Fewer verses, no other Mass parts.
Numbers seem to be dropping off again. Advent 4 was always a jolly celebration with Irish coffee and mince pies at the back of church. All that has gone - bloody shame!
However we will be off to Liverpool Met Cathedral for their splendid Festival of Carols this afternoon. Its a real highlight of our Christmas.
At our "traditional" carol service this morning (to be followed by "family" carols + Christingle this afternoon and "classic" carols this evening). After service refreshments cancelled this week (thank you, Omicron), so no mince pies and mulled wine - Bah Humbug!
Once In Royal David's City IRBY
See Amid The Winter's Snow HUMILITY
Joy To The World ANTIOCH
O Come All Ye Faithful ADESTE FIDELES
In The Bleak Mid Winter CRANHAM
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing MENDELSSOHN
Can I ask what Christingle is, as It is unknown where I live.
This morning
Hark a herald voice is sounding
The angel Gabriel
Tell out my soul
This evening
Traditional service of lessons and carols
The usual congregational hymns
Only two choir carols, as our numbers were reduced
This is the truth sent from above
Coventry carol
Psalm 144 Monk in G Canticles
Venite and Jubilate Deo to chants
Benedicite omnia opera Sumsion in B flat Motet
Gabriel's Message Pettman Hymns
O heavenly word of God plainsong, Mode VIII
When came in flesh the incarnate word Walsall
Lo, he comes with clouds descending Helmsley Organ
Versets on Nun komm der Heiden Heiland Steffens
For You, O Lord, My Soul in Stillness Waits/MY SOUL IN STILLNESS WAITS Come Now, O Prince of Peace/O-SO-SO Creator of the Stars of Night/CONDITOR ALME SIDERUM No Wind at the Window/COLUMCILLE Longing for Light, We Wait in Darkness (Christ, Be Our Light)/CHRIST, BE OUR LIGHT
Carol service (we have to use recorded music) - a mixture of old and new.
“O come, all ye faithful”.
“Angels from the realms of glory”.
“The people who in darkness walked” (Dundee).
“When the angel came to Mary” (Sans Day Carol),=.
"Alleluia, sing to Jesus!” (Calon Lan - not the hymn with the same title).
“The virgin Mary had a baby boy” (Trinidadian).
“While shepherds watched” (Winchester Old).
“God rest ye merry, gentlemen”.
“Good News, good news” (Kendrick).
“Joy to the world”.
If it's any help for people putting together carol services, I feel sure I speak for many when I say if I never sing "Away in a Manger" again it will be a million years too soon.
If it's any help for people putting together carol services, I feel sure I speak for many when I say if I never sing "Away in a Manger" again it will be a million years too soon.
Could you kindly add "In the bleak midwinter" to your list?
We had to sing The First Noel on Sunday. If ever there was a carol to join the banned list, that would be it, dire, repetitive tune and dodgy telling of the story. And six verses. Six.
If it's any help for people putting together carol services, I feel sure I speak for many when I say if I never sing "Away in a Manger" again it will be a million years too soon.
What does "away" even mean in that line?
Its the whole silent baby Jesus thing in carols.
Utter nonsense says this father of three and grandfather of four!
Oh and the silent childbirth in O Little Town. Obviously written in the days before fathers were allowed into birthing rooms.
The whole lot devalues the very idea of Incarnation.
We had to sing The First Noel on Sunday. If ever there was a carol to join the banned list, that would be it, dire, repetitive tune and dodgy telling of the story. And six verses. Six.
And a narrative carol, so virtually impossible to cut.
We had to sing The First Noel on Sunday. If ever there was a carol to join the banned list, that would be it, dire, repetitive tune and dodgy telling of the story. And six verses. Six.
And a narrative carol, so virtually impossible to cut.
I submit that, if played at all, it ought to be played at 1.5 speed, or as fast as the organist is capable of moving their fingers.
There are versions which slightly tweak the words so they fit the Bible story better.
Talking of narrative hymns/carols:
1. We had "God rest ye merry" with seven verses on Sunday.
2. "Songs of Praise" had "While shepherds watched" ending at "... angels praising God, who thus/addressed their joyful song" which makes a nonsense of the whole thing!
If it's any help for people putting together carol services, I feel sure I speak for many when I say if I never sing "Away in a Manger" again it will be a million years too soon.
What does "away" even mean in that line?
Its the whole silent baby Jesus thing in carols.
What's "away" got to do with "silent"?
I literally cannot parse the first phrase of this carol.
I could parse it if it were about Moses:
Away, in a basket he floats down the Nile
The little baby Moses is washed down for miles
If it's any help for people putting together carol services, I feel sure I speak for many when I say if I never sing "Away in a Manger" again it will be a million years too soon.
What does "away" even mean in that line?
Its the whole silent baby Jesus thing in carols.
What's "away" got to do with "silent"?
I literally cannot parse the first phrase of this carol.
I could parse it if it were about Moses:
Away, in a basket he floats down the Nile
The little baby Moses is washed down for miles
Not that I’m defending the carol, but I think the first two lines have to be read as a whole:
There wasn’t a crib around, so the baby had to be tucked away over in the manger.
Oh and the silent childbirth in O Little Town. Obviously written in the days before fathers were allowed into birthing rooms.
The whole lot devalues the very idea of Incarnation.
Hmmm. I’ve actually never read the “how silently” part as referring to the actual birth or suggesting that there weren’t the normal sounds of childbirth. (And I would imagine that in the days before hospital births, the fact that the father wasn’t in the room didn’t mean he couldn’t hear what was going on in the room.)
With the rest of the verse in mind (“So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of his heav’n. . . .”), I’ve always read it as more metaphorical—as being about the king and savior who arrived without any fanfare (well, except to some random shepherds and a few foreigners) or retinue, who slipped in with almost no one in town noticing, and who still enters human hearts with little fanfare.
But I agree completely about AIAM and little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.
Comments
“The holly and the ivy are dancing in a ring” - you can guess!
“Make way, make way!”
“On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry” - Winchester New.
“Wild and lone the prophet’s voice” - by Carl Daw. Aberystwyth.
“The King shall come when morning dawns” - Richmond.
And we actually did have baptisms, too!
Never heard of it, I'm afraid.
That idea I'm definitely filing away for the future.
For You, O Lord, My Soul in Stillness Waits/MY SOUL IN STILLNESS WAITS
Come Now, O Prince of Peace/O-SO-SO
Creator of the Stars of Night/CONDITOR ALME SIDERUM
Wild and Lone the Prophet’s Voice/ABERYSTWYTH
Prepare the Way, O Zion/BEREDEN VÄG FÖR HERRAN
People, Look East/BESANÇON
We sang the first three last week as well, both times as part of the gathering liturgy, but different verses each week. I’m guessing that means the pattern will continue the next two weeks.
Today we had:
Colours of Day
Restore O Lord the Honour of your name
To God be the Glory
Abba Father, let me be (argh...)
Lord Jesus Christ, You have come to us
While Shepherds watched (wot?)
Did you accidentally step through a portal to 1987?
I think it's a step back into the Vicar's days in his university CU...
It's not great, but everywhere else in reasonable casting distance is Fundies in Frocks and I can put up with cheesy music marginally better than I can religiously justified misogyny.
I'm reasonably tolerant of that sort of music, it just struck me as being songs that would be considered "modern" when I was a young child (so probably at least a decade old at that point). I suspect I'm as guilty as the vicar of considering the songs learned at university to be "modern" even though it's near 20 years ago.
Lo in the wilderness a voice (Luther's Hymn)
What does the Lord require (Sharpthorne)
Christ is the King, O friends rejoice (Vulpius)
The average age of our Sunday congregation has fallen since our heating broke down 2 years ago and we've failed to source an electrician to fix it. Unfortunately so has our average Sunday attendance.
For You, O Lord, My Soul in Stillness Waits/MY SOUL IN STILLNESS WAITS
Come Now, O Prince of Peace/O-SO-SO
Creator of the Stars of Night/CONDITOR ALME SIDERUM
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
“Sleepers Wake!,” A Voice Astounds Us/WACHET AUF
Soon and Very Soon
Ah well...
Tell out my soul (WOODLANDS)
The race that long in darkness pined (St MAGNUS)
I heard the voice of Jesus say (ROWAN TREE)
By cool Siloam's shady rill (BELMONT)
Joy to the world (ANTIOCH)
For those not familiar with it, it’s a Korean hymn/tune.
I have stipulated Colours of Day for my cremation.....
"So light up the fire and let the flame burn
Open the doors let Jesus return."
Haha.
No, but as people leave "Smoke gets in your eyes."
Sing we the king who is coming to reign (hadn’t sung that for about 40 years, back in my Baptist days)
Give me joy in my heart keep me praising
Joy to the world
There’s a light upon the mountain (I noted that this was by the same hymn writer as the first one, similar in melody type as well)
Born in son, God’s people have a.ways been singing. (That was new to me, but the handful in church seemed to know it.)
Or "Fire!"
I would so go to that cremation.
Once In Royal David's City IRBY
See Amid The Winter's Snow HUMILITY
Joy To The World ANTIOCH
O Come All Ye Faithful ADESTE FIDELES
In The Bleak Mid Winter CRANHAM
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing MENDELSSOHN
Once in royal
O little town
See amid
Hark the glad sound
Christmas is coming
We're intending 9 lessons and carols on Christmas Eve but may decide on Wednesday that it should be online only (if the decision is not made for us before then).
Psalm
Alleluia
Advent Litany - Farrell (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8kqgwli82w)
Bread of Life - Farrell (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2Fq0WlFl_0)
O come, O come Emmanuel.
Everything curtailed due to Omicron. Fewer verses, no other Mass parts.
Numbers seem to be dropping off again. Advent 4 was always a jolly celebration with Irish coffee and mince pies at the back of church. All that has gone - bloody shame!
However we will be off to Liverpool Met Cathedral for their splendid Festival of Carols this afternoon. Its a real highlight of our Christmas.
Angels from the Realms of Glory
Thy Hand O God Has Guided
The Angel Gabriel to Mary Came
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
O Little Town of Bethlehem
All to the regularly scheduled tunes. Opportunity to do Tell out my Soul (WOODLANDS) bizarrely eschewed.
Carol service tonight at 6pm - why do clergy schedule services bang when I'm meant to be doing a roast dinner?
Can I ask what Christingle is, as It is unknown where I live.
Hark a herald voice is sounding
The angel Gabriel
Tell out my soul
This evening
Traditional service of lessons and carols
The usual congregational hymns
Only two choir carols, as our numbers were reduced
This is the truth sent from above
Coventry carol
Psalm 144 Monk in G
Canticles
Venite and Jubilate Deo to chants
Benedicite omnia opera Sumsion in B flat
Motet
Gabriel's Message Pettman
Hymns
O heavenly word of God plainsong, Mode VIII
When came in flesh the incarnate word Walsall
Lo, he comes with clouds descending Helmsley
Organ
Versets on Nun komm der Heiden Heiland Steffens
Carol service in the evening.
For You, O Lord, My Soul in Stillness Waits/MY SOUL IN STILLNESS WAITS
Come Now, O Prince of Peace/O-SO-SO
Creator of the Stars of Night/CONDITOR ALME SIDERUM
No Wind at the Window/COLUMCILLE
Longing for Light, We Wait in Darkness (Christ, Be Our Light)/CHRIST, BE OUR LIGHT
“O come, all ye faithful”.
“Angels from the realms of glory”.
“The people who in darkness walked” (Dundee).
“When the angel came to Mary” (Sans Day Carol),=.
"Alleluia, sing to Jesus!” (Calon Lan - not the hymn with the same title).
“The virgin Mary had a baby boy” (Trinidadian).
“While shepherds watched” (Winchester Old).
“God rest ye merry, gentlemen”.
“Good News, good news” (Kendrick).
“Joy to the world”.
O Come O Come Emmanuel
Joy to the World
In the Bleak Midwinter
Silent Night
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
41 in attendance in person and 20 screens on Zoom - best attendance of the year.
What does "away" even mean in that line?
Jealous!!!
What is that song about??? Surely the whole Gabriel thing meant that Mary had some inkling?
I'm going to write a hymn - "Noah did you know there was going to be a flood? Yes, I know God told you, but did you know?"
Or am I missing the point?
I'd never sung it before so spent quite a while listening to Musescore plonk out the tune before I felt confident enough to record it.
Its the whole silent baby Jesus thing in carols.
Utter nonsense says this father of three and grandfather of four!
Oh and the silent childbirth in O Little Town. Obviously written in the days before fathers were allowed into birthing rooms.
The whole lot devalues the very idea of Incarnation.
And a narrative carol, so virtually impossible to cut.
I submit that, if played at all, it ought to be played at 1.5 speed, or as fast as the organist is capable of moving their fingers.
Talking of narrative hymns/carols:
1. We had "God rest ye merry" with seven verses on Sunday.
2. "Songs of Praise" had "While shepherds watched" ending at "... angels praising God, who thus/addressed their joyful song" which makes a nonsense of the whole thing!
What's "away" got to do with "silent"?
I literally cannot parse the first phrase of this carol.
I could parse it if it were about Moses:
Away, in a basket he floats down the Nile
The little baby Moses is washed down for miles
No?
From the view of one nature but not the other...
There wasn’t a crib around, so the baby had to be tucked away over in the manger.
I love your Moses version, though.
Hmmm. I’ve actually never read the “how silently” part as referring to the actual birth or suggesting that there weren’t the normal sounds of childbirth. (And I would imagine that in the days before hospital births, the fact that the father wasn’t in the room didn’t mean he couldn’t hear what was going on in the room.)
With the rest of the verse in mind (“So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of his heav’n. . . .”), I’ve always read it as more metaphorical—as being about the king and savior who arrived without any fanfare (well, except to some random shepherds and a few foreigners) or retinue, who slipped in with almost no one in town noticing, and who still enters human hearts with little fanfare.
But I agree completely about AIAM and little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.