19 December - Fourth Sunday of Advent

Advent Wreath from Curt Jester

Yes. Late again. What else is new, right? This one is being back-dated to Sunday, December 19.

St. Joseph's Episcopal Church where I played the usual 10.30 am service. As usual, the numbers are out of The Hymnal 1982.

Fourth Sunday of Advent: Holy Eucharist Rite I
Prelude: Improvisation on Conditor Alme Siderum
Processional Hymn: 56, O come, O come, Emmanuel (VENI, VENI, EMMANUEL)
Kyrie: S-91 Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena (Willan)
Psalm: Psalm 80 (Plainsong, Tone VIII.1)
Sequence Hymn: 54, Saviour of the Nations, come (NUN KOMM DER HEIDEN HEILAND)
Offertory Hymn: 60, Creator of the Stars of Night (CONDITOR ALME SIDERUM)
Sanctus: S-114, Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena (Willan)
Lord's Prayer: chanted (S-119 in Hymnal 1982)
Fraction Anthem: S-158, Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena (Willan)
Communion Anthem: Carol of the Manger (Knox/Wilson)
Recessional Hymn: 66, Come, thou long expected Jesus (STUTTGART)
Postlude: Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (Andreas Nikolaus Vetter)

We started this in a very interesting manner. The Presider du Jour, Nils Chittenden, chanted verse 1 a cappella. The choir joined him at verses 2 and 3. The organ and the congregation joined in at verse 4. All eight verses were sung. It was effective.

Christmas is just around the corner!