This morning we started our Mattins service by lighting the fourth Advent Candle on our Advent wreath. On this Sunday in Advent we turn out thoughts from the second coming of Our Lord to the events of his birth. We think particularly of Our Lady St Mary, and her reaction to the news from the Angel that she would give birth to Our Saviour. In his sermon Father Stephen reflected on the differences in the 2 Gospels with a nativity narrative, St Matthew and St Luke. St Luke was more concerned with the role of women and the coming of Our Lord to the poor and ordinary people, St Matthew was more engaged in the royal credentials of the tiny baby and his position as the long awaited Messiah. We learn from both these views as we await the commemoration of his birth next week.

The Choir sang 'The Angel Gabriel from Heaven came' based on a Basque carol setting by Pettman, as the Anthem.

During this service we were delighted that James one of our Junior Choristers was presented with his light blue ribbon.






At 6pm we held our Service of 9 Lessons and Carols. The Church had been beautifully decorated with greenery, the Christmas Tree was up and lit and the church was lit by candles as we came in. The church rapidly filled up with families coming to start their Christmas and to sing some traditional carols and to hear again the story of the Birth of Christ. Our service follows the traditional form, with readers from the Church and Community in turn. We opened with Once in Royal David's City, with the first verse sung unaccompanied from the Organ loft by Lucy, our Head Chorister, and Amy, the choir and congregation then joined in. The first lesson was read by another junior chorister, Emily.
The Choir sang
Adam lay ybounden Setting by Peter Warlock,
The Holly and the Ivy Setting by John Gardner,
 This Christmas Night words Mary Wilson Setting Malcolm Williamson,
A Spotless Rose Words Traditional Setting Hubert Howells,
Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day, traditional setting David Willcocks,
King Herod and the Cock,  words traditional setting William Walton and
The Three Kings words and music by Peter Cornelius, arranged by Ivor Atkins.

We were delighted to be joined again by our friend Peter Webster as the Baritone soloist in The Spotless Rose, Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day, King Herod and the Cock and The Three Kings.

The congregation joined the choir to sing:
O come o come Emmanuel,
Long ago Prophets knew,
It came upon the midnight clear,
While Shepherds watched their flocks by night,
The First Nowell,
and the service finished with a rousing rendition of O come all ye faithful.

The Organ Voluntary was the Choral prelude 'in dulci jubilo' BWV 729 JS Bach

A splendid start to our Christmas celebrations.