St. Giles’ Cathedral
Morning Service at 9.30am
1st Sunday after Christmas
Sunday 26th December 2021
Organ Music
J.S.Bach Der Tag, der ist so freudenreich BWV 650
Olivier Messiaen Desseins éternels
Scripture Sentences and Call to Worship
Hymn
Once in royal David’s city
stood a lowly cattle shed,
where a mother laid her baby
In a manger for his bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ her little Child.
He came down to earth from heaven
who is God and Lord of all,
and his shelter was a stable,
and his cradle was a stall;
with the poor and mean and lowly
lived on earth our Saviour holy.
And our eyes at last shall see him,
through his own redeeming love,
for that Child so dear and helpless
is our Lord in heaven above;
and he leads his children on
to the place where he is gone.
Not in that poor lowly stable,
with the oxen standing by,
we shall see him; but in heaven,
set at God’s right hand on high;
where his children gather round,
bright like stars, with glory crowned.
Text: C.F.Alexander 1818-95
Music: Irby CH4 315 H.J.Gauntlett 1805-76
Invitation
Confession
God of wonder, you surround us with signs of your glory and surprise us with your presence, yet we often miss the marvels you place before us. Forgive our dullness and make us alert to the ways you make yourself known, that we might be witnesses to your good news and proclaim your extravagant love; through Jesus Christ, our Saviour.
Kyrie Eleison sung by the Choir
Kyrie Eleison
Christe Eleison
Kyrie Eleison
Missa O quam gloriosum Tomás Luis de Victoria
Declaration of forgiveness
Gloria patri sung by the choir (Tone i.viii)
First Lesson Colossians 3 12-17
Metrical Psalm
Praise God. From heavens praise the Lord,
in heights praise to him be.
All ye his angels, praise ye him;
his hosts all, praise him ye.
O praise ye him, both sun and moon;
praise him, all stars of light.
Ye heav’ns of heav’ns him praise, and floods
above the heavens’ height.
Let all the creatures praise the name
of our almighty Lord:
for he commanded, and they were
created by his word.
He also, for all times to come,
hath them establish’d sure;
he hath appointed them a law,
which ever shall endure.
Text: Scottish Psalter 1929 Psalm 148 1-6
Music: Southwark Adapted from Christopher Tye c1508-1572
The Gospel St Luke 2 41-52
The Sermon
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead, and buried:
He descended into hell;
The third day he rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Ghost;
The Holy Catholic Church;
The Communion of Saints;
The Forgiveness of sins;
The Resurrection of the body,
And the Life everlasting.
The Intercessions
Gloria in Excelsis sung by the choir
Glory be to God on high, and in earth peace, goodwill towards men. We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee, we give thanks to thee for thy great glory, O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty.
O Lord, the only-begotten Son Jesu Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou that takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer. Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.
For thou only art holy; thou only art the Lord; thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Missa O quam gloriosum Tomás Luis de Victoria
Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you
And also with you
Lift up your hearts
We lift them to the Lord
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
It is right to give our thanks and praise
Prayer
Sanctus
Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God of Hosts,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Glory be to you,
O Lord Most High.
Blessed is he that comes in the Name of the Lord:
Hosanna in the highest.
Prayer
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.
Agnus Dei
Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world,
Have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world,
Have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world,
Grant us your peace.
Holy Communion
During Communion the Choir sings
Quem pastores laudavere
Thou whom shepherds worshipped, hearing
angels tell their tidings cheering,
‘Sirs, away with doubt and fearing!
Christ the King is born for all;’
thou to whom came wise men faring,
gold and myrrh and incense bearing,
heartfelt homage thus declaring
to the King that’s born for all:
bending low in adoration
thee we greet, for our salvation
given by wondrous incarnation,
King of Glory born for all.
Text: Anon. 14th century
Music: 14th century German arr. John Rutter b.1945
Prayer
Hymn
Angels, from the realms of glory,
wing your flight o’er all the earth;
ye who sang creation’s story,
now proclaim Messiah’s birth:
Come and worship
Christ, the new-born King.
Come and worship
worship Christ, the new-born King.
Shepherds in the field abiding,
watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing,
yonder shines the infant Light:
Wise men, leave your contemplations;
brighter visions beam afar;
seek the great Desire of nations;
ye have seen his natal star:
Though an infant now we view him,
he will share his Father’s throne,
gather all the nations to him;
every knee shall then bow down:
All creation, join in praising
God the Father, Spirit, Son,
evermore your voices raising
to the eternal Three in One.
Text: James Montgomery 1771-1854
Tune: Iris CH4 324 French Carol Melody
Benediction
Organ Voluntary
Louis-Claude Daquin Noël Suisse
CCL Licence No 980930
Streaming Licence 57837
The service was conducted by The Rev Sigrid Marten