Services from Advent 2020 - Epiphany 2021

O come, O come Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here,

Until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny;

From depths of hell Thy people save,

And give them victory o'er the grave.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height,

In ancient times didst give the law

In cloud and majesty and awe.

Latin 13th century trans. John M Neale (1818-1866)

The Angel Gabriel from heaven came,

his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame;

'All hail', said he, 'thou lowly maiden Mary,

most highly favoured lady.'

Gloria!

'For known a blessèd mother thou shalt be,

all generations laud and honour thee,

thy son shall be Immanuel, by seers foretold;

most highly favoured lady.'

Gloria!

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head,

'To me be as it pleaseth God', she said,

'My soul shall laud and magnify his holy name':

most highly favoured lady.

Gloria!

Of her, Immanuel, the Christ was born

in Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn,

and Christian folk throughout the world will ever say,

'Most highly favoured lady.'

Gloria!

My heart feels 

As if it's going to burst with joy 

In praising God 

My Saviour who sets me free 

Though I'm only 

Unimportant in this world 

A lowly servant 

My God has remembered me 

Can there be anyone in this world 

Happier than I am now? 

He's done such great 

And mighty things 

And all my being sings 

Can there be anyone in this world 

Happier than me? 

Through all time 

His people bless his holy name 

For he is kind 

His promise is always sure 

He will fling 

The thrones of mighty kings away 

Bring down the proud 

And favour the hungry poor 

Words & Music: Andrew Rudd, 

Sung by Jackie Bellfield & Heptagon

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!

Unnumbered blessings, give my spirit voice;

tender to me the promise of his word;

in God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name!

Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;

his mercy sure, from age to age the same;

his holy Name, the Lord, the Mighty One.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!

Powers and dominions lay their glory by.

Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,

the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.

Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!

Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord

to children's children and for evermore!

Timothy Dudley-Smith (born 1926) from Luke 1.46-55

Fill your hearts with joy and gladness,

sing and praise your God and mine!

Great the Lord in love and wisdom,

might and majesty divine!

He who framed the starry heavens

knows and names them as they shine!

Praise the Lord, his people, praise him!

Wounded souls his comfort know;

those who fear him find his mercies,

peace for pain and joy for woe;

humble hearts are high exalted,

human pride and power laid low.

Praise the Lord for times and seasons,

cloud and sunshine, wind and rain;

spring to melt the snows of winter

till the waters flow again;

grass upon the mountain pastures,

golden valleys thick with grain.

Fill your hearts with joy and gladness,

peace and plenty crown your days;

love his laws, declare his judgments,

walk in all his words and ways;

he the Lord and we his children:

praise the Lord, all people, praise!

Timothy Dudley-Smith (b.1926) from Psalm 147

  Thy kingdom come!— on bended knee

the passing ages pray;

and faithful souls have yearned to see

on earth that kingdom's day.

But the slow watches of the night

not less to God belong;

and for the everlasting right

the silent stars are strong.

And lo, already on the hills

the flags of dawn appear;

gird up your loins, ye prophet souls,

proclaim the day is near:

The day in whose clear-shining light

all wrong shall stand revealed,

when justice shall be throned in might,

and every hurt be healed;

When knowledge, hand in hand with peace,

shall walk the earth abroad:—

the day of perfect righteousness,

the promised day of God.

Frederick Lucian Hosmer (1840-1929)

I cannot tell how he whom angels worship

should stoop to love the peoples of the earth,

or why as shepherd he should seek the wand'rer

with his mysterious promise of new birth.

But this I know, that he was born of Mary,

when Beth'lem's manger was his only home,

and that he lived at Nazareth and laboured,

and so the Saviour, Saviour of the world, is come.

I cannot tell how silently he suffered,

as with his peace he graced this place of tears,

or how his heart upon the cross was broken,

the crown of pain to three and thirty years.

But this I know, he heals the broken-hearted,

and stays our sin, and calms our lurking fear,

and lifts the burden from the heavy laden,

for yet the Saviour, Saviour of the world, is here.

I cannot tell how he will win the nations,

how he will claim his earthly heritage,

how satisfy the needs and aspirations

of east and west, of sinner and of sage.

But this I know, all flesh shall see his glory,

and he shall reap the harvest he has sown,

and some glad day his sun shall shine in splendour

when he the Saviour, Saviour of the world, is known.

I cannot tell how all the lands shall worship,

when, at his bidding, ev'ry storm is stilled,

or who can say how great the jubilation

when ev'ry heart with perfect love is filled.

But this I know, the skies will thrill with rapture,

and myriad, myriad human voices sing,

and earth to heav'n, and heav'n to earth, will answer:

'At last the Saviour, Saviour of the world, is King!'

William Young Fullerton (1857–1932)