Choral Mass on Christmas Morning

Mass is celebrated at the All Saints Altar by the Vicar All music is performed by the choir, as congregational singing is still prohibited Introit Hymn Christians awake! salute the happy morn Whereon the Saviour of the world was born; Rise to adore the mystery of love Which hosts of angels chanted from above; With them the joyful tidings first begun Of God Incarnate and the Virgin’s Son. Then to the watchful shepherds it was told, Who heard the angelic herald’s voice, ‘Behold, I bring you tidings of a Saviour’s birth To you and all the nations on the earth: This day hath God fulfilled His promised word, This day is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord.’ He spake; and straightway that celestial choir In hymns of joy, unknown before, conspire; The praises of redeeming love they sang, And heaven’s whole orb with alleluyas rang: God’s highest glory was their anthem still, Peace on the earth, and unto men goodwill. To Bethl’em straight the enlightened shepherds ran To see the wonder God had wrought for man, And found, with Joseph and the blessèd Maid, Her Son, the Saviour, in a manger laid: Joyful, the wondrous story they proclaim— The first apostles of his infant fame. Like Mary let us ponder in our mind God’s wondrous love in saving lost mankind; Trace we the Babe, who hath retrieved our loss, From his poor manger to his bitter cross; Then may we hope, angelic thrones among, To sing, redeemed, a glad triumphal song. Missa Brevis in C – Charles Gounod Gradual Hymn Ding dong, merrily on high! In heav’n the bells are ringing; ding dong, verily the sky is riv’n with angel singing. Gloria, hosanna in excelsis! Gloria, hosanna in excelsis! E’en so here below, let steeple bells be swungen, And io, io, io, by priest and people sungen. Gloria, hosanna in excelsis! Gloria, hosanna in excelsis! Pray you dutifully prime your matin chime, ye ringers; may you beautifully rhyme your evetime song, ye singers. Gloria, hosanna in excelsis! Gloria, hosanna in excelsis! Offertory Hymn Of the Father’s heart begotten, Ere the world from chaos rose, He is Alpha: from that Fountain All that is and hath been flows; He is Omega, of all things Yet to come the mystic Close, Evermore and evermore. By his word was all created; He commanded and ‘twas done; Earth and sky and boundless ocean, Universe of three in one, All that sees the moon's soft radiance, All that breathes beneath the sun, Evermore and evermore. He assumed this mortal body, Frail and feeble, doomed to die, That the race from dust created Might not perish utterly, Which the dreadful Law had sentenced In the depths of hell to lie, Evermore and evermore. O how blest that wondrous birthday, When the Maid the curse retrieved, Brought to birth mankind's salvation, By the Holy Ghost conceived; And the Babe, the world's Redeemer, In her loving arms received, Evermore and evermore. This is he, whom seer and sibyl Sang in ages long gone by; This is he of old revealèd In the page of prophecy; Lo! he comes, the promised Saviour; let the world his praises cry! Evermore and evermore. Let the storm and summer sunshine, Gliding stream and sounding shore, Sea and forest, frost and zephyr, Day and night their Lord adore; Let creation join to laud thee Through the ages evermore, Evermore and evermore. Sing, ye heights of heaven, his praises; Angels and Archangels, sing! Wheresoe’er ye be, ye faithful, Let your joyous anthems ring, Every tongue his name confessing, Countless voices answering, Evermore and evermore. Communion Anthems A great and mighty wonder Away in a manger Final procession of the congregation outside (weather permitting) – and: Hark! the herald angels sing Glory to the new-born King; Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled: Joyful all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies, With the angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem: Hark! the herald angels sing Glory to the new-born King. Christ, by highest heaven adored, Christ, the everlasting Lord, Late in time behold him come Offspring of a Virgin’s womb! Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity! Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel: Hail the heaven-born Prince of peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all he brings, Risen with healing in his wings; Mild he lays his glory by, Born that man no more may die, Born to raise the sons of earth, Born to give them second birth: Come, Desire of nations, come, Fix in us thy humble home; Rise, the woman’s conquering Seed, Bruise in us the serpent’s head; Now display thy saving power, Ruined nature now restore, Now in mystic union join Thine to ours, and ours to thine: