Earthrise: Christmas Eve

40 years ago, Apollo 8 orbited the Moon on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve at St Nicholas – 430PM family service, 9PM Lessons, Carols, and Eucharist.

I have to be in Elk Grove by 8pm for rehearsal before the 9pm service at St Nicholas, but don’t get off work until 5pm. It’ll make for a LONG, cold, snowy night, but it’ll be wonderful if we can pull it off, as we’ve worked on some of this music for months. The highlight for me is probably John Rutter’s “What Sweeter Music,” but we’re also doing some old, rarely heard Christmas hymns from the 1940 Hymnal and some modern arrangements of traditional carols like “People Look East.” I’m off the hook for the family service at 430pm – partly because I’m working, but none of the choir are required to be there as it’s very much a “DIY” music kind of service. We’ve got enough on our plate with all the extra “Lessons and Carols” music in addition to the regular service music and hymns. Â I tend to think we’re doing too much… it’s a lot to ask people to sit through on a cold, wintry, stormy night.

Particularly appropriate this year: “In The Bleak Midwinter.” I love singing the alto line on that: “frosty wind made moan.” Oh, yeah, I’ll be moaning about the frosty wind as I drive home sometime around 1030pm…Â

Via: Flickr Title: Earthrise: Christmas Eve By: GinnyRED57
Originally uploaded: 24 Dec ’08, 10.04am CST PST

Full program follows after the jump…

Prelude: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “Joyeaux Noel”Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â G. Young

Bell ringing (bring your own!)

Processional Hymn -Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “Once In Royal David’s City”Â Â trad.

Bidding Prayer (not an auction, it’s a traditional Christmas prayer)

Lessons and Carols

First LessonÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Humankind is created and God is delightedÂ Â Â Â Â Genesis

Choral ResponseÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “People Look East”Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â trad.

Second LessonÂ Â Â Â Â Christ’s birth and kingdom foretoldÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Isaiah

Choral ResponseÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “O Come O Come Emmanuel”Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â N. Sleeth

Third LessonÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The peace of Christ is foreshownÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Isaiah

Choral ResponseÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “The Peace Carol” (women)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â R. Beers

Fourth LessonÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â The Angel Gabriel salutes the Virgin MaryÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Luke

Choral ResponseÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “The Angel Gabriel”Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â trad.

Fifth LessonÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The birth of ChristÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Luke

Choral and CongregationÂ Â Â “Away In A Manger”Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â R. Kirkpatrick

Sixth LessonÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The shepherds go to the mangerÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Luke

Choral ResponseÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “The Shepherds Prayer” (men)Â Â Â Â Â R. Kirkpatrick

Seventh LessonÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â The wise men are led by the starÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Matthew

Choral ResponseÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “What Sweeter Music”Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â J. Rutter

Eighth LessonÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The mystery of the IncarnationÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â John

Choral ResponseÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “O Come All Ye Faithful”Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â trad.

Huge Sigh of ReliefÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â CHOIR AND ORGANIST

HomilyÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â BLISSFULLY SHORT CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

EucharistÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Service music is based on Christmas carols

OffertoryÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “O Little Town of Bethlehem”

Sanctus and BenedictusÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â (to the tune of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”)

The Great AmenÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â (to the tune of “What Child Is This”

The Lord’s Prayer

Breaking of the BreadÂ Â (HUGE LOAF OF BREAD to tear up into chunks)

Agnus DeiÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â (to the tune of “It Came Upon The Midnight Clear”)

Communion Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

Communion HymnsÂ Â Â Â Â Â “Of The Father’s Love Begotten”

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “In The Bleak Midwinter”

Choral AnthemÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “Dost Thou In A Manger Lie” (ensemble)

Post-Communion Prayer

HymnÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “Silent Night” (in German and English with guitar)

Blessing

Recessional HymnÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â “The First Noel”

DismissalÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â THANKS BE TO GOD (DRIVE SAFELY!)

One thought on “Earthrise: Christmas Eve”

Cynthia on January 20, 2009 at 4:32 pm said:

What is the choral anthem for “Dost thou in a manger lie?” I love this hymn and am hoping my performing group to will sing it in 2009. Could you give more information please? (publisher, author, arranger, voice parts, instrumental accom.. etc.)

THANK YOU!

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Earthrise: Christmas Eve

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