Holy Eucharist Rite II at 10:30 a.m. sung by the St. John’s Adult Choir, sermon by the Rev’d Hope Eakins.

Worship at Home:

Click here: Service Bulletin – Sermon Text

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Service Music:

Voluntary      Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme    Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Sleepers, awake! A voice is crying

Advent Responsory    Michael McCarthy (b. 1966)
Text: Matin responsory for Advent I

I look from afar: and lo, I see the Power of God coming, and a cloud covering the whole earth. Go ye out to meet him and say: Tell us, art thou he that should come to reign over thy people Israel? High and low, rich and poor, one with another, Go ye out to meet him and say: Hear, O thou Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep, tell us, art thou he that should come? Stir up thy strength, O Lord, and come to reign over thy people Israel. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

Processional Hymn 57    Lo! He comes, with clouds descending    Helmsley

Kyrie Eleison   from Litany of the Saints    adapt. Richard Proulx (1937-2010)

Sequence Hymn 68    Rejoice! rejoice, believers    Llangloffan

Offertory Anthem    While All Things Were in Quiet Silence    Ned Rorem (b. 1923)
Text: from Antiphon of Matins, Christmas I

While all things were in quiet silence,
And that night was in the midst of her swift course,
Thine Almighty Word, O Lord,
leaped down out of thy royal throne. Alleluia.

Time Magazine called Ned Rorem “the world’s best composer of art songs,” When speaking of his passion for writing art songs, Rorem states, “it has to do with being obsessed with poetry as well as music.” Although best known for his art songs, Rorem has also composed ten operas, four symphonies, chamber works, choral works, ballets, and has also written sixteen books, many of them diaries. Rorem has received many awards for his works including a Pulitzer Prize in 1976 for his suite Air Music, and was chosen as Composer of the Year by Musical America. He currently resides in New York.

Sanctus   from Missa Emmanuel    Richard Proulx

Fraction Anthem    Agnus Dei   from Missa Emmanuel    Richard Proulx

Communion Anthem    Jesus Christ the apple tree    Elizabeth Poston (1905-1987)
Text from Divine Hymns of Spiritual Songs, compiled Joshua Smith, 1784

The tree of life my soul hath seen
Laden with fruit and always green
The tree of life my soul hath seen
Laden with fruit and always green
The trees of nature fruitless be
Compared with Christ the apple tree

His beauty doth all things excel
By faith I know but ne’er can tell
His beauty doth all things excel
By faith I know but ne’er can tell
The glory which I now can see
In Jesus Christ the apple tree.

For happiness I long have sought
And pleasure dearly I have bought
For happiness I long have sought
And pleasure dearly I have bought
I missed of all but now I see
‘Tis found in Christ the apple tree.

I’m weary with my former toil
Here I will sit and rest a while
I’m weary with my former toil
Here I will sit and rest a while
Under the shadow I will be
Of Jesus Christ the apple tree.

This fruit does make my soul to thrive
It keeps my dying faith alive
This fruit does make my soul to thrive
It keeps my dying faith alive
Which makes my soul in haste to be
With Jesus Christ the apple tree.

Hymn in Procession 61    “Sleepers, wake!” A voice astounds us    Wachet auf

Voluntary      Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme    Paul Manz (1919-2009)
Sleepers, awake! A voice is crying