Processional Hymn 83    O come, all ye faithful    Adeste fideles, arr. David Willcocks (1919-2015)

Gloria S280     Robert Powell (b.1932)

Sequence Hymn 115    What child is this    Greensleeves

Offertory Anthem    Who would think that what was needed    Scarlet ribbons

Who would think that what was needed
To transform and save the earth
Might not be a plan or army,
Proud in purpose, proved in worth?
Who would think, despite derision,
That a child should lead the way?
God surprises earth with heaven,
Coming here on Christmas Day.

Shepherds watch and wise men wonder,
Monarchs scorn and angels sing;
Such a place as none would reckon
Hosts a holy helpless thing;
Stable beasts and by-passed strangers
Watch a baby laid in hay:
God surprises earth with heaven
Coming here on Christmas Day.

Centuries of skill and science
Span the past from which we move,
Yet experience questions whether,
With such progress, we improve.
While the human lot we ponder,
Lest our hopes and humour fray,
God surprises earth with heaven
Coming here on Christmas Day.

Sanctus  S130    Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

Fraction anthem S164    Jesus, lamb of God     Franz Schubert

Communion Anthem    Nativity carol    words and music by John Rutter (b. 1945)

Born in a stable so bare,
Born so long ago;
Born ‘neath light of star
He who loved us so.

Wise men from distant far land,
Shepherds from starry hills
Worship this babe so rare,
Hearts with his warmth he fills.

Cradled by mother so fair,
Tender her lullaby;
Over her son so dear
Angel hosts fill the sky.

Far away silent he lay,
Born today, your homage pay,
For Christ is born for aye,
Born on Christmas Day.

Communion Hymn 101    Away in a manger    Cradle Song

Post-communion Hymn 111    Silent night    Stille nacht

Closing Hymn 87    Hark the herald angels sing     Mendelssohn, arr. David Willcocks (1919-2015)

Voluntary    Carillon-Sortie    Henri Mulet (1878-1967)

Ted Babbitt, assisting organist

+   +   +   +   +

Choral Prelude at 9:30 p.m. with the St. John’s Adult Choir and string quartet

String Quartet    Rhosymedre (“Lovely”)    Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

I wonder as I wander    arr. John Jacob Niles (1892-1980)
Appalachian folksong

I wonder as I wander out under the sky,
How Jesus the Saviour did come for to die
For poor on’ry people like you and like I;
I wonder as I wander out under the sky.

When Mary birthed Jesus ’twas in a cow’s stall,
With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all.
But high from God’s heaven, a star’s light did fall,
And the promise of ages it then did recall.

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing,
A star in the sky or a bird on the wing.
Or all of God’s Angels in heaven to sing,
He surely could have it, ’cause he was the King.

My eyes for beauty pine Elizabeth Coxhead (b. 1987), Thomas Coxhead (b. 1993)
Text: Robert Bridges (1844-1930)
Abby White, soloist

My eyes for beauty pine, my soul for Goddes grace,
No other care or hope is mine, to heaven I turn my face.

One splendour thence is shed from all the stars above;
‘Tis named when God’s name is said, ’tis love, ’tis heavenly love.

And every heart that burns with true desire,
Is lit from eyes that mirror part of that celestial fire.

String Quartet    The lark ascending (cadenza for violin)    Ralph Vaughan Williams

As the pauper waits for plenty    Rosalie Bonighton (1946-2011)
Words: Dolores Dufner, OSB

As the pauper waits for plenty, as the weeping wait for mirth,
as a farmer waits for harvest, as a woman waits for birth, so do I wait for you.
As the blossom waits for springtime and the seed a fertile place,
as an orphan waits for family and a child his mother’s face, so do I long for you.
As a songbird waits for morning and an eaglet waits for flight,
as a flutist waits for music and an artist waits for light, so do I wait for you.
As the homeless long for shelter and the weary for a bed,
as the thirsty long for water and the hungry long for bread, so do I long for you,
so do you long for me.

There is no rose    Jessica Nelson (b. 1983)
Text: Anonymous, 15th century

There is no rose of such virtue
As is the rose that bare Jesu;
Alleluia.

For in this rose contained was
Heaven and earth in little space;
Res miranda. (Thing of wonder)

By that rose we may well see
There be one God in persons three,
Pares forma. (Equal in form)

The angels sungen the shepherds to:
Gloria in excelsis deo: (Glory to God in the highest)
Gaudeamus. (Let us rejoice)

Leave we all this worldly mirth,
And follow we this joyful birth;
Transeamus. (Let us follow)

String Quartet    Fantasia on Greensleeves    Ralph Vaughan Williams
Organ    Silent night: Berceuse on the name SWANN, 2020      George Baker (b. 1951)
Presented in memory of Frederick Swann (1931-2022), long-time organist at Riverside Church, New York, and the Crystal Cathedral, California – a  mentor and inspiration to all church musicians

Holy Eucharist Rite II at 10:00 p.m. sung by the Adult choir with string quartet and organ; sermon by the Rev’d Todd Fitzgerald.

Processional Hymn 83    O come, all ye faithful    Adeste fideles, arr. David Willcocks (1919-2015)

Gloria S280     Robert Powell (b.1932)

Sequence Hymn 115    What child is this    Greensleeves    Ralph Vaughan Williams

Offertory Anthem    On Christmas night    Sussex Carol, arr. Philip Ledger (1937-2012)

On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bring.
On Christmas night all Christians sing
To hear the news the angels bring.

News of great joy, new of great mirth,
News of our merciful King’s birth.

Then why should men on earth be so sad,
Since our Redeemer made us glad?
Then why should men on earth be so sad,
Since our Redeemer made us glad?

When from our sin he set is free
All for to gain our liberty?

When sin departs before His grace
Then life and health come in its place.
When sin departs before His grace
Then life and health come in its place.

Angels and men with joy may sing,
All for to see the newborn King.

All out of darkness we have light
Which made the angels sing this night.
All out of darkness we have light
Which made the angels sing this night.

“Glory to God and peace to men
Now and for evermore, amen!”

Sanctus  S130    Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

Fraction anthem S164    Jesus, lamb of God     Franz Schubert

Communion Anthem    Who would think that what was needed    Scarlet ribbons

Who would think that what was needed
To transform and save the earth
Might not be a plan or army,
Proud in purpose, proved in worth?
Who would think, despite derision,
That a child should lead the way?
God surprises earth with heaven,
Coming here on Christmas Day.

Shepherds watch and wise men wonder,
Monarchs scorn and angels sing;
Such a place as none would reckon
Hosts a holy helpless thing;
Stable beasts and by-passed strangers
Watch a baby laid in hay:
God surprises earth with heaven
Coming here on Christmas Day.

Centuries of skill and science
Span the past from which we move,
Yet experience questions whether,
With such progress, we improve.
While the human lot we ponder,
Lest our hopes and humour fray,
God surprises earth with heaven
Coming here on Christmas Day.

Communion Hymn 101    Away in a manger    Cradle Song

Postcommunion Hymn 111    Silent night    Stille nacht, st. 3 arr. Wolfgang Lindner

Closing Hymn 87    Hark the herald angels sing    Mendelssohn, arr. David Willcocks (1919-2015)

Voluntary    Carillon-Sortie    Henri Mulet (1878-1967)

Ted Babbitt, assisting organist
Lu Sun Friedman, 1st violin
Sarah Washburn, 2nd violin
Arthur Masi, viola
Kathy Schiano, cello