Service Previews, Recordings & Sermons
Below is information on each main 10:30 Sunday service (9:00 service during the summer), including a list of hymns, anthems and other service music; and a link to the service bulletin. Once a service is over, it is moved to the “Past Services” sidebar, and we add links to podcasts of the entire service and the sermon only, along with a text version of the sermon.
Our 10:30 Sunday services and select special services are live streamed online. You can watch a service live, or access the archived streaming video any time after. To watch live, click on the service you want in the “Upcoming Service” listing, then click on the embedded video at the service’s scheduled start time. To watch an archived video, click on the service you want in the “Past Services” sidebar, and then click on the embedded video.
Watch online and subscribe: YouTube Channel
Listen online now: Full Services – Sermons – Choral Evensong
Subscribe to St. John’s podcasts at PodcastPeople or on iTunes
Go to past services: By Date, June, 2017 to present – Searchable, June 2017 to present – October, 2010 to May, 2017
Upcoming Services
Holy Eucharist Rite II at 10:30 a.m. sung by the St. John’s Adult Choir, sermon by the Rev’d Bill Eakins.
Worship at Home:
Click here: Service Bulletin – Sermon Text
Subscribe to St. John’s podcasts at PodcastPeople or on iTunes
Service Music:
Voluntary Prelude on Picardy John Joubert (1927-2019)
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 640 Watchman, tell us of the night Aberystwyth
Kyrie Eleison from Litany of the Saints adapt. Richard Proulx (1937-2010)
Sequence Hymn 324 Let all mortal flesh keep silence Picardy
Offertory Anthem Tomorrow shall be my dancing day John Gardner (1917-2011)
Tomorrow shall be my dancing day: I would my true love did so chance
To see the legend of my play, To call my true love to my dance:
Sing O my love; This have I done for my true love.
Then was I born of a virgin pure, Of her I took fleshly substance;
Thus was I knit to man’s nature, To call my true love to my dance:
In a manger laid and wrapped I was, So very poor this was my chance,
Betwixt an ox and a silly poor ass, To call my true love to my dance:
Then afterwards baptized I was; The Holy Ghost on me did glance,
My Father’s voice heard from above, To call my true love to my dance:
Sanctus from Missa Emmanuel Richard Proulx
Fraction Anthem Agnus Dei from Missa Emmanuel Richard Proulx
Communion Anthem What sweeter music John Rutter (b. 1945)
Words: Robert Herrick (1591-1674)
What sweeter music can we bring
Than a carol, for to sing
The birth of this our heavenly King?
Awake the voice! Awake the string!
Dark and dull night, fly hence away,
And give the honor to this day,
That sees December turned to May.
That sees December turned to May.
Why does the chilling winter’s morn
Smile, like a field beset with corn?
Or smell like a meadow newly-shorn,
Thus, on the sudden? Come and see
The cause, why things thus fragrant be:
‘Tis He is born, whose quickening birth
Gives life and luster, public mirth,
To heaven, and the under-earth.
We see him come, and know him ours,
Who, with his sunshine and his showers,
Turns all the patient ground to flowers.
Turns all the patient ground to flowers.
The darling of the world is come,
And fit it is, we find a room
To welcome him. To welcome him.
The nobler part Of all the house here,
is the heart.
Which we will give him; and bequeath
This holly, and this ivy wreath,
To do him honour, who’s our King,
And Lord of all this revelling.
What sweeter music can we bring,
Than a carol for to sing
The birth of this our heavenly King?
In the world of choral music, we are mourning the loss of Sir Stephen Cleobury, who recently retired as Director of Music at King’s College, Cambridge, England – home of the Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols service after which ours and many others are modeled. Sir Stephen started the tradition at King’s of commissioning a new anthem for each year’s carol service, and this beautiful setting by John Rutter was one of the first of those. Choosing to set a poem from 1647, Rutter crafted a fittingly sweet, yet angular, melody accompanied in the uncommon key of G-flat major. The music is inclined to transmit its essence through more subdued dynamics, as in the phrase, “The darling of the world is come, And fit it is, we find a room to welcome him.” And that room, according to Herrick and amplified by Rutter, is warm, as if cold December has turned to fragrant May in an instant.
Hymn in Procession 72 Hark! the glad sound! Richmond
Voluntary Praeludium in C Major, BWV 545 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Assisting Organist: David Chrzanowski
Festival of Lessons and Carols at 3:00 p.m. sung by the St. John’s Youth and Adult Choirs.
Holy Eucharist Rite II, with the St. John’s Christmas Pageant at 10:30 a.m., sung by the Adult and Youth Choirs, with Jeffrey Higgins and Thomas Hintz, trumpets.
Worship at Home:
Click here: Service Bulletin
Subscribe to St. John’s podcasts at PodcastPeople or on iTunes
Service Music:
Voluntary Noel grand jeu et duo Louis Claude Daquin (1694-1772)
Traditional Carols with brass, choir, and organ.
Anthem (at Angels Dance)
Ding, dong, merrily on high arr. David Willcocks (1919-2015)
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!
E’en so here below, below,
Let steeple bells be swungen,
And “Io, io, io!”
By priest and people sungen
Gloria Hosanna in excelsis!
Pray you, dutifully prime
Your matin chime, ye ringers,
May you beautifully rhyme
Your eve’time song, ye singers
Gloria Hosanna in excelsis!
Choir Rocking Czech Carol, arr. Sir David Willcocks (1919-2015)
Words translated Percy Dearmer (1867-1936)
Little Jesus, sweetly sleep, do not stir;
We will lend a coat of fur
We will rock you, rock you, rock you,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you;
See the fur to keep you warm,
Snugly round your tiny form.
Mary’s little baby, sleep, sweetly sleep,
Sleep in comfort, slumber deep;
We will rock you, rock you, rock you
We will rock you, rock you, rock you;
We will serve you all we can,
Darling, darling little man.
Voluntary My spirit be joyful from Cantata 146 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
arr. E. Power Biggs
Trumpets: Tom Hintz, Jeffrey Higgins
Holy Eucharist Rite II at 4:00 p.m. with Choral Prelude at 3:50 p.m. sung by the St. John’s Youth and Alumnae Choir, sermon by the Rev’d Susan Pinkerton.
Click here:
Subscribe to St. John’s podcasts at PodcastPeople or on iTunes
Service Music:
Choral Prelude at 3:50 p.m.
Hymn 102 Once in Royal David’s city Irby
Stanzas 1 & 2, choir; stanzas 3-6, congregation
Choir Rocking Czech Carol, arr. Sir David Willcocks (1919-2015)
Words translated Percy Dearmer (1867-1936)
Little Jesus, sweetly sleep, do not stir;
We will lend a coat of fur
We will rock you, rock you, rock you,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you;
See the fur to keep you warm,
Snugly round your tiny form.
Mary’s little baby, sleep, sweetly sleep,
Sleep in comfort, slumber deep;
We will rock you, rock you, rock you
We will rock you, rock you, rock you;
We will serve you all we can,
Darling, darling little man.
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 The Lamb Scott Lamlein, 2009
Words: William Blake (1757–1827)
Little Lamb who made thee
Dost thou know who made thee
Gave thee life & bid thee feed.
By the stream & o’er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing wooly bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice!
Little Lamb who made thee
Dost thou know who made thee
Little Lamb I’ll tell thee,
Little Lamb I’ll tell thee!
He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a Lamb:
He is meek & he is mild,
He became a little child:
I a child & thou a lamb,
We are called by his name.
Little Lamb God bless thee.
Little Lamb God bless thee.
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 In dulci jubilo (In quiet joy) Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Holy Eucharist Rite II at 11:00 p.m. with Choral Prelude at 10:30 p.m. sung by the St. John’s Adult Choir and string quartet, sermon by the Rev’d Susan Pinkerton.
Click here:
Subscribe to St. John’s podcasts at PodcastPeople or on iTunes
Choral Prelude at 10:30 p.m.
TBD, violin; Mary Scripko, viola; Kathy Schiano, cello; Kevin Huhn, bass
String Quartet Brandenburg concerto No. 3 in G Major BWV 1048 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
I. Allegro moderato
Choir Sir Christèmas William Mathias (1934-1992)
Nowell, nowell.
Who is there that singeth so,
I am here, Sir Christèmas.
Welcome, my lord Sir Christèmas!
Welcome to all, both more and less!
Come near, come near, come near,
Nowell, nowell.
Dieu vous garde, beaux sieurs,
Tidings I you bring:
A maid hath borne a child full young,
Which causeth you to sing:
Nowell, nowell.
Christ is now born of a pure maid,
Born of a pure maid;
In an ox-stall he is laid,
Wherefore sing we at a brayde:
Nowell, nowell.
Buvez bien, buvez bien
Par toute la compagnie.
Make good cheer and be right merry,
And sing with us now joyfully
Nowell, nowell.
Choir 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.
Choir Rocking Czech Carol, arr. Sir David Willcocks (1919-2015)
Words translated Percy Dearmer (1867-1936)
Little Jesus, sweetly sleep, do not stir;
We will lend a coat of fur
We will rock you, rock you, rock you,
We will rock you, rock you, rock you;
See the fur to keep you warm,
Snugly round your tiny form.
Mary’s little baby, sleep, sweetly sleep,
Sleep in comfort, slumber deep;
We will rock you, rock you, rock you
We will rock you, rock you, rock you;
We will serve you all we can,
Darling, darling little man.
String Quartet Brandenburg concerto No. 3 in G Major BWV 1048 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
II. Allegro
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 There is no rose Philip Stopford (b. 1977)
Text: Anonymous, 14th 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)
Sanctus S130 Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Fraction anthem S164 Jesus, lamb of God Franz Schubert
Communion Anthem What sweeter music John Rutter (b. 1945)
Words: Robert Herrick (1591-1674)
What sweeter music can we bring
Than a carol, for to sing
The birth of this our heavenly King?
Awake the voice! Awake the string!
Dark and dull night, fly hence away,
And give the honor to this day,
That sees December turned to May.
That sees December turned to May.
Why does the chilling winter’s morn
Smile, like a field beset with corn?
Or smell like a meadow newly-shorn,
Thus, on the sudden? Come and see
The cause, why things thus fragrant be:
‘Tis He is born, whose quickening birth
Gives life and luster, public mirth,
To heaven, and the under-earth.
We see him come, and know him ours,
Who, with his sunshine and his showers,
Turns all the patient ground to flowers.
Turns all the patient ground to flowers.
The darling of the world is come,
And fit it is, we find a room
To welcome him. To welcome him.
The nobler part Of all the house here,
is the heart.
Which we will give him; and bequeath
This holly, and this ivy wreath,
To do him honour, who’s our King,
And Lord of all this revelling.
What sweeter music can we bring,
Than a carol for to sing
The birth of this our heavenly King?
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 In dulci jubilo (In quiet joy) Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Holy Eucharist Rite II at 10:00 a.m. with carols, sermon by the Rev’d Susan Pinkerton.
Worship at Home:
Click here for: Service Bulletin
Subscribe to St. John’s podcasts at PodcastPeople or on iTunes
Service Music:
Voluntary The shepherds from Nativity Suite Wilbur Held (1914-2015)
Opening Hymn 96 Angels we have heard on high Gloria
Sequence Hymn 79 O Little town of Bethlehem St. Louis
Offertory The magi from Nativity Suite Wilbur Held
Sanctus S130 Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Closing Hymn 100 Joy to the world! Antioch
Voluntary Joy to the world from Nativity Suite Wilbur Held