Service of Carols and Readings for Advent Sunday 2020

Advent Carols 2020

Carol: O come, o come Immanuel

O come, O come, Emmanuel!

Redeem thy captive Israel

That into exile drear is gone,

Far from the face of God's dear Son.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou Wisdom from on high,
Who madest all in earth and sky,
Creating man from dust and clay,
To us reveal salvations’s way.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Adonaï,

Who in thy glorious majesty

From Sinai’s mountain, clothed with awe,

Gavest thy folk the ancient Law.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou Root of Jesse! draw

The quarry from the lion's claw,

From those dread caverns of the grave,

From nether hell, thy people save.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O Come, thou Lord of David’s Key!

The royal door fling wide and free;

Safeguard for us the heavenward road,

And bar the way to death's abode.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, thou Dayspring bright!

Pour on our souls thy healing light;

Dispel the long night's lingering gloom,

And pierce the shadows of the tomb.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Desire of nations! show
They kingly reign on earth below;
Thou corner-stone uniting all,

Restore the ruin of our fall.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel.

[NEH 11]

Opening Prayer

It is time for us to wake out of sleep, for deliverance is nearer to us now than it was when first we believed. It is far on in the night; day is near. Let us therefore cast off the deeds of darkness and put on our armour as soldiers of the light.

The grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you

All and also with you.

My brothers and sisters, we enter today the solemn season of Advent in which the Church bids us prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ; a coming that we recall in the Child of Bethlehem; a coming that we experience in the gift of his Spirit, in the bread of the Eucharist, in the joy of human lives that are shared; a coming we wait for when God gathers up all things in Christ. Let us in this holy season reflect on the coming of Christ who brings light to the world. Let us leave behind the darkness of sin, walk in the light that shines on our path, and renew within ourselves the hope of glory to which he beckons us. And as we turn towards the light, let us have on our hearts all those who see no light, for whom all is darkness and despair. Let us pray that they too may be illumined by Christ who is our light.

The congregation prays silently,

after which the president draws the prayers together

in the Collect of Advent Sunday

Almighty God,

give us grace to cast away the works of darkness

and to put on the armour of light,

now in the time of this mortal life,

in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;

that on the last day,

when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead,

we may rise to the life immortal;

through him who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

All Amen.

1. A reading from the Book of Genesis:

And God said: Let there be light

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

[Genesis 1.1-5]

Carol: Creator of the stars of night

Creator of the stars of night,

Thy people's everlasting light,

O Jesu, saviour of us all,

Regard thy servants when they call.

Thou, grieving at the bitter cry

Of all creation doomed to die,

Didst come to save a ruined race

With healing gifts of heavenly grace.

Thou camest, Bridegroom of the bride,

As drew the world to evening-tide,

Proceeding from a virgin shrine,

The Son of Man, yet Lord divine.

At thy great name, exalted now,

All knees must bend, all hearts must bow;

All things in heaven and earth shall own,

That Thou art Lord King alone.

To thee, O Holy One, we pray,

Our judge in that tremendous day,

Preserve us, while we dwell below,

From every onslaught of the foe.

All praise, eternal Son to thee,

Whose advent sets thy people free,

Whom with we Father we adore,

And Spirit blest, for evermore.

[NEH 1]

2. A reading from the Book of Psalms:

Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me for ever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I bear pain in my soul,
and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
and my enemy will say, ‘I have prevailed’;
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.

But I trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.

[Psalm 13]

Carol: The Lord will come and not be slow

The Lord will come and not be slow,

His footsteps cannot err;

Before him righteousness shall go,

His royal harbinger.

Truth from the earth, like to a flower,

Shall bud and blossom then,

And justice, from her heavenly bower,

Look down on mortal men.

Rise, God, judge thou the earth in might,

This wicked earth redress;

For thou art he who shall by right

the nations all possess.

The nations all whom thou hast made

Shall come, and all shall frame

To bow them low before thee, Lord,

And glorify thy Name.

For great thou art, and wonders great

By thy strong hand are done:

Thou, in thy everlasting seat,

Remainest God alone.

[NEH 15]

3. A reading from the Prophecy of Isaiah:

I form light and create darkness

I will go before you
   and level the mountains,
I will break in pieces the doors of bronze
   and cut through the bars of iron,
I will give you the treasures of darkness
   and riches hidden in secret places,
so that you may know that it is I, the Lord,
   the God of Israel, who call you by your name.
For the sake of my servant Jacob,
   and Israel my chosen,
I call you by your name,
   I surname you, though you do not know me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other;
   besides me there is no god.
   I arm you, though you do not know me,
so that they may know, from the rising of the sun
   and from the west, that there is no one besides me;
   I am the Lord, and there is no other.
I form light and create darkness,
   I make weal and create woe;
   I the Lord do all these things.

Shower, O heavens, from above,
   and let the skies rain down righteousness;
let the earth open, that salvation may spring up,
   and let it cause righteousness to sprout up also;
   I the Lord have created it.

Carol: Hark a herald voice is calling

Hark! a herald voice is calling:

'Christ is nigh,' it seems to say;

'Cast away the dreams of darkness,

O ye children of the day!'

Startled at the solemn warning,

Let the earth-bound soul arise;

Christ, her Sun, all sloth dispelling,

Shines upon the morning skies.

Lo! the Lamb, so long expected,

Comes with pardon down from heaven;

Let us haste, with tears of sorrow,

One and all to be forgiven;

So when next he comes with glory,

And earth’s final hour draws near,

May he then as our defender

On the clouds of heaven appear.

Honour, glory, virtue, merit,

To the Father and the Son,

With the co-eternal Spirit,

While unending ages run. Amen.

[NEH 5]

4. A reading from the Prophecy of Baruch:

Look to the east

Look towards the east, O Jerusalem,
   and see the joy that is coming to you from God.
Look, your children are coming, whom you sent away;
   they are coming, gathered from east and west,
at the word of the Holy One,
   rejoicing in the glory of God.

Take off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem,
   and put on for ever the beauty of the glory from God.
Put on the robe of the righteousness that comes from God;
   put on your head the diadem of the glory of the Everlasting;
for God will show your splendour everywhere under heaven.
For God will give you evermore the name,
   ‘Righteous Peace, Godly Glory’.

Arise, O Jerusalem, stand upon the height;
   look towards the east,
and see your children gathered from west and east
   at the word of the Holy One,
   rejoicing that God has remembered them.
For they went out from you on foot,
   led away by their enemies;
but God will bring them back to you,
   carried in glory, as on a royal throne.
For God has ordered that every high mountain and the everlasting hills be made low
   and the valleys filled up, to make level ground,
   so that Israel may walk safely in the glory of God.
The woods and every fragrant tree
   have shaded Israel at God’s command.
For God will lead Israel with joy,
   in the light of his glory,
   with the mercy and righteousness that come from him.

[Baruch 4.36-5.9]

Anthem: People look East

Carol: Hills of the north rejoice

Hills of the North, rejoice,
Echoing songs arise,
Hail with united voice
Him who made earth and skies:
He comes in righteousness and love,
He brings salvation from above.

Isles of the Southern seas,
Sing to the listening earth,
Carry on every breeze
Hope of a world's new birth:
In Christ shall all be made anew,
His word is sure, his promise true.

Lands of the East, arise,
He is your brightest morn,
Greet him with joyous eyes,
Praise shall his path adorn:
The God whom you have longed to know
In Christ draws near, and calls you now.

Shores of the utmost West,
Lands of the setting sun,
Welcome the heavenly guest
In whom the dawn has come:
He brings a never-ending light
Who triumphed o'er our darkest night.

Shout, as you journey on,
Songs be in every mouth,
Lo, from the North they come,
From East and West and South:
In Jesus all shall find their rest,
In him the sons of earth be blest.

[NEH 7]

5. A reading from the Prophecy of Isaiah:

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light

The people who walked in darkness
   have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
   on them light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation,
   you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
   as with joy at the harvest,
   as people exult when dividing plunder.
For a child has been born for us,
   a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
   and he is named
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
   and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
   He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
   from this time onwards and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

[Isaiah 9.2,3,6,7]

Carol: Come, thou long-expected Jesus

Come, Thou long-expected Jesus

Born to set Thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us,

Let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel’s strength and consolation,

Hope of all the earth Thou art;

Dear desire of every nation,

Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,

Born a child and yet a king,

Born to reign in us forever,

Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all sufficient merit,

Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

[NEH 3]

6. A reading from the First Letter of St Paul to the Thessalonians:

You are not in darkness, for you are all children of light

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, ‘There is peace and security’, then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labour pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.

May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

[1 Thessalonians 5.1-11,23,24]

Carol: Hark the glad sounds

Hark, the glad sound! the Saviour comes,

The Saviour promised long!

Let every heart prepare a throne,

And every voice a song.

He comes the prisoners to release,

In Satan’s bondage held;

The gates of brass before Him burst,

Tthe iron fetters yield.

He comes the broken heart to bind,

The bleeding soul to cure,

And with the treasures of His grace,

Enrich the humble poor.

Our glad Hosannas, Prince of peace,

Thy welcome shall proclaim;

And heaven’s eternal arches ring,

With Thy beloved Name.

[NEH 6]

Gospel. A reading from the Gospel according to St Luke:

Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning

Jesus said ‘Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

‘But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.’

[Luke 12.35-40]

Carol: Long ago prophets knew

Long ago, prophets knew
Christ would come, born a Jew.
Come to make all things new;
Bear his People's burden,
Freely love and pardon.
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
When he comes,
When he comes,
Who will make him welcome?

God in time, God in man,
This is God's timeless plan:
He will come, as a man,
Born himself of woman,
God divinely human.
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
When he comes,
When he comes,
Who will make him welcome?

Mary, hail! Though afraid;
She believed, she obeyed.
In her womb God is laid;
Till the time expected
Nurtured and protected.
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
When he comes,
When he comes,
Who will make him welcome?

Journey ends! Where afar
Bethlem shines, like a star,
Stable door stands ajar.
Unborn Son of Mary,
Saviour, do not tarry!
Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
Jesus comes!
Jesus comes!
We will make him welcome!

[NEH 10]

Blessing and Dismissal

May God the Father,

who loved the world so much that he sent his only Son,

give you grace to prepare for life eternal.

All Amen.

May God the Son,

who comes to us as redeemer and judge,

reveal to you the path from darkness to light.

All Amen.

May God the Holy Spirit,

by whose working the Virgin Mary conceived the Christ,

help you bear the fruits of holiness.

All Amen.

And the blessing …

The night is far spent, the day is at hand.

Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness

and put on the armour of light.

Come, O Lord, comfort the soul of your servant.

All Even so, Lord, come.

O Lord Jesus Christ, come

All at evening time, with light,

and in the morning, with your glory,

All to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Carol: Lo he comes

Lo! He comes with clouds descending,
Once for flavoured sinners slain;
Thousand thousand saints attending
Swell the triumph of his train:
Alleluia!
God appears on earth to reign.

Every eye shall now behold him
Robed in dreadful majesty;
Those who set at naught and sold him,
Pierced and nailed him to the tree,
Deeply wailing
Shall the true Messiah see.

Those dear tokens of his passion
Still his dazzling body bears,
Cause of endless exultation
To his ransomed worshippers:
With what rapture
Gaze we on those glorious scars!

Yea, Amen! Let all adore thee,
High on thine eternal throne;
Saviour, take the power and glory,
Claim the kingdom for thine own:
O come quickly

Alleluia! Come, Lord, come

[NEH 9]

Common Worship: Services and Prayers for the Church of England, material from which

The New English Hymnal, material from which is included in this service, is copyright of

The Canterbury Press, 2010

Search This Blog

Fr Matt's Blog - reflections on Church, life and books