Advent Procession

with carols

Sunday 28 November 2021

5.00 pm

Photo: Lucy Kayne

Welcome to St Edmundsbury Cathedral

Advent is a season of expectation and preparation, as the Church prepares to

celebrate the coming (‘adventus’) of Christ in his incarnation, and also looks

ahead to his final advent as judge at the end of time. The readings for this year’s

Advent Procession with Carols concentrate on the hope that the values of God’s

kingdom will come to our darkened world: the light of Advent Hope anticipates

the relief of suffering and the end to greed and cruelty for which we all pray.

The first part of this evening’s service takes place in darkness. Members of the

congregation are encouraged to read ahead in their orders of service before the

lights are extinguished.

The procession moves from west to east: towards the direction of the rising sun

which is itself a symbol of the Son of Righteousness, ‘God with us’ – the meaning

of the word ‘Emmanuel’.

After the ancient Advent Prose is sung at the West End of the Cathedral the

procession moves through the building until it arrives in the Crossing and the

lights are gradually raised.

The procession continues on its way until it reaches the High Altar Sanctuary,

we hear the great Advent Collect, and the Blessing is pronounced.

We are particularly pleased to welcome people from the parishes of the Diocese

to this, the Mother Church.

Service order extracts from

Common Worship Services,

Music reproduced with permission - CCL Licence No

317297

For reasons of Safeguarding and Data Protection, members of the public are not permitted to

take photographs or video recordings during services and events.

We wish to inform you that photographs, video or livestream footage in which you may appear

could be used by the Cathedral at any time and appear in the public domain including

social media.

Please note that this service will be livestreamed on Facebook. If you do not want to

appear in this please inform a warden or verger.

The Order of Service

Organ music before the service

played by Richard Cook, Assistant Director of Music

Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659

Ach bleib' bei uns, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 649

Meine Seele erhebt den Herren, BWV 648

Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 599

J.S. Bach, 1685-1750

Es ist ein Ros’ entsprungen, Op. 122, No. 8

Johannes Brahms, 1833-1897

The lights in the Cathedral are extinguished and the congregation remains

seated as the Choir and Clergy assemble at the West End to sing

The Advent Prose

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.

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?

Words: Aspiciebam at Matins for Advent Sunday

Music: Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, c.1525-1594 ,

arr. David Willcocks, 1919-2015

All stand for

The Hymn

During the hymn the procession moves through the Nave to the stalls.

Choir

Come, thou Redeemer of the earth,

and manifest thy virgin-birth:

let every age adoring fall;

such birth befits the God of all.

Choir Begotten of no human will,

but of the Spirit, thou art still

the Word of God, in flesh arrayed,

the Saviour, now to us displayed.

All From God the Father he proceeds,

to God the Father back he speeds,

runs out his course to death and hell,

returns on God’s high throne to dwell.

O equal to thy Father, thou!

Gird on thy fleshy mantle now,

the weakness of our mortal state

with deathless might invigorate.

Thy cradle here shall glitter bright,

and darkness glow with new-born light,

no more shall night extinguish day,

where love’s bright beams their power display.

O Jesu, virgin-born, to thee

eternal praise and glory be,

whom with the Father we adore

and Holy Spirit, evermore. Amen.

Words: St Ambrose, c. 340-397

tr J. M. Neale, 1818-1866 and others

Music:

Puer Nobis Nascitur

Melody adapted by Michael Praetorius, 1571-1621

harmonised by G.R. Woodward, 1848-1934

All sit as the Dean welcomes everyone and leads

The Bidding Prayer

The season of Advent is upon us, to remind us that 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.

As we meet to celebrate anew the coming of God’s kingdom, we hear revealed

the mystery of God’s loving purpose for us - how that when we were far off, he

met us in his Son and brought us home; how he humbled himself to take our

human nature, that we might share his divine glory.

Let us then so celebrate this coming in words and music of praise, that our lives

may be charged with his life and transformed; that we may bear witness to his

glory and so bring light to those in darkness. So, especially in this year of

pandemic, first we pray for those among whom the Christ was born: the poor

and helpless, the aged and young children; the cold, the hungry and the

homeless; the victims of poverty, injustice and oppression, the sick and those

who mourn, the lonely and the unloved; those in despair or in the shadow of

death.

Then, as we hear again the promise of peace on earth and goodwill among all

his people, we pray for the leaders of the nations, that all may be inspired to

work together to care for God's earth and for the establishment of justice,

freedom and peace the world over.

And that we may bear true witness to this hope in a divided world, we pray for

the peace and unity of Christ’s Body, the Church universal, that the whole earth

may live to praise his name, now and for ever. Amen.

We pray for the coming of God's kingdom, in the words Jesus gave us:

All Our Father,

who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name,

thy kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

the power, and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen.

The Choir and congregation are invited to extinguish their candles.

All remain seated as the Choir sings

O Clavis David

O key of David and sceptre of the house of Israel,

that openest and no man shutteth,

and shutteth and no man openeth;

come and bring the prisoner out of the prison house,

and him that sitteth in darkness, and the shadow of death.

Words: cf Isaiah 22.22; 42.7

Music: Plainchant

All remain seated for

The First Reading

‘Your king comes to you’.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo,

your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding

on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. He will cut off the chariot from

Ephraim and the warhorse from Jerusalem; and the battle-bow shall be cut

off, and he shall command peace to the nations; his dominion shall be from

sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Zechariah 9.9–10, NRSV

All remain seated for

The Reflection

I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hope

For hope would be hope for the wrong thing; wait without love,

For love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith

But the faith and the love and the hope are all in the waiting.

Wait without thought, for you are not ready for thought:

So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing.

Extract from ‘East Coker’, T.S. Eliot, 1888-1965

All remain seated as the Choir sings

The Anthem

Adam lay ybounden,

Bounden in a bond;

Four thousand winter

Thought he not too long.

And all was for an apple,

An apple that he took,

As clerkes finden

Written in their book.

Ne had the apple taken been,

The apple taken been,

Ne had never our Lady

A-been heavene queen.

Blessed be the time

That apple taken was;

Therefore we moun singen:

Deo gracias!

Words: Traditional English, 15

Music: Boris Ord, 1897-1961

All remain seated for

The Second Reading

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.

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 9.2,6–7 , NRSV

All stand for

The Hymn

During the hymn the procession moves into the Nave Sanctuary.

On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry

announces that the Lord is nigh;

awake and hearken, for he brings

glad tidings from the King of kings.

Then cleansed be every breast from sin;

make straight the way for God within;

prepare we in our hearts a home,

where such a mighty guest may come.

For thou art our salvation, Lord,

our refuge and our great reward;

without thy grace we waste away,

like flowers that wither and decay.

To heal the sick stretch out thine hand,

and bid the fallen sinner stand;

shine forth, and let thy light restore

earth’s own true loveliness once more.

All praise, eternal Son, to thee

whose advent doth thy people free,

whom with the Father we adore,

and Holy Ghost for evermore. Amen.

Words: Charles Coffin, 1676-1749

tr. John Chandler, 1808-76

Music:

Winchester New

, adapted from a chorale

in Musicalisches Hand-Buch, Hamburg, 1690

All sit as the choir sings

O Adonai

O Adonai and leader of the house of Israel,

who appearedst in the bush to Moses in a flame of fire,

and gavest him the Law in Sinai;

come and deliver us with an outstretched arm.

Words: cf Exodus 3.2; 24.12

Music: Plainchant

All remain seated as the Choir sings

The Anthem

A tender shoot has started up from a root of grace,

as ancient seers imparted from Jesse's holy race:

It blooms without a blight, blooms in the cold bleak winter,

turning our darkness into light.

This shoot Isaiah taught us, from Jesse's root should spring;

The Virgin Mary brought us the branch of which we sing;

Our God of endless might gave her this child to save us,

Thus turning darkness into light.

Words: German, 15th C.,

tr. William Bartholomew, 1793-1867

Music: Otto Goldschmidt, 1829-1907

All remain seated for

The Third Reading

‘He shall reign as king and deal wisely’.

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a

righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall

execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved

and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called:

‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

Jeremiah 23.5–6, NRSV

All remain seated for

The Reflection

Advent Antiphons

From Mary's sweet silence,

Come, Word mutely spoken!

Pledge of our real life,

Come, Bread yet unbroken!

Seed of the Golden Wheat,

In us be sown.

Fullness of true Light,

Through us be known.

Secret held tenderly,

Guarded with Love,

Cradled in purity,

Child of the Dove,

Come!

Sr. M. Charlita, I.H.M.

All stand for

The Hymn

During which the Choir processes to the Quire.

O Come, O Come Emmanuel,

and ransom captive Israel,

that mourns in lonely exile here,

until the Son of God appear:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free

thine own from Satan’s tyranny;

from depths of hell thy people save,

and give them victory o’er the grave:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer

our spirits by thine advent here;

disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

and death’s dark shadows put to flight:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou Key of David, come,

and open wide our heavenly home;

make safe the way that leads on high,

and close the path to misery:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, thou Lord of Might,

who to thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,

in ancient times didst give the law

in cloud and majesty and awe:

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to thee, O Israel.

Words: Latin Advent Antiphons

tr. J. M. Neal, 1818-1866

Music:

Veni Emmanuel

, melody ‘adapted from a

French Missal’ by Thomas Helmore 1811-1890

All sit as the choir sings

O Emmanuel

O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver,

the hope of the nations and their Saviour:

come and save us, O Lord our God.

Plainchant

All remain seated as the Choir sings

The Anthem

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

The glory which I now can see,

In Jesus Christ the Appletree.

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 Appletree.

I'm weary with my former toil -

Here I will sit and rest awhile,

Under the shadow I will be,

Of Jesus Christ the Appletree.

This fruit doth make my soul to thrive,

It keeps my dying faith alive;

Which makes my soul in haste to be

With Jesus Christ the Appletree.

Words: 18th C.

Music Elizabeth Poston, 1905–1987

All remain seated for

The Fourth Reading

‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their

lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five

were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them;

but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was

delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a

shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Then all

those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the

wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise

replied, “No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go

to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” And while they went to buy it,

the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the

wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came

also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do

not know you.” Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor

the hour.

Matthew 25.1-13

All remain seated as the Choir sings

The Anthem

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.

By that rose we may well see

That He is God in persons three,

Pari forma.

The angels sungen the shepherds to:

Gloria in excelsis Deo:

Gaudeamus.

Now leave we all this worldly mirth

And follow we this joyful birth;

Transeamus

Words: Anonymous, c. 1420

Music: Philip Stopford, b. 1977

All remain seated for

The Reflection

You bore for me the One who came to bless

And bear for all, to make the broken whole.

You heard his call, and in your open ‘yes’

You spoke aloud for every living soul.

Oh gracious Lady, child of your own child,

Whose mother-love still calls the child in me,

Call me again, for I am lost and wild

Waves surround me now. On this dark sea

Shine as a star and call me to the shore.

Open a door that all my sins would close

And hold me in your garden. Let me share

The prayer that folds the petals of the Rose.

Enfold me too in love’s last mystery,

And bring me to the One you bore for me.

‘Mary’ , Malcolm Guite, b. 1957

All stand for

The Hymn

During which the Choir processes to the Transfiguration Chapel.

Hills of the North, rejoice;

river and mountain-spring,

hark to the advent voice;

valley and lowland, sing;

though absent long, your Lord is nigh;

he judgement brings and victory.

Isles of the Southern seas,

deep in your coral caves

pent be each warring breeze,

lulled be your restless waves:

he comes to reign with boundless sway,

and makes your wastes his great highway.

Lands of the East, awake,

soon shall your sons be free;

the sleep of ages break,

and rise to liberty.

on your far hills, long cold and gray,

has dawned the everlasting day.

Shores of the utmost West,

ye that have waited long,

unvisited, unblessed,

break forth to swelling song;

high raise the note, that Jesus died,

yet lives and reigns, the Crucified.

Shout, while ye journey home;

songs be in every mouth;

lo, from the North we come,

from East, and West, and South.

city of God, the bond are free,

we come to live and reign in thee!

Words: C E Oakley, 1832-65

Music:

Little Cornard

, Martin Shaw, 1875-1958

All sit as the Choir sings

O Oriens

O Morning star, splendour of light eternal

and sun of righteousness:

come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness

and the shadow of death.

cf Malachi 4.2

All sit or kneel for

The Prayers

Watchful at all times,

let us pray for strength to stand with confidence

before our Maker and Redeemer.

That God may bring into his kingdom

with justice and mercy,

let us pray to the Lord:

Lord, have mercy.

That God may establish among the nations

his sceptre of righteousness,

let us pray to the Lord:

Lord, have mercy.

That we may seek Christ in the Scriptures

and recognise him in the breaking of bread,

let us pray to the Lord:

Lord, have mercy.

That God may bind up the broken-hearted,

restore the sick and raise up all who have fallen,

let us pray to the Lord:

Lord, have mercy.

That the light of God’s coming may dawn

on all who live in darkness and the shadow of death,

let us pray to the Lord:

Lord, have mercy.

That with all the saints in light

we may shine forth as lights for the world,

let us pray to the Lord:

Lord, have mercy.

The Collect for 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. Amen.

All remain seated for

The Fifth Reading

'The Son of Man will come at an unexpected hour'

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, NRSV

All stand for

Organ Fanfare

All remain standing for

The Blessing

Bishop May God the Father,

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

give you grace to prepare for eternal life. Amen.

Bishop May God the Son,

who comes to us as Redeemer and Judge,

reveal to you the path from darkness to light. Amen.

Bishop May God the Holy Spirit,

by whose working the Virgin Mary conceived the Christ,

help you bear the fruits of holiness. Amen.

Bishop And the blessing of God Almighty,

the  Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be upon you, and remain with you for ever. Amen.

The Dean leads

The Responsary

We wait for your loving-kindness, O God,

All in the midst of your temple.

The glory of the Lord shall be revealed

All and all flesh shall see it together.

Show us your mercy, O Lord,

All and grant us your salvation.

All remain standing as the Choir sings

The Anthem

During which the Choir begins to move.

Wake, O wake! with tidings thrilling

The watchmen all the air are filling,

arise, Jerusalem, arise!

Midnight strikes! No more delaying

‘The hour has come!’ we hear them saying.

Where are ye all, ye virgins wise?

The Bridegroom comes in sight,

Raise high your torches bright!

Alleluya! The wedding song swells loud and strong:

Go forth and join the festal throng.

Words: Philipp Nicolai based on Matthew 25.1–13

and Revelation 19.6–9

Music: J.S. Bach, 1685-1750)

All remain standing for

The Recessional Hymn

During which the Choir continues to move through the Nave to the West

End.

Lo! he comes with clouds descending,

once for favoured 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 nought 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!

Words: Charles Wesley, 1707-88

Music:

Helmsley

, melody noted by T Olivers, 1725-99

and John Cennick, 1718-55 included in

Wesley’s

Select Hymns

1765

Please be seated as the organist plays

The Voluntary

Le Monde dans l’attente du Sauveur (Symphonie Passion)

Marcel Dupré, 1886-1971

____________________________

Please feel free to stay on after the service

to reflect or light candles near the altar.

There will be an opportunity to make a donation to the cathedral as you

leave, either in cash or using one of the contactless points.

Please use the Gift Aid envelopes if you are able to.

____________________________

The Dean: The Very Reverend Joe Hawes

The Canon Pastor & Sub Dean: The Reverend Canon Matthew Vernon

The Canon Precentor: The Reverend Canon Philip Banks

The Canon Theologian: The Reverend Canon Michael Robinson

The Cathedral Curate: The Reverend Sarah Geileskey

Director of Music: Timothy Parsons

Assistant Director of Music: Richard Cook