Chapel of St John's College, Cambridge. Sunday, December 3rd 2017

[DracoM]

Chapel of St John's College, Cambridge. Sunday, December 3rd 2017


Carol: A tender shoot (Goldschmidt)
Processional Hymn: O come, O come, Emmanuel! (Veni Emmanuel) (descant: David Hill)
Bidding Prayer
Carol: People, look east (Peter Tranchell, arr. P. Marchbank)

I The Message of Advent
Sentence and Collect
Antiphons: O Sapientia and O Adonai
First lesson: Isaiah 11 vv.1-5
Anthem: The truth from above (Trad, arr. Vaughan Williams)
Second lesson: 1 Thessalonians 5 vv.1-11
Carol: Adam lay ybounden (Giles Swayne)

II The Word of God
Sentence and Collect
Antiphons: O Radix Jesse and O Clavis David
Motet: Laetentur coeli (Byrd)
Third lesson: Micah 4 vv.1-4
Carol: The Cherry Tree Carol (arr. Stephen Cleobury)
Fourth lesson: Luke 4 vv.14-21
Hymn: Come, thou long-expected Jesus (Cross of Jesus) (descant: Christopher Robinson)

III The Prophetic Call
Sentence and Collect
Antiphons: O Oriens and O Rex Gentium
Anthem: The Last and Greatest Herald (Benjamin Comeau)
Fifth lesson: Malachi 3 vv.1-7
Carol: Tomorrow shall be my dancing day (Trad, arr. Willcocks)
Sixth lesson: Matthew 3 vv.1-11
Hymn: On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry (Winchester New) (descant: Christopher Robinson)

IV The Christ-Bearer
Sentence and Collect
Antiphon: O Emmanuel
Carol: I know a flower (Francis Jackson)
Seventh lesson: Luke 1 vv.39-49
Carol: I sing of a maiden (Ian Shaw)
Magnificat: Stanford in A
Eighth lesson: John 3 vv.1-8

Sentence and Christmas Collect
Carol: A Gallery Carol (Gardner)
Hymn: Lo! he comes with clouds descending (Helmsley) (descant: Christopher Robinson)

College Prayer and Blessing

Organ Voluntary: Chorale Prelude on 'Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland', BWV 661 (Bach)

Glen Dempsey (Herbert Howells Organ Scholar)
Andrew Nethsingha (Director of Music)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09h366m

NB: Apologies for late posting.

[Petrushka]

This was recorded last Sunday, Nov 26, though today is actually Advent Sunday, making me wonder if St John's miscalculated the date. Has this service previously been given before Advent has even started?

[BBMmk2]

Is it on Radio 3?

[Petrushka]

Is it on Radio 3?

Yes, this afternoon at 3pm.

[DracoM]

It was the fact that this service had already taken place in Cambridge that threw me. I had not fully realised that John's Advent Sunday was not the same as everybody else's!!

Yes, I know, I should have trusted BBC iPLayer, but....but.... I really wondered if the BBC had something else fixed for Advent Sunday!!

My total incompetence, but that should surprise no-one.

[Petrushka]

It was the fact that this service had already taken place in Cambridge that threw me. I had not fully realised that John's Advent Sunday was not the same as everybody else's!!

Yes, I know, I should have trusted BBC iPLayer, but....but.... I really wondered if the BBC had something else fixed for Advent Sunday!!

My total incompetence, but that should surprise no-one.

Can't see you have anything to reproach yourself for here. I had to Google the date of Advent Sunday last week to make sure. Christmas Eve is, of course, also the Fourth Sunday in Advent this year. Still think that St John's miscalculated.

[weston752]

Cambridge term ended two days ago, so I imagine there was a wish for the services to be held in term time.

[mopsus]

Advent Sunday is this year as late as it can be. I imagine St John’s anticipated it in order for the service to be during Full Term. Most undergraduates will have gone down by today.

Other Colleges are doing something similar. Merton College Oxford had two Advent Carol Services on the 25th and 26 November, followed by a Christmas Carol Service on November 30th.

[Nick Armstrong]

Cambridge term ended two days ago, so I imagine there was a wish for the services to be held in term time.

The Advent Procession at King's was last Sunday too. Someone on their Facebook page queried why it was a week before Advent Sunday and the reply was "The university term ends on Friday - so we have our Procession for Advent today."

[Alison]

I prefer live

[Petrushka]

I prefer live

So do I as it does feel as if you are part of the congregation. On the other hand, I can understand why the BBC would want this to go out on Advent Sunday.

[NearlyHeadlessN]

Yes, practically all the undergraduates have now gone home - the service has to be during full term or it isn't fair to junior members. This happened at lots of Colleges this year, including King's and Jesus. Bemused by the suggestion that John's would have simply miscalculated the date - we're not complete amateurs.

[Petrushka]

Bemused by the suggestion that John's would have simply miscalculated the date - we're not complete amateurs.

Apologies for the suggestion. It seemed bizarre to me at the time but the query has now been satisfactorily answered.

[DracoM]

Apologies for the suggestion. It seemed bizarre to me at the time but the query has now been satisfactorily answered.

Sigh! I suppose we simply have to get used to the fact that special interest groups can re-order even liturgical schedules if it is inconvenient to do otherwise.
Petruschka, I assure you, you will not have been the only one caught in the toils of Oxbridge term dates.

[Nick Armstrong]

special interest groups

Slightly harsh! As far as I know, the college Advent services have always been for the college's respective members and other University members, who rather than being 'special interest groups' are the THE intended congregation. So it must always have been the case that the services should take place during term time.