Nine Lessons and Carols - theHumm December 2018

By Hilary Barrett

You are invited the annual Nine Lessons and Carols service at St. James the Apostle Anglican Church in Perth on Sunday, December 16 at 7:30pm. The joint choirs of St. Paul’s and St. James, directed by Brad Mills and Peter Woodwark, will lead the singing. Guests this year are the St. Paul’s Handbell Choir, directed by Ann McMahon, who will be playing the bells before the service, including Carol of the Bells, Angels We Have Heard on High and The Holly and the Ivy. So come early — you can also get a good seat at our most popular service of the year!

Where did the idea of this service originate? In 1880, the Bishop of Truro in Cornwall, England, created a Christmas Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols based on ancient sources, for use in the wooden building that served as his cathedral. This service, with some adaptation, is still used in Anglican churches and cathedrals around the world, most notably at Kings College in Cambridge, England.

Our service starts with a haunting solo of the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City before the choirs come down the aisle with everyone joining in the other verses. The Reverend Kenneth Davis then bids the congregation to “hear the message of the angels and, in heart and mind to go unto Bethlehem and see the babe lying in a manger,” and “to pray to God for the needs of the whole world and all his people; and for peace upon the earth”.

The Christmas story is told in nine Scripture readings including Adam’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden, the faith shown by Abraham, and the Prophet Isaiah foretelling the coming of the Saviour. The story continues with the Gospel accounts of the angel Gabriel breaking the news to Mary and Joseph, the birth of Jesus and visits by the shepherds and wise men. In the final reading, St. John unfolds the mystery of the Incarnation — of God becoming a human being.

The music draws from a wide repertoire. A Little Child is Born has 15th century words in a 20th century arrangement by Malcom Archer, and a modern arrangement of Lo, How a Rose e’er Blooming by David Blackwell combines 16th and 19th century words with a 14th century melody. New this year is Pete Churchill’s thrilling arrangement of the Sans Day Carol, which has a gentle South African feel and features “scat” singing and chromatic shifts in harmony. The traditional Cornish melody is set against a jazz-waltz rhythm, giving a contemporary twist to this Christmas classic. As well, the choirs will sing Silent Night with the Handbell Choir. Let All the Angels of God Worship Him from Handel’s Messiah will be a preview of the joint choirs’ upcoming Spring Concert on Sunday, April 28, 2019 at 7:30pm at St. Paul’s. The Handbell Choir will also play The Huron Carol.

The congregation will have plenty of opportunity to sing their Christmas favourites, including It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, O Come all ye Faithful, Away in a Manger and Joy to the World, set to modern but not unfamiliar arrangements.

St. James’ Church is located on the corner of Drummond and Harvey Streets in Perth. Travelling west on Highway 7, turn left at the first traffic light as you enter Perth. For more information, visit stjamesperth.ca , contact the church office at 267–1163 or email stjamesperth@gmail.com .

Happy Local Holidays! - theHumm December 2018

By Kris and Rob Riendeau

Here at theHumm we’re big on local economies. The retail and service businesses in the small towns that we cover play a huge role in the cultural life of those towns. Each store, restaurant, or s......

Nine Lessons and Carols - theHumm December 2018