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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Carol Services 2012
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venbede
Shipmate
# 16669
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Posted
I thought Cambridge was North of Watford?
Presumably many of the speakers will be students who would have learnt to speak before they came to Cambridge.
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Man was made for joy and woe;
And when this we rightly know,
Thro' the world we safely go.
Posts: 3201 | From: An historic market town nestling in the folds of Surrey's rolling North Downs, | Registered: Sep 2011
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ExclamationMark
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# 14715
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Posted
King's is usually held at 3 pm on Christmas Eve although it's not the only carol service they do like that (or wasn't - perhaps they've changed).
Certainly in the 1970's they used to hold the same service about a week before on a weekday morning. It was known then (I seem to remember, as the "Town" service. All the people leaving the 6th Form that year in all the local schools were invited - I sat near the hig altar in 1976 and heard the incomparable 1st lines of "Once ....."
It used to be a kind of rehearsal for the broadcast on 24th December.
As to the voices of the readers - well, you don't find much of the true (local) Cambridge accent these days. For the townspeople it's mostly morphed into estuary english, even the mayor or local "worthy" who reads in the College on Christmas Eve. Back in the 1970's you often got the true Cambridge accent even from the mayor - but then again, he was a former pupil of my old school "the High." The best place to hear here was is "Little Russia" - Romsey Town, down the end of Mill Road.
[ 15. December 2012, 08:02: Message edited by: ExclamationMark ]
Posts: 3845 | From: A new Jerusalem | Registered: Apr 2009
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Karl: Liberal Backslider
Shipmate
# 76
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by venbede:
I thought Cambridge was North of Watford?
But not north of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watford_Gap.
Though admittedly only by a little bit. You all know what I mean though.
Only a reet southern Jessie would think the North began at Watford. As eny fule no, the line starts at the Mersey and runs via the Etherow and the Sheaf, via the Meersbrook and the Shirebrook, and on ultimately to the Humber.
[ 15. December 2012, 09:21: Message edited by: Karl: Liberal Backslider ]
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Might as well ask the bloody cat.
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mdijon
Shipmate
# 8520
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
You all know what I mean though.
Indeed. Spiritually North of Watford (gap) if not physically.
(I'm sure I qualify as a right Southern Jessie).
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mdijon nojidm uoɿıqɯ ɯqıɿou
ɯqıɿou uoɿıqɯ nojidm mdijon
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Percy B
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# 17238
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Posted
Whatever the accents it is good Kings draws in a variety of readers, from the local and college community.
I am not so sure about the progression from child to dean, as at Kings.
But I do like carol services which have broad in put from the locality and are not just church member readers.
In this way they seem more community owned.
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Mary, a priest??
Posts: 582 | From: Nudrug | Registered: Jul 2012
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Bishops Finger
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# 5430
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Posted
True - and something perhaps we need to work on at our place, for next year!
Our Lessons & Carols yesterday was a bit of a damp squib. A rather sparse congregation (who all enjoyed it, nonetheless), and we were lacking a couple of families who usually volunteer to help with leading the singing - so we didn't exactly raise the roof. We also discovered, rather too late to change things, that a number of our Scouts would have been able to come along if the service had been next Sunday. We held it a week earlier than usual to avoid overcrowding next weekend, but it appears to have been a tactical error!
Do most people have their main Carol Service on Advent 4, no matter how close to Christmas Eve/Day this may be? ISTM that, around here at any rate, it is The Day For Carol Services That Our Lord And His Blessed Mother Decreed.....
Ian J.
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Our words are giants when they do us an injury, and dwarfs when they do us a service. (Wilkie Collins)
Posts: 10151 | From: Behind The Wheel Again! | Registered: Jan 2004
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seasick
...over the edge
# 48
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Posted
Here some were yesterday and others are next week. Myself, I'd rather stick to Advent IV whatever happens as I find Advent III a bit too much of an incursion into the Advent season. That said, for the one I officiated at yesterday evening we had pretty much a full church. It wasn't a straight nine lessons and carols but I'd set it up to include an Advent flavour as well before moving to more traditionally Christmas things.
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We believe there is, and always was, in every Christian Church, ... an outward priesthood, ordained by Jesus Christ, and an outward sacrifice offered therein. - John Wesley
Posts: 5769 | From: A world of my own | Registered: May 2001
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Baptist Trainfan
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# 15128
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Posted
I think that the problem lies with the calendar. When Christmas Day falls towards the end of the week, you can fairly safely schedule a Carol Service for Advent 4 knowing that the journeying people are unlikely to have started their travels. You may also gain from already-returned students.
On the other hand, when it falls on Monday or Tuesday, then many folk travel on the previous Saturday or Sunday making Advent 4 difficult. You may also lose much-needed musiicans/choristers.
Personally I would prefer to always have the Carol Servce on the Sunday before Cristmas - but one has to be practical. The problem, though, is that the "once a year" folk and visitors always want the service to be close to Christmas, and are totally unaware of the practical issues.
(P.S. In every church I've served in, we've lost people over Christmas. But there must be churches which pick up all these escapees - one hopes!)
We had our "main" service last night FWIW.
Posts: 9750 | From: The other side of the Severn | Registered: Sep 2009
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ArachnidinElmet
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# 17346
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Posted
A carol service in Christmas? Careful now. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Sadly by the time Christmas comes around too many people are sick of 'Christmas' including carols. I'd be interested to hear if anybody has managed to get a decent turnout for a later carol concert.
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'If a pleasant, straight-forward life is not possible then one must try to wriggle through by subtle manoeuvres' - Kafka
Posts: 1887 | From: the rhubarb triangle | Registered: Sep 2012
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Liturgylover
Shipmate
# 15711
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Bishops Finger:
True - and something perhaps we need to work on at our place, for next year!
Our Lessons & Carols yesterday was a bit of a damp squib. A rather sparse congregation (who all enjoyed it, nonetheless), and we were lacking a couple of families who usually volunteer to help with leading the singing - so we didn't exactly raise the roof. We also discovered, rather too late to change things, that a number of our Scouts would have been able to come along if the service had been next Sunday. We held it a week earlier than usual to avoid overcrowding next weekend, but it appears to have been a tactical error!
Do most people have their main Carol Service on Advent 4, no matter how close to Christmas Eve/Day this may be? ISTM that, around here at any rate, it is The Day For Carol Services That Our Lord And His Blessed Mother Decreed.....
Ian J.
Interesting question, for the last two years the carol services in my area have almost all been on Advent 4, but this year I would say almost half took place yesterday (though I was amazed to see in the local paper a few weeks ago that there were several schudeled for 9 December!).
I attended a most wonderful service of 9 lessons and carols at St Martin-in-the-Fields - 11 congregational carols, 8 choral pieces, and we all sang the Hallelujah Chorus with a practice before the service started. The church was packed and the atmosphere was fantastic.
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Belle Ringer
Shipmate
# 13379
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by ArachnidinElmet:
A carol service in Christmas? Careful now.
Sadly by the time Christmas comes around too many people are sick of 'Christmas' including carols. I'd be interested to hear if anybody has managed to get a decent turnout for a later carol concert.
I'm trying to round up people for an informal Messiah sing-along for the week after Christmas. I'm a tad worried about running into the "Christmas has ended" dynamic, resulting in yesses now that are no-shows after Christmas.
Some people have the Christmas tree out on the curb as trash by Christmas Day evening. (Trees still bearing light strings and tinsel, ornaments are so cheap these days they aren't worth the time to remove them.)
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Percy B
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# 17238
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Posted
Some places have very early carol services because they are in city centres, or in school / university areas and want the carol service before term ends.
I can understand that. I understand some Oxbridge carol services are sometimes even in November.
But then again we don't do this to Easter do we?
I guess carol services a often perceived and planned as a community event rather than a merely local church event, and because 'the world' is busy with Christmas 'do's' thru the first weeks of December then carol services get put in with that kind of approach.
I fear the church has lost on this one - at least for the foreseeable future. I can't see a desire Ito have carol services after Christmas, although was more common in my youth.
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Mary, a priest??
Posts: 582 | From: Nudrug | Registered: Jul 2012
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Belle Ringer
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# 13379
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Percy B:
Some places have very early carol services because they are in city centres, or in school / university areas and want the carol service before term ends... But then again we don't do this to Easter do we?
I fear the church has lost on this one - at least for the foreseeable future. I can't see a desire Ito have carol services after Christmas, although was more common in my youth.
One commonly expressed reason for setting the carol service early is so many people leave town for Christmas, including the singers!
I've discovered if I knock on a few doors in Advent and offer to join the choir for Christmas week, there are choirs who definitely want some "ringers." The one I'll sing with this Christmas said he isn't sure if he'll have any sopranos Christmas Eve! (I'm to learn both parts so I can sing whichever is needed. It's easy music.)
And yes, Christmas used to continue for several days, almost to New Years.
Posts: 5830 | From: Texas | Registered: Jan 2008
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Pearl B4 Swine
Ship's Oyster-Shucker
# 11451
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Posted
At my place, we did ADVENT Lessons & Carols on Dec. 9, 4 PM. Twas very nice, and well attended despite the lousy foggy drizzly cold weather. The music items were about 50/50 Choir/congo. The Rector should have edited the Bidding Prayer, however- Nativity references were out of place.
And then, we will do CHRISTMAS Lessons & Carols for the Sunday After, in place of the normal Eucharist service. All carols from the '82 Hymnal, as far as I know. Father D loves the L & C format. Choir will do some re-runs, as they have Thurs. night off, for Good Behavior.
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"I do a good job and I know how to do this stuff" D. Trump (speaking of the POTUS job)
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shamwari
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# 15556
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Posted
We did a "different" Advent service on Advent Sunday with a script entitled "Ways to Bethlehem Today"
Went down well.
Bit late now but if anyone wants a sight of it PM me.
Posts: 1914 | From: from the abyss of misunderstanding | Registered: Mar 2010
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Percy B
Shipmate
# 17238
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Posted
Yes Advent Carol services can be beautiful, and a good way into Advent.
What about Epiphany? Anyone have carol service then? Many of the Christmas carols would work well at Epiphany.
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Mary, a priest??
Posts: 582 | From: Nudrug | Registered: Jul 2012
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Carys
Ship's Celticist
# 78
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Posted
I'm generally of the opinion Advent 3 carol services are only permissible when Advent 4 is Christmas Eve, though I've now decided it would have been a good plan when Advent 4 is 2 days before Christmas and you've got the BBC coming for Christmas day. Sunday is going to be fun.
Carys
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O Lord, you have searched me and know me
You know when I sit and when I rise
Posts: 6896 | From: Bryste mwy na thebyg | Registered: May 2001
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Liturgylover
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# 15711
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Percy B:
Yes Advent Carol services can be beautiful, and a good way into Advent.
What about Epiphany? Anyone have carol service then? Many of the Christmas carols would work well at Epiphany.
Yes, they seem to have grown in popularity and many many churches now have an Epiphany Carol service on the Sunday evening. There are actually enough Epiphany hymns and anthems to make a beautiful service without needing to draw on any of the specific Christmas hymns.
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Jante
Shipmate
# 9163
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Posted
quote:
It's a pity people no longer have carol services DURING Christmas,i.e. between Dec 27th and Jan 5th.
I work with 10 churches so most are having their Carol services during this week and on Sunday- did my first last night. However we are having a Team Carol service on the 30th in the main church having had an Advent carol service there on Advent 1. Certainly round here the carol service is still a big thing - though possibly outdone for numbers by the Christmas Eve Crib services - there will 6 of those on Christmas Eve across our 10 churches.
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My blog http://vicarfactorycalling.blogspot.com/
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Chorister
Completely Frocked
# 473
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Posted
Speaking as a chorister, I'll be shattered once Christmas Day is over, so shall be looking forward to a few days off. Please don't give anyone ideas about asking us to sing more Carol services! ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
What my church does instead is advertise the Daily Eucharists in the week after Christmas as lovely quiet times for people to spend in church after all the mayhem. Sounds like a good idea to me!
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Retired, sitting back and watching others for a change.
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mettabhavana
Apprentice
# 16217
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Posted
quote:
I think eyebrows would rise at "In th' beginnin' were th'Word, an' th'Word were wi' God, and th'Word were God."
I think that would be rather fine - especially with "While shepherds watched" to the tune of "On Ilkley Moor"
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And are we yet alive?
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Traveller
Shipmate
# 1943
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by ArachnidinElmet:
A carol service in Christmas? Careful now.
Sadly by the time Christmas comes around too many people are sick of 'Christmas' including carols. I'd be interested to hear if anybody has managed to get a decent turnout for a later carol concert.
I'm doubly in danger of sounding like a Grumpy Old Man, here.
When I were a lad, many years ago, the church carol service was always the Sunday after Christmas, and one did not sing carols before Christmas Eve. However, the shops and general "mejia" have been playing carols for months, so the arguments about Christmas beginning on Christmas Eve are largely lost on most people these days, particularly those outside the regular churchgoers.
One would hope that churches would hold carol services, not concerts to celebrate the season, however the general public tend to view them?
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I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live:
I will praise my God while I have my being.
Psalm 104 v.33
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Pine Marten
Shipmate
# 11068
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Liturgylover:
quote:
Originally posted by Percy B:
Yes Advent Carol services can be beautiful, and a good way into Advent.
What about Epiphany? Anyone have carol service then? Many of the Christmas carols would work well at Epiphany.
Yes, they seem to have grown in popularity and many many churches now have an Epiphany Carol service on the Sunday evening. There are actually enough Epiphany hymns and anthems to make a beautiful service without needing to draw on any of the specific Christmas hymns.
Yes, indeed, this is what we do. We don't have a carol service before Christmas but we always mark Epiphany with an evening service and party afterwards. Three members of the congo are recruited to be Wise Men, and carry the figures in procession to the Crib, which is in a picture window so can be seen from outside.
Fortunately in 2013 Epiphany is on 6th January .
[ 20. December 2012, 19:10: Message edited by: Pine Marten ]
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Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. - Oscar Wilde
Posts: 1731 | From: Isle of Albion | Registered: Feb 2006
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ArachnidinElmet
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# 17346
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Traveller:
However, the shops and general "mejia" have been playing carols for months, so the arguments about Christmas beginning on Christmas Eve are largely lost on most people these days, particularly those outside the regular churchgoers.
One would hope that churches would hold carol services, not concerts to celebrate the season, however the general public tend to view them?
Fair point. Ours is definitely a service: you can't have a choral concert with a choir of 2 people. I believe some churches have both.
I think Advent as a concept has pretty much disappeared from the general non-churchgoing conscience. It's a barbie-themed chocolate calendar rather than preparation for Christmas. I may have whinged on to friends about this at some point. Every Year. ![[Hot and Hormonal]](icon_redface.gif)
quote:
Originally posted by mettabhavana
especially with "While shepherds watched" to the tune of "On Ilkley Moor"
It's a classic, although we've never been brave enough to play it. If you haven't heard it, the Kate Rusby version is a cracker.
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'If a pleasant, straight-forward life is not possible then one must try to wriggle through by subtle manoeuvres' - Kafka
Posts: 1887 | From: the rhubarb triangle | Registered: Sep 2012
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venbede
Shipmate
# 16669
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Traveller:
When I were a lad, many years ago, the church carol service was always the Sunday after Christmas, and one did not sing carols before Christmas Eve.
When I was a lad (and I'm no spring chicken)the church carol service was the Sunday before Christmas, and school carol services and Nativity plays were before the end of term.
What pine marten describes is a lovely service - however it is a proper mass and procession with clouds and clouds of incense. Just a normal act of Christian worship. The procession is by candlelight.
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Man was made for joy and woe;
And when this we rightly know,
Thro' the world we safely go.
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Sergius-Melli
Shipmate
# 17462
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Chorister:
Speaking as a chorister, I'll be shattered once Christmas Day is over, so shall be looking forward to a few days off. Please don't give anyone ideas about asking us to sing more Carol services!
What my church does instead is advertise the Daily Eucharists in the week after Christmas as lovely quiet times for people to spend in church after all the mayhem. Sounds like a good idea to me!
Lucky you getting a few days off...
I say to you (in jest incase someone gets the wrong impression!) think of all those poor clergy and sacristans that then have St. Stephen, St. John and the Holy Innocents to deal with, before even dealing with Epiphany and planning for Ash Wednesday and Lent which really are not that far off...
Posts: 722 | From: Sneaking across Welsh hill and dale with a thurible in hand | Registered: Dec 2012
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Pine Marten
Shipmate
# 11068
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by venbede:
What pine marten describes is a lovely service - however it is a proper mass and procession with clouds and clouds of incense. Just a normal act of Christian worship. The procession is by candlelight.
Yes, venbede is right - it is indeed lovely, and there are plenty of Epiphany hymns and carols.
quote:
Originally posted by mettabhavana
especially with "While shepherds watched" to the tune of "On Ilkley Moor"
I love singing this* - we did so a couple of weeks ago at our Richard III Society carol service in Fotheringhay. It's one of the highlights of the service for me, as is singing Adeste Fideles in Latin! Ah...
*I am going to try and get our organist to play it thus one day instead of the usual dreary tune.
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Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. - Oscar Wilde
Posts: 1731 | From: Isle of Albion | Registered: Feb 2006
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Belle Ringer
Shipmate
# 13379
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Traveller:
When I were a lad, many years ago, the church carol service was always the Sunday after Christmas, and one did not sing carols before Christmas Eve. However, the shops and general "mejia" have been playing carols for months, so the arguments about Christmas beginning on Christmas Eve are largely lost on most people these days
You are reminding me, when I was a little lass Santa brought the Christmas tree and put it up on Christmas Eve, along with the stockings, when the kiddies slept. (Funny how tired the parents were Christmas Day.) You are correct, the whole culture has shifted Christmas from starting on Christmas Day, with preparatory work before then (decorating, baking, gift wrapping), to pretty much ending on Christmas Day.
Christmas was also a much smaller holiday. Now it's gotten so huge (and so secular) it swamps Easter.
One church I hang out at has nothing Christmas until Christmas Eve, and most years a caroling event (just carols, not lessons and carols) between the 9 PM and 11 PM services.
Another has one Christmas carol per Sunday in Advent, plus sets the doxology to one of the Christmas carol tunes; Christmas Eve is lessons & carols with holy communion, ending with ye old everyone holds a candle, lights are dimmed but not out Silent Night.
Posts: 5830 | From: Texas | Registered: Jan 2008
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Barefoot Friar
Ship's Shoeless Brother
# 13100
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Posted
I'm not doing a lessons and carols service this year. The "choir" has some badly written, contemporary "cantata" that they wanted to do. I agreed, but got them to agree to do it on the Sunday during Christmas (i.e., the 30th) instead of during Advent. I am going to let the congregation sing several carols during that service as a reward for sitting through the "contata" and for not singing Christmas songs during Advent.
Our Christmas Eve service is vespers with Holy Communion. We'll do an entrance of the light, complete with candles for everyone. They'll go out at the end of the hymn. I wanted to keep them lit a bit longer, but dripping wax becomes a problem, and the next thing on the agenda is a responsive reading, and juggling fire and a hymnal is a good way to have a disaster. Still, the effect will be the same. I thought about doing the candlelight thing after the Communion, but I couldn't think of a good transition. I decided that lighting the Christ candle in the Advent wreath was about as good an opportunity as one could find. Anyway, we'll sing three or four carols at that service, along with the Isaiah 9 and Luke 2 readings and I'll chant the Nunc Dimittis.
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Do your little bit of good where you are; its those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world. -- Desmond Tutu
Posts: 1621 | From: Warrior Mountains | Registered: Oct 2007
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Carys
Ship's Celticist
# 78
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by leo:
quote:
Originally posted by ArachnidinElmet:
Sadly by the time Christmas comes around too many people are sick of 'Christmas' including carols.
But I'm not. I won't have sung any carols until 11.30pm on Xmas Eve.
I would love to be able to say that, but have lost track of how many carol services I've attended already (and I've missed 3 that have fallen on days off). We have a lot of outside organisations that do their carol services in Advent., though we haven't had carols at the Sunday Eucharist yet I suspect that part of the problem is that many people now go to visit relatives over or just after Christmas so the Sunday after Christmas is very low in attendance which makes having carol services then a real problem, but I would expect the hymns on that day still to be carols (though hopefully outside the standard 5)*
Carys
*O come All ye Faithful
Hark the Herald
Once in Royal
O Little Town
While Shepherds Watched
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O Lord, you have searched me and know me
You know when I sit and when I rise
Posts: 6896 | From: Bryste mwy na thebyg | Registered: May 2001
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Bishops Finger
Shipmate
# 5430
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Posted
For Christmas 1, we are having the following hymns:
Hark, the herald angels
See him lying on a bed of straw (the Calypso Carol)
Jesus, good above all other
O sing a song of Bethlehem (to the tune Kingsfold, a lovely trad English melody adapted by RVW)
Not carols, exactly, but of the season....
Ian J.
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Our words are giants when they do us an injury, and dwarfs when they do us a service. (Wilkie Collins)
Posts: 10151 | From: Behind The Wheel Again! | Registered: Jan 2004
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Percy B
Shipmate
# 17238
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Posted
With his simple three words
quote:
Not carols exactly
BF raises a question in my mind. What is a carol? Well I have usually associated it with a lighter style than many hymns. But then O Come all ye faithful, and Hark the Herald appear in carol services, and collections of Carols.
Then there are Advent carols, and Epiphany ones (I think).
The Oxford Dictionary - shorter version- defines a Carol as
'A religious folk song or popular hymn, particularly one associated with Christmas'
Fair enough. Presumably the are also 'religious folk songs' associated with other liturgical seasons as well ...
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Mary, a priest??
Posts: 582 | From: Nudrug | Registered: Jul 2012
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Motr
Apprentice
# 8994
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Posted
I too avoid singing anything Christmassy until the Midnight Eucharist on Christmas Eve. Fortunately, Pinner Parish Church, which is fairly close to me, always has their carol service on the Sunday after Christmas and it is really great to sing carols when it really is Christmas, rather than sometime during Advent. The church is normally packed for it as well.
http://www.pinnerparishchurch.org.uk/
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Baptist Trainfan
Shipmate
# 15128
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Percy B:
What is a carol? Well I have usually associated it with a lighter style than many hymns.
I think I'm right in saying that a carol ought to include dance-like elements - notably absent from "Hark the herald" and "O come all ye faithful".
You could try, I suppose ...
Posts: 9750 | From: The other side of the Severn | Registered: Sep 2009
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Liturgylover
Shipmate
# 15711
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Motr:
I too avoid singing anything Christmassy until the Midnight Eucharist on Christmas Eve. Fortunately, Pinner Parish Church, which is fairly close to me, always has their carol service on the Sunday after Christmas and it is really great to sing carols when it really is Christmas, rather than sometime during Advent. The church is normally packed for it as well.
http://www.pinnerparishchurch.org.uk/
Excellent. I am glad to see some places maintain this tradtion. I wiill try and come along.
I notice that the Cookham's parish have their carol service on the evening of Christmas Day which I also think is a nice touch.
http://www.holytrinitycookham.org.uk/welcome.htm
Posts: 452 | From: North London | Registered: Jun 2010
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Percy B
Shipmate
# 17238
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Posted
The trouble with Christmas Day carol services, and indeed with Christmas Day worship, in some places is the total lack of public transport.
In some churches quite a few worshippers use buses to attend.
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Mary, a priest??
Posts: 582 | From: Nudrug | Registered: Jul 2012
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Freddy
Shipmate
# 365
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Posted
The Cambridge one is on right now. It is SO beautiful! ![[Tear]](graemlins/tear.gif)
Three of my parishoners are dying at the moment (one just died,and the other two are expected later today) and it is very comforting to be riding around to see them and hearing this divine service.
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"Consequently nothing is of greater importance to a person than knowing what the truth is." Swedenborg
Posts: 12845 | From: Bryn Athyn | Registered: Jun 2001
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Baptist Trainfan
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# 15128
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Percy B:
The trouble with Christmas Day carol services, and indeed with Christmas Day worship, in some places is the total lack of public transport.
Or draconian yellow line restrictios and exorbitant 24/7 car parking charges. One of my members actually came out of church a couple of years ago and found that her ar had ben ticketed. She had assumed that charges would not apply. It did rather spoil her Christmas.
Posts: 9750 | From: The other side of the Severn | Registered: Sep 2009
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Percy B
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Posted
I'm sure it did. I didn't realise the traffic officers worked on Christmas Day.
The point about radio carol services is a good one. They can be so soothing, and indeed sometimes pastorally helpful and comforting for the housebound too.
The format song /hymn/reading is easy to drift in and out of at home, if you get my meaning.
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Mary, a priest??
Posts: 582 | From: Nudrug | Registered: Jul 2012
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Nenya
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Posted
I made a point of listening to the whole of Carols from Kings on the radio on Christmas Eve, partly in tribute to my mum who died this year and always maintained that "Christmas starts with the first three notes of Once In Royal at 3pm."
I have to say that for myself Christmas starts long before then (I love it - she didn't) and the time for carol singing is over long before I'm ready for it to be. We also found ourselves watching Carols from Kings at 6.15pm on the TV on Christmas Eve and I much preferred that selection so that may be our tradition from now on. It also provides the opportunity to admire the beautiful chapel and handsome young choristers. ![[Biased]](wink.gif)
Nen - appreciating the beauty of life. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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They told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn.
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Chorister
Completely Frocked
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I'm amazed anyone can get their choristers to turn up for a 6pm Carol service on Christmas Day itself!
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Retired, sitting back and watching others for a change.
Posts: 34626 | From: Cream Tealand | Registered: Jun 2001
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Zacchaeus
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# 14454
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Posted
I'm amazed if anybody turned up to a carol service on Christmas evening..
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bib
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# 13074
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Posted
I used to really look forward to watching the 9 Lessons and Carols from Kings on Christmas Eve in Australia, but sadly this has disappeared from our tv screens over the past couple of years. Enquiries reveal that King's College want too much money to release it for playing in Australia on the ABC which I find very disappointing. We did our own version of the service at my church during Advent in the middle of the afternoon which was dubbed 'carols and cake' as we put on an afternoon tea mainly for the many nursing home residents who attended.
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"My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End, accept the praise I bring"
Posts: 1307 | From: Australia | Registered: Oct 2007
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Freddy
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# 365
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Christmas does fade rapidly after about 3 pm. A Christmas night Christmas event would be anti-climactic.
Our Christmas morning service was bolstered by the surprise addition of Matthew Rose a bass singing from Handel's Messiah, which he recently sang with the Choir of Kings College. What a great Christmas gift for everyone!
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"Consequently nothing is of greater importance to a person than knowing what the truth is." Swedenborg
Posts: 12845 | From: Bryn Athyn | Registered: Jun 2001
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Saviour Tortoise
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# 4660
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Posted
We do an Advent Carol Service and a Christmas Carol Service. This year we moved the Advent Carols from Advent 1 to Advent 2, as we decided that there was a limited constituency and it didn't make sense to complete with the local Abbey and Cathedral. I think we take a liturgical defensible position on the Christmas Carol Service timing, tinged with a hint of practicality. That is, we have it on the evening of Advent 4, unless that's Christmas Eve, in which case it gets moved back a week. I don't really like doing that, but I also think practical reality has to have some sort of bearing on these things.
Both services aim for an engaging (we hope!) mix of readings, liturgical material, choral and congregational music. The Christmas Carols format would feel familiar to anyone used to Kings, but with fewer biblical readings (usually 7) and additional poems and other pose. We've also started putting the prayers throughout the service rather than in a big intercessory chunk at the end. (Which I like.)
Whilst I have a lot of sympathy with the "no carols before it's actually Christmas" viewpoint, I think we do have to take account of the secular world. Christmas is a big opportunity for outreach, and secular society thinks Christmas starts at the beginning of December. If we wait until after Christmas to start engaging with them, will miss a big opportunity, I think.
(Edited for typos as usual.)
[ 26. December 2012, 18:37: Message edited by: Saviour Tortoise ]
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Baptised not Lobotomised
Posts: 745 | From: Bath, UK | Registered: Jun 2003
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Olaf
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# 11804
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Posted
Charging for parking is fairly common around here, but on Sundays and holidays one almost never pays for street parking. The Christmas Day ticket mentioned above was simply cruel.
Emendator, a lot of churches around here have arrangements for free street parking on Sundays and holidays in places where parking is still by fee. Sometimes one must obtain a parking pass from an usher and display it in the car. Perhaps there is a possibility of a limited number of these being allowed. From a public relations standpoint, it would make the city seem a bit less grinchy.
[ 26. December 2012, 21:48: Message edited by: Olaf ]
Posts: 8953 | From: Ad Midwestem | Registered: Sep 2006
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Belle Ringer
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# 13379
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Posted
Both churches I went to Christmas Eve had the usual Holy Communion service, usual number of hymns plus one, the extra song was "Silent Night" with the congregation all holding lit candles. (One church had glow sticks for the little kids, nice touch to let them participate without worry.)
One had a Christmas Carols sing-along (led by the Children's choir) between the end of the 7:30 and the start of the 11 o'clock PM services, billed as 10 to 10:30 but continued longer. Just singing, not a service, no lessons.
The other used to do a service of Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve, to which lots of outsiders looking for a service of lessons and carols used to come. I don't know if that was changed to a regular Holy Communion service this year because the pastor plans on Christmas Eve always being a regular Holy Communion, or if it's just for this year because Sunday, being a 5th Sunday which is always a casual sing-along informal service, is an ideal time to "sing all the carols we know, along with lessons."
Anyway, at least one church in town is doing Lessons and Carols the Sunday after Christmas this year.
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Vulpior
Foxier than Thou
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Posted
Good to see you, Saviour Tortoise. I think doing the carol service on the evening of Advent 4 works well, and your reasoning is sound. It's a long standing fixed date where you are, as I recall, and after 13 years there it felt fully meet and right.
As long as you keep the Christmas carols out of the Sunday morning services, I think you're on solid ground.
My new shack did nine lessons and carols on the Saturday preceding Advent 4. I'm guessing that's also a long standing tradition. Unfortunately, with the distance between home and church I didn't make either that or the Advent carols this year.
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I've started blogging. I don't promise you'll find anything to interest you at uncleconrad
Posts: 946 | From: Mount Fairy, NSW | Registered: Jun 2007
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