Church Music Corner › 1st Sunday after Christmas 2025 [loc-002S]

Deus in loco sancto suo: Deus, qui inhabitáre facit unánimes in domo: ipse dabit virtútem et fortitúdinem plebi suæ.

Dum médium siléntium tenérent ómnia, et nox in suo cursu médium iter habéret, omnípotens sermo tuus, Dómine, de cælis a regálibus sédibus venit.

I got up early to attend the BCP service at St. John's, but was disappointed to see that the service was following the APBA and not the BCP. I think the BCP is only used after January. Furthermore, even by APBA standards the Eucharistic prayer was rushed and insufficiently reverent. Oh well, it is a lovely little church:

Then I walked to All Saints Ainslie, and volunteered at the last minute to cantor for this choirless Sunday mass. I sang an old favourite of mine a capella: The truth sent from above (famously used by Ralph Vaughan Williams in his Fantasia on Christmas Carols):

This is the truth sent from above,

The truth of God, the God of love,

Therefore don't turn me from your door

But hearken all, both rich and poor.

The first thing which I do relate

Is that God did Man create;

The next thing which to you I'll tell:

Woman was made with Man to dwell.

Then after this 'twas God's own choice

To place them both in Paradise,

There to remain from Evil free,

Except they ate of such a tree.

Thus we were heirs to endless woes

Till God the Lord did interpose,

And so a promise soon did run

That he would redeem us by his Son.

And at this season of the year,

Our blest Redeemer did appear.

Here he did live, and here did preach,

Any many thousands he did teach.

Thus he in Love to us behaved,

To show us how we must be saved,

And if you too want to know the way

Be pleased to hear what He did say.