Candlemas
A VIGIL SERVICEFor the Eve of
CANDLEMAS
THE SERVICE OF LIGHT
The church is in darkness. The choir enters from the east end.
Choir: All in the morning
It was on Christmas Day,
And all in the morning,
Our Saviour was born,
And our heavenly King:
And was not this a joyful thing?
And sweet Jesus they called him by name.
It was on New Year's Day,
And all in the morning,
They named Him our Saviour
And our heavenly King:
Refrain
It was on the Twelfth Day,
And all in the morning,
The Wise Men were led
To our heavenly King:
Refrain
It was on Twentieth Day,
And all in the morning,
The Wise Men returned
From our heavenly King:
Refrain
It was on Candlemas Day,
And all in the morning,
They visited the Temple
With our heavenly King:
Refrain
Words: Anonymous English
Music: arr. Vaughan Williams
Priest:
Dear friends: forty days ago we celebrated the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now we recall the day on which he was presented in the Temple, when he was offered to the Father, and shown to his people.
As a sign of his coming among us, his mother was purified, as we now come to him for cleansing. In their old age Simeon and Anna recognised him as their Lord, as we to-day sing of his glory.
We celebrate the joy of his coming and his searching judgement, looking back to the day of his birth and forward to the coming days of his passion.
Hymn: Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven and nature sing.
Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns!
Let all their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness
And wonders of his love,
And wonders of his love,
And wonders, wonders of his love.
Words: Isaac Watts Tune: Antioch
Please remain standing
Priest: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
All: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Priest: The Lord is the strength of my life.
All: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Priest: Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
All: The Lord is my light and my salvation.
A minister brings in a lighted candle, and says:
Priest: Jesus Christ is the light of the world,
All: A light no darkness can quench.
While the candles are being lit and the light is shared,
the Choir sings:
O Nata Lux
O nata lux de lumine,
Jesu redemptor saeculi,
Dignare Clemens supplicum
Laudes preces que sumere.
Qui carnequondam contegi
Dignatus es pro perditis.
Nos membra confer effici,
Tui beati corporis.
O Light of light, by love inclined,
Jesu, redeemer of mankind,
With loving-kindness deign to hear
From suppliant voices praise and prayer
Thou who to raise our souls from hell
Didst deign in fleshly form to dwell,
Vouchsafe us, when our race is run,
In thy fair Body to be one.
Words: Cantiones quae ab argumento sacra vocantur, 1575
Music: Thomas Tallis
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: He is worthy of all thanksgiving and praise.
Responsorial Psalm
Priest: I call to you, O Lord; come to me quickly:
Hear my voice when I cry to you.
All: Let my prayer rise before you as incense:
The lifting up of my hands is the evening sacrifice.
Priest: Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord:
keep watch over the door of my lips.
Let not my heart be turned towards evil:
to busy myself with those who do wickedly.
All: Let my prayer rise before you as incense.
Priest: To you, Lord God, I turn my eyes:
All: I take refuge in you; do not leave me defenceless.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and shall be for ever. Amen.
All: Let my prayer rise before you as incense.
Choir: Lord we are blind (AMNS 399)
Lord, we are blind; the world of sight
Is as a shadow in the dark.
Yet we have eyes; Lord, give us light
That we may see.
Lord, we are blind; the world around
Confuses us, although we see.
In Christ the pattern is refound;
He sets us free.
Lord, we are blind; our sight, our life
By our own efforts cannot be.
Breathe on our clay and touch our eyes;
We would serve thee.
Words: David Edge
Music: Cyril Taylor
Priest: Eternal Light,
All: shine into our hearts;
Priest: Eternal Goodness,
All: deliver us from evil;
Priest: Eternal Power,
All: be our support;
Priest: Eternal Wisdom,
All: scatter the darkness of our ignorance;
Priest: Eternal Pity,
All: have mercy on us;
Priest: That with all our heart and mind and strength
All: We may seek your face and be brought
by your infinite mercy to your holy presence;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The candles are extinguished
Please be seated
THE SERVICE OF THE WORD
Reading: Exodus 12.51; 13.1-2, 11-16
Consecrate to me all the firstborn.
Hymn: Fairest Lord Jesus,
Lord of all creation,
Jesus, of God and Mary the son;
you will I cherish,
you will I honour,
you are my soul’s delight and crown.
Fair are the meadows,
fairer still the woodlands,
robed in the verdure and bloom of spring.
Jesus is fairer,
Jesus is purer,
he makes the saddest heart to sing.
Fair are the flowers
fairer still the children,
in all the freshness of youth arrayed;
yet is their beauty
fading and fleeting;
Lord Jesus, yours will never fade.
Fair is the moonlight,
fairer still the sunshine,
fair is the shimmering starry sky:
Jesus shines brighter,
Jesus shines clearer
than all the heavenly host on high.
All fairest beauty
heavenly and earthly,
wondrously, Jesus, in you is found;
none can be nearer,
fairer or dearer
than you, my Saviour, to me bound.
Words: Anon. Tune: Silesian Folk Song
Reading: Isaiah 6. 1-8
I saw the Lord, and his train filled the temple.
Hymn: 125 O for a thousand tongues to sing
Reading: Hebrews 10. 1-10
We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ.
Hymn: 233 O thou who camest from above
Remain standing
Priest: We proclaim not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord,
All: and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
Priest: For the God who said 'Let light shine out of darkness'
All: has caused His light to shine within us
Priest: to give the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God
All: in the face of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel
Choir: Alleluia.
Sweet to the heart is the Name of Jesus Christ:
music to the ear;
honey to the taste;
which turns the heart to joy and praise;
and puts to flight the despite of the world.
Alleluia.
- From The English Gradual (The Holy Name)
Priest: Hear the words of the Gospel according to Luke.
All (said): Glory to Christ our Saviour.
The Gospel Reading Luke 2.22-40
The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
Priest: This is the Gospel of Christ.
All (said): Praise to Christ our Lord.
The Address
Choir: A Song of Light
Light of the world, in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise,
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, Lamp of our days.
Words: Phos Hilaron Music: Simon Lole
Priest: By the mystery of the Word made flesh
All: Good Lord, deliver us.
Priest: By the birth in time of the timeless Son of God
All: Good Lord, deliver us.
Priest: By the baptism of the Son of God in the river Jordan
All: Good Lord, deliver us.
Priest: For the Kingdoms of this world,
that they may become the Kingdom of our Lord and Christ,
All: We pray to you, O Lord.
Priest: For your holy, catholic and apostolic Church,
that it may be one,
All: We pray to you, O Lord.
Priest: For the witness of your faithful people,
that they may be lights in the world,
All: We pray to you, O Lord.
Priest: For the poor, the persecuted, the sick, and all who suffer,
that they may be relieved and protected,
All: We pray to you, O Lord.
Priest: For the aged, for refugees and all in danger,
that they may be strengthened and defended,
All: We pray to you, O Lord.
Priest: For those who walk in darkness and in the shadow of death, that they may come to your eternal light,
All: We pray to you, O Lord.
Priest: Father, source of light and life,
grant the prayers of your faithful people,
and fill the world with your glory,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Choir: When to the Temple Mary went
When to the temple Mary went,
And brought the Holy Child,
Him did the aged Simeon see,
As it had been reveal’d.
He took up Jesus in his arms
And, blessing God, he said;
‘In peace I now depart,
My Saviour having seen,
The Hope of Israel,
The Light of men’.
As once the faithful Simeon was,
Rejoicing but in Thee;
And when we must
From earth departure take
May gently fall asleep
And with thee awake.
Music Eccard
Words from the German tr. by Rev J Troutbeck
The Song of Simeon
Please stand
GJ
The Choir will sing the first Response. You are invited to join in the remainder.
Response: A light to lighten the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.
Priest: Now, Lord, you let your servant go in peace:
your word has been fulfilled.
Response: A light to lighten the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.
Priest: My own eyes have seen the salvation:
which you have prepared in the sight of every people.
Response: A light to lighten the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.
Priest: A light to reveal you to the nations:
And the glory of your people Israel.
All: Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and shall be for ever. Amen.
The Lords Prayer
The Collect
Almighty Father,
whose Son Jesus Christ was presented in the Temple
and acclaimed the glory of Israel
and the light of the nations:
grant that in him we may be presented to you
and in the world we may reflect his glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn:
Make me a light to lighten the world,
Make me a star to lighten the darkness,
Make me so bright with your living word,
That I may shine with your love.
I hold a candle in my hands,
Light which I hold and which I hold true,
Light of the world shine out in the dark,
Make it always remind me of You.
I hold a mirror in my hands,
There’s what I am and what I may do,
Shines back to me in your glorious light,
Make me a worthy reflection of You.
I hold a seed within my hands,
Lend me your help to make it grow
Into the sweetest scented flower
That I may lovelier flowers sow.
- Philip Wilby
THE BLESSING AND DISMISSAL
As you leave the service, you may like to light a candle
and take it with you.