John Rutter

John Rutter (b.1945)

Jesus child

Have you heard the story that they're telling 'bout Bethlehem,
Have you heard the story of the Jesus child?
How he came from heaven and was born in a manger bed?
Mary was his virgin mother pure and mild.

Sing alleluia, brothers, sing alleluja, sisters,
Worship the Jesus child and praise his mother mild.
'Glory to God' the angel hosts are singing:
Listen to the story of the Jesus child.

Jesus child, lying at Bethlehem,
Sleeping safe at Mary's knee,
Save my soul and bring me to paradise,
Let me join the angles singing glory to thee.

Sing alleluia, brothers, sing allelula, sisters,
Worship the Jesus child and praise his mother mild.
'Glory to God' the angel hosts are singing:
Listen to the story of the Jesus child.

Have you hard the story of the kings from the orient,
Following the star that's shining over his head?
Offering their precious gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense,
Kneeling with the ox and ass before his bed?

Sing alleluia, brothers, sing allelula, sisters,
Worship the Jesus child and praise his mother mild.
'Glory to God' the angel hosts are singing:
Listen to the story of the Jesus child.

Brothers, let us celebrate the birth of the Jesus child,
Sisters, come and welcome him, the new-born King;
Praise the Lord who sent him down form heaven at Christmas time;
Young and old and rich and poor, his praises sing.

Sing alleluia, brothers, sing allelula, sisters,
Worship the Jesus child and praise his mother mild.
'Glory to God' the angel hosts are singing:
Listen to the story of the Jesus child.

John Rutter

Open thou mine eyes

Open thou mine eyes and I shall see,
Incline my heart and I shall desire,
Order my steps and I shall walk
In the ways of thy commandments.

Open thou mine eyes and I shall see,
Incline my heart and I shall desire,
Order my steps and I shall walk
In the ways of thy commandments.

O Lord God, be thou to me a God
And beside thee let there be none else,
No other, nought else with thee.
Vouchsafe to me to worship thee
and serve thee
According to thy commandments
In truth of spirit,
In reverence of body,
In blessing of lips,
In private and in public.

Lancelot Andrewes (1555-1626)

Sans day carol

Now the holly bears a berry as white as the milk, 
And Mary bore Jesus, who was wrapped up in silk: 
And Mary bore Jesus Christ our Saviour for to be, 
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly!

Now the holly bears a berry as green as the grass, 
And Mary bore Jesus, who died on the cross:
And Mary bore Jesus Christ our Saviour for to be, 
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly!

Now the holly bears a berry as black as the coal, 
And Mary bore Jesus, who died for us all:
And Mary bore Jesus Christ our Saviour for to be, 
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly!

Now the holly bears a berry as blood it is red, 
Then trust we our Saviour, who rose from the dead: 
And Mary bore Jesus Christ our Saviour for to be, 
And the first tree in the greenwood, it was the holly!

The Lord bless you and keep you

The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you and give you peace
Amen

Numbers 6:24-26

What sweeter music

What sweeter music can we bring 
Than a carol, for to sing 
The birth of this our heavenly King? 
Awake the voice! Awake the string! 

Dark and dull night, fly hence away, 
And give the honour to this day 
That sees December turned to May. 

Why does the chilling winter's morn 
Smile, like a field beset with corn? 
Or smell like a meadow newly shorn 
Thus on the sudden? Come and see 
The cause, why things thus fragrant be: 

'Tis he is born. whose quickening birth 
Gives life and lustre, public mirth, 
To heaven and the under-earth. 

We see him come, and know him ours, 
Who, with his sunshine and his showers, 
Turns all the patient ground to flowers. 

The darling of the world is come, 
And fit it is, we find a room 
To welcome him, to welcome him. 

The nobler part of all the house here, is the heart. 
Which we will give him: and bequeath 
This holly, and this ivy wreath. 
To do him honour. who's our King, 
And Lord of all this revelling. 

Robert Herrick