Vicar's News - Christmas 2025
- Fr Ian
- 6 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Christmas Week
Christ’s Mass, which we celebrate on Christmas Eve and Day gives us the name of the nativity of our Lord - Christmas. The stories of the birth of Jesus are told in the Gospels of St Matthew and St Luke. Scholars consider these to have been added to the gospels well after the original gospel accounts were formed. And there are many parts to these accounts:
Annunciation: An angel tells Mary she will conceive Jesus by the Holy Spirit; Joseph is told in a dream to marry her and name the child Jesus.
Journey to Bethlehem: Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem for a census.
Birth: Jesus is born in a stable, wrapped in cloths, and placed in a manger.
Shepherds: Angels appear to shepherds, who then visit Jesus, worshipping him.
Wise Men (Magi): Foreign astrologers follow a star to find Jesus, offering gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Escape to Egypt: Joseph is warned in a dream about King Herod's plan to kill Jesus, so they flee to Egypt. No doubt the gifts from the wise men can in handy for that journey.
This weekend we concentrate on the dream in which Joseph is told to marry Mary, despite not being the father of the child she was carrying.
Lots of craft to make following the singing of carols and the story of the birth of Jesus.
Sat@6
Our Saturday evening service will continue during the New Year and January holidays.
Following each service, we share a glass of wine or soft drink in the Pioneer Chapel and congregants are invited gather for dinner afterwards.
Sundays at 9.30am
Following Christmas Day, our Sunday services will be at 9.30am until 2 February when we resume our normal times of 8am and 10am.
Kids' Church
Our Kids' Church services resumes on Sunday 1 February at 11.30am.
Christmas Raffle
Our Christmas raffle was drawn last Sunday. Congratulations to those who won gifts. Many thanks to Diarne Revelle for her hard work in organising, donating, wrapping and managing the ticket sales.
'Magnum Mysterium' concert at the Cathedral
Last Saturday evening our choir joined with the Victoria Chorale, the Art of Sound Orchestra, and soloists Kate Macfarlane and Sally-Anne Russell, in performing for a packed Catherdal of Christmas music lovers for a concert conducted by our Director of Music, Dr Mario Dobernig. It was a most enjoyable evening and our choir performed wonderfully.
A message from the Archbishop
Dear sisters and brothers,
I am writing to you with a heavy heart following the appalling act of violence at Bondi Beach on Sunday evening. That such an attack should take place during Hanukkah, a time marked by light, peace and hope, is deeply distressing. This was a senseless act of hatred that has no place in our society.
Our prayers are with the victims, those who have been injured, and the families who are grieving. We especially hold the Jewish community in prayer, and those who were targeted in this attack.
As Christians, we are called to name hatred clearly, to resist evil,, and to be people who stand for the protection of every person made in the image of God. And we want to come alongside all who are fearful and mourning in the aftermath of this attack. Our hope is that “the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).
In Christ,
Archbishop Ric
Music this week
ADVENT 4
CHORAL EUCHARIST @ 10.00 AM
Prelude: To His Servant Bach God Grants a Final Glimpse: The Morning –
Graeme Koehne (*1956)
Hymns: Processional A great and mighty wonder
Gradual Come, thou Redeemer of the earth
Thanksgiving Now thank we all our God
Post Communion Come, thou long-expected Jesus
Setting: St. Andrew’s Mass – Timothy Mallis (b.1996)
Psalm: 80: 1-8 (NPCW)
Anthem: Hail! Blesses Virgin Mary – 17th century Italian Carol
(arr. Charles Wood 1806-1926)
Motet: Magnificat – Plainchant
Postlude: Fugue on the Magnificat BWV 733 – J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
WEDNESDAY 24 DECEMBER 2025
LESSONS AND CAROLS @ 8 PM
St Andrew's Choir, lay clerks and Alumni
Introit: Ding dong, merrily on high
Processional: Once in royal David’s city
Hymn: Good Christians all, rejoice
Carol: Adam lay ybounden – Peter Warlock (1894-1930)
Carol: Torches – John Joubert (1926-2019)
Carol: O Holy Night – Adolphe Adam (1803-1856), arr. John Rutter
Hymn: Silent Night
Carol: The Little Road to Bethlehem – Michael Head (1900-1976)
Hymn: The first Nowell
Carol: Christmas – Calvin Bowman (*1972)
Hymn: Hark! the herald-angels sing
Hymn: O come, all ye faithful
Postlude: Noël – Grand Jeu et Duo – Louis D'Aquin (1694-1772) arr. Virgil Fox
WEDNESDAY 24 DECEMBER 2024
CELEBRATION OF CAROLS @ 11 PM
Carols: O little town of Bethlehem
While shepherds watched their flocks
Silent night
Once in Royal David's city
Angels from the realms of glory
As with gladness
Away in a manger
MIDNIGHT MASS @ 11.30 PM
St Andrews lay clerks and choir alumni
Hymns: Processional O come, all ye faithful
Gradual Of the Father’s love begotten
Thanksgiving It came upon the midnight clear
Post Communion Hark! the herald-angels sing
Setting: Parish Eucharist – Michael Dudman (1938-1994)
Psalm: 96:1-4,11-13 NPCW
Anthem: Bethlehem Down – Peter Warlock (1894-1930)
Motet: ‘Kyrie eleison’ from Messe de minuit pour Noël –
Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643 –1704)
Postlude: Trumpet Sonata in D Major Z.850 Allegro, Adagio, Allegro –
Henry Purcell (1659 –1695) Isabella Thomas – Trumpet
THURSDAY 25 DECEMBER 2024
CHRISTMAS DAY
CHORAL EUCHARIST @ 8.00/10.00 AM
Prelude: Partita on ‘Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann’ – J.C.F. Bach (1732-1795)
Hymns: Processional O come, all ye faithful
Gradual The first Nowell
Thanksgiving Good Christians all, rejoice
Post Communion Hark! the herald-angels sing
Setting: Parish Eucharist – Michael Dudman (1938-1994)
Psalm: 98 Elvey in D (RSCM)
Anthem: Ding dong, merrily on high
Motet: Myn lyking – R. R. Terry (1865-1938)
Postlude: Toccata from Symphony No. 5 Op. 42 No.1 – Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937)
Rosters
Merry Christmas
Mother Xeverie and I wish you all a very Happy Christmas
and hope to see you at some of our services.
Comments