The beginning of Advent was marked by the Advent Carol Service at S Agnes. This was the third occasion the Ordinariate has celebrated what is a treasure of Anglican patrimony, and it was attended by a record congregation — around 100 — of members of the communities based at all three churches in the parish. Quite a number stayed after the service for hot chocolate and ginger biscuits in the church hall.

The choir, drawn from S Agnes’ Church’s various congregations, worked hard over the four of five weeks leading up to the service (Thank you all!), and some challenging music set off the readings charting the story of Man’s Fall and salvation. We’ll put the full order of service up on another page in due course, but the outline was…

Hymn: O come, O come Emmanuel (Laudate 112)
Bidding Prayers; Lord’s Prayer
Collect for Advent Sunday
First Reading: Genesis 3:1–19
Choir: This is the Truth sent from Above (Traditional)
Second Reading: Zechariah 9:9–10
Hymn: The coming of our God (110)
Third Reading: Isaiah 44:8, 21–23
Choir: Rorate Caeli
Hymn: Hills of the North, rejoice (983)
Fourth Reading: Isaiah 7:14
Choir: There is no Rose (Andrew Leach)
Fifth Reading: Isaiah 11:2–6
Choir: The Lamb (Tim Blickhan)
Hymn: Come thou long-expected Jesus (100)
Sixth Reading: Matthew 25:1–13
Hymn: Wake, awake for night is dying (91)
Seventh Reading: Luke 1:26–35, 38
Hymn: Long ago, prophets knew (116)
Choir: The Lord at first did Adam make (Traditional)
Collect for Christmas Eve
Blessing
Hymn: Lo, he comes with clouds descending (109)

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