Many Ordinariate Groups held an Advent Carol Service on the First Sunday of Advent, and ours was no exception. We were fortunate and grateful to have the services of some excellent local singers and comments received so far have been very favourable. Services of readings and music tend not to be particularly well-attended, even though they aren’t exactly new to the Church — the Easter Vigil is one such liturgy — but seasonal services are possibly part of the distinctive patrimony which we can share.

The Order of Service started with the Fall which made our redemption necessary, and featured prophecies and readings about the coming of the Messiah culminating in the Gospel of the Annunciation. We were able to use readings from the Revised Standard Version which has just been introduced in the Lectionary for Mass, and so many of the readings had a familiar ring to them.

  • Hymn: O come, O come Emmanuel
  • Bidding Prayers; Lord’s Prayer
  • Collect for Advent Sunday
  • First Reading: Genesis 3:1–19
  • Choir: Adam lay ybounden Peter Warlock
  • Second Reading: Zechariah 9:9–10
  • Hymn: The coming of our God
  • Third Reading: Isaiah 44:8, 21–23
  • Choir: The Advent Prose
  • Hymn: Hills of the North, rejoice
  • Fourth Reading: Isaiah 10:30–11:1
  • Choir: There is no Rose Benjamin Britten (Ceremony of Carols)
  • Fifth Reading: Isaiah 11:2–6
  • Choir: The Lamb Tim Blickhan
  • Hymn: Come thou long-expected Jesus
  • Sixth Reading: Matthew 25:1–13
  • Hymn: Wake, awake for night is dying
  • Seventh Reading: Luke 1:26–35, 38
  • Hymn: Long ago, prophets knew
  • Choir: The Lord at first did Adam make Traditional
  • Collect for Christmas Eve
  • Blessing
  • Hymn: Lo, he comes with clouds descending

We were able to provide a service which many enjoyed and found a fitting and memorable start to the celebration of Advent and preparation for Christmas.