It's pure Anglican schlock. And it's absolutely beautiful. I love it. Each year when it rolls around I just relish this service. Fr. Heath must be right: I *am* a recovering Methodist at heart. : )The beauty to me of this 20th century service is the way it unfolds the story of redemption in such compact wording: just Scripture and the hymns of the Church. Through them we see indeed "the loving purposes of God from the days of our first disobedience unto the glorious redemption brought us by the Child."
To me each year the highlight, the absolute highlight, is to see the congregation standing in the darkness with their lighted candles and to read John 1:1-14. To announce that there is in our Lord Jesus a light given that no darkness can either understand or overcome. "Verbum caro factum est." Glory to God in the highest!
P.S. Now, if only Wilma will learn to behave herself at these service! I love you, Wilma!!!!
Schlock ! Schlock, you say ! Hey, it at least gets the Prince of Wales to darken the door of a church.
ReplyDeleteRecall the observation on the name of the Prayer Book ? How can anything so beautiful be 'Common'?
I am glued to the radio every 24th of December morning to hear King's College Choir, Cambridge on the BBC. Then I know it's *really* Christmas.
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