THE CATHEDRAL AND METROPOLITICAL CHURCH OF CHRIST, CANTERBURY
St Nicholas Family
Service
4th December 2022
5.30pm
Nave
Welcome to Canterbury Cathedral for this Service
St Nicholas
In the fourth century, Nicholas was Bishop of Myra in modern-day Turkey. He
was a very kind man and had a reputation for helping the poor and giving secret
gifts to people in need.
There are many legends about Nicholas, the most famous one you will hear in
this service. Because of his kindness and goodness Nicholas was eventually
made a saint.
The music before and after the service is played by
The Training Band of the 1st Whitstable Scout Group
The Childrens’ Choir is made up of singers from the following schools:
Wickhambreaux Primary School
St Nicholas CE Primary Academy
St Nicholas-at-Wade CE Primary School
Kent College
Chilham, St Mary's CE Primary School
St Peter's Methodist Primary School
Herne Junior School
Ashford St Mary’s
Ramsgate Holy Trinity CE Primary School
FESI Choir
St Edmund’s School, Canterbury
Bridge and Patrixbourne Primary School
Please ensure that mobile phones are switched off. No form of visual or
sound recording, or any form of photography, is permitted during Services.
Thank you for your co-operation.
An induction loop system for the hard of hearing is installed in the
Cathedral. Hearing aid users should adjust their aid to T.
Large print orders of service are available from the
stewards and virgers. Please ask.
Some material included in this service is copyright
Hymns and songs reproduced under CCLI number: 1031280
Produced by the Music & Liturgy Department:
precentor@canterbury-cathedral.org
01227 865281 www.canterbury-cathedral.org
ORDER OF SERVICE
The Wickhambreaux Brass Ensemble greet the procession with a fanfare,
please stand
Welcome The Vice Dean
Almighty Father, who chose your servant Nicholas to be a bishop in the
Church, that he might give freely out of the treasures of your grace:
make us mindful of the needs of others and, as we have received, so
teach us also to give; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Please sit while the Children’s Choir sings
Song
Sing we all upon this day, for St Nicholas will come we pray.
Lustig, lustig, tralavalera, bald is Niklaus abend a!
He will come just wait and see, bringing gifts for you and me.
Lustig, lustig, tralavalera, bald is Niklaus abend a!
Gifts he brings for everyone, girls and boys will have such fun.
Lustig, lustig, tralavalera, bald is Niklaus abend a!
So we sing our song today, for St Nicholas is on his way.
Lustig, lustig, tralavalera, bald is Niklaus abend a!
Words and music: German Folk Carol
Please remain seated
Reading Deuteronomy 15.7-11
If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in
any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do
not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbour. You
should rather be kind, willingly giving enough to meet the need, whatever
it may be.
Do not have a mean thought and give nothing. Give generously and be
ungrudging when you do so, so the Lord your God will bless you in all your
work and in all that you do. Since there will never stop being some people
in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the
poor and needy neighbour in your land.’
This is the word of the Lord,
Thanks be to God.
1
We stand to sing
Carol
During this Carol the Vice Dean moves to the Great West Door to welcome
St Nicholas, please turn West to face the Vice Dean as he passes.
The holly and the ivy, 3
The holly bears a prickle
When they are both full grown, As sharp as any thorn;
Of all the trees that are in the wood, And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
The holly bears the crown: On Christmas Day in the morn.
O the rising of the sun 4
The holly and the ivy,
And the running of the deer; When they are both full grown,
The playing of the merry organ, Of all the trees that are in the wood,
Sweet singing of the choir. The holly bears the crown:
2
The holly bears a blossom
As white as lily flower;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Saviour:
Words and music: traditional English carol
When St Nicholas enters, Wickhambreaux Brass greet him with a fanfare
A Song for St Nicholas
During this song St Nicholas is led up to the altar, greeting people as he
passes
Sung by the Children’s Let us sing the song of Nicholas,
Choir only The saint we celebrate;
We are happy to remember him,
His legends they are great;
He delivers joy and happiness
To girls and boys who wait:
St Nicholas we cheer!
Glory, glory, hallelujah (repeat x3)
St Nicholas we cheer!
All join in! As he saved the girls from poverty,
2
The sailors sailed free;
And the soldiers all were innocent –
His miracles we see;
Those three bags of gold he carries
Show his generosity:
St Nicholas we cheer! (Chorus)
2
3
Let us follow his example
As for Christmas we prepare;
Soon in Bethlehem we’ll see the baby
In his Mother's care;
Soon the greatest gift of all will come
To children everywhere:
St Nicholas we cheer! (Chorus)
Words: Jim Rosenthal and others
Please be seated
The Story of St Nicholas The Vice Dean
Carol The Girls of the Cathedral Choir
Have you heard the sound He is come in peace
of the angel voices, in the winter's stillness,
ringing out so sweetly, like a gentle snowfall
ringing out so clear? in the gentle night.
Have you seen the star He is come in joy,
shining out so brightly, like the sun at morning,
as a sign from God filling all the world
that Christ the Lord is here? with radiance and with light.
Have you heard the news He is come in love
that they bring from heaven as the child of Mary.
to the humble shepherds In a simple stable
who have waited long? we have seen his birth.
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Hear the angels sing Hear the angels singing:
their joyful song. 'Peace on earth'.
He will bring new light
to a world in darkness,
like a bright star shining
in the skies above.
He will bring new hope
to the waiting nations,
When he comes to reign
in purity and love.
Let the earth rejoice
at the Saviour's coming.
Let the heavens answer
with the joyful morn:
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
Hear the angels singing
Christ is born.
Words and Music: John Rutter (b 1945)
3
Prayers
Led by children from the Cathedral’s Sunday Club, using this response
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.
The prayers end with all saying
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy
kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the
power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Please remain seated as the Children’s Choir sings
Song
Angels, from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o'er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation's story,
Now proclaim Messiah's birth:
Gloria, gloria, in excelsis gloria,
Gloria, gloria, in excelsis gloria.
Shepherds, in the fields abiding,
Watching o'er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing,
Yonder shines the infant light:
Though an infant now we view him,
He shall fill his Father's throne,
Gather all the nations to him;
Every knee shall then bow down:
Words: James Montgomery (1771-1854) Music: Rod Spencer
4
Please stand to sing
Carol
O little town of Bethlehem, 3
How silently, how silently,
How still we see thee lie! The wondrous gift is giv’n!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep So God imparts to human hearts
The silent stars go by. The blessings of his heav’n.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth No ear may hear his coming;
The everlasting light; But in this world of sin,
The hopes and fears of all the years Where meek souls will receive him, still
Are met in thee tonight. The dear Christ enters in.
2
O morning stars, together 4
O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Proclaim the holy birth, Descend to us, we pray:
And praises sing to God the King, Cast out our sin, and enter in,
And peace to men on earth; Be born in us today.
For Christ is born of Mary; We hear the Christmas angels
And, gathered all above, The great glad tidings tell:
While mortals sleep, the angels keep O come to us, abide with us,
Their watch of wond’ring love. Our Lord Emmanuel.
Words: Phillips Brooks (1835-93) Tune: FOREST GREEN
Blessing
There is a retiring collection for The Children’s Society, a national
charity which works to support the country’s most vulnerable children
and young people. Please give generously.
5
Children at Canterbury Cathedral
Family Crib Service
A short service for children and all the family telling the Christmas story
with carols and a journey to the Christmas Crib
Saturday 24th December 11.00am
Sunday Club
In the Cathedral every Sunday in term time at 11.00am for children from birth to
12 years
with a host of fun activities
Join our Cathedral Choir
If you know a child who enjoys singing, please email
music@canterbury-cathedral.org
to learn more about becoming a chorister here. Enquiries are warmly welcomed
at any time, and it is possible to meet children and their parents for a
conversation, and for informal pre-auditions. More information about the
Cathedral’s musicians can be found at
https://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/worship/music/
David Newsholme
Director of Music
