Festival of Lessons and Carols

Join organist Vaughn Jones and the choir of Incarnation Episcopal Church in the annual ‘Festival of Lessons and Carols,’ service. Experience the joy and mystery of Jesus’ birth in the retelling of the story interwoven with carols. There will be both choir anthems as well as sing-along carols.

Date & Time: Sat. December 19, 2015 6:30 p.m.
Venue: Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, 1750 29th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94122
Tickets: Free, donations requested.

This is a fun event for the entire family. A free reception follows the concert. There will also be a Holiday Boutique open for your last minute Christmas shopping and a raffle drawing.

To register for the event on Facebook click here.

Order of Service

Organ Prelude:

• Pastorale, from the Christmas Concerto, Arcangelo Corelli
• Wachet, auf (“Sleepers, Wake”), J.S. Bach

Opening Carol: O Come, all ye faithful

Bidding Prayer

Lesson #1: The birth of John the Baptist is foretold

• Choir Carol: Prepare Thyself, Zion – J.S. Bach, Christmas Oratorio
• Carol: Of the Father’s love begotten

Lesson #2: The birth of Jesus is foretold

• Choir Carol: Ave Maria – J. Arcadelt
• Carol: The angel Gabriel from heaven came

Lesson #3: Mary visits Elizabeth

• Choir Carol: He shall Feed His Flock – G.F. Handel, Messiah
• Carol: Lo, how a Rose e’er blooming

Lesson #4: Magnificat – the song of Mary

• Choir Carol: Angelus ad virginem – Traditional arr. D. Willcocks
• Organ introduction to the tune Woodlands by Paul Manz
• Carol: Tell out my soul

Lesson #5: The birth of John the Baptist

• Carol: Once in royal David’s city

Lesson #6: The birth of Jesus

• Choir Carol: Bethlehem – C. Gounod

Lesson #7: Angels visit the shepherds

• Carol: Hark the herald angels sing

Lesson #8: The shepherds visit Jesus

• Choir Carol: Pavane for a silent night – Jean Anne Shafferman & Patrick Liebergen, adapted from Ravel’s  ‘Pavane pour une infante défunte’
• Carol: What Child is this?

Lesson #9: The Magi visit Jesus

• Choir Carol: O Holy Night – Adolphe Adam

Closing Prayer and Benediction

Announcements

Closing Carol: The First Noel

Organ Postlude:

• Divinum Mysterium, Noel Rawsthorne
• Noël, Louis-Claude Daquin

A free reception follows the service. 

Holiday boutique and raffle prizes at the reception.