St James Old Cathedral - Nine Lessons and Carols - December 15th, 2024

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Lyrics to The Sleeping Child, by Charles Bennett Sleeping child, I wonder, have you a dream to share? May I see the things you see as you slumber there? I dream a wind that speaks, like music as it blows As if it were the breath of everything that grows. I dream a flock of birds flying through the night like silent stars on wings of everlasting light. I dream a flowing river, deep as a thousand years, Its fish are frozen sorrow, its water bitter tears. I dream a tree so green, branches wide and long and every leaf a voice, and every voice a song. I dream of a babe who sleeps, a life that’s just begun. A word that waits to be spoken. The promise of a world to come.

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Lyrics to Nativity by John Donne: Immensity cloistered in thy dear womb, Now leaves His well-belov'd imprisonment, There He hath made Himself to His intent Weak enough, now into the world to come; But O, for thee, for Him, hath the inn no room? Yet lay Him in this stall, and from the Orient, Stars and wise men will travel to prevent The effect of Herod's jealous general doom. Seest thou, my soul, with thy faith's eyes, how He Which fills all place, yet none holds Him, doth lie? Was not His pity towards thee wondrous high, That would have need to be pitied by thee? Kiss Him, and with Him into Egypt go, With His kind mother, who partakes thy woe.

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Lyrics to A Song was Heard at Christmas by Timothy Dudley-Smith: A song was heard at Christmas to wake the midnight sky: a Saviour’s birth, and peace on earth, and praise to God on high. The angels sang at Christmas with all the hosts above, and still we sing the new-born King, his glory and his love. A star was seen at Christmas, a herald and a sign, that all might know the way to go to find the child divine. The wise men watched at Christmas in some far eastern land, and still the wise in starry skies discern their Maker’s hand. A tree was grown at Christmas, a sapling green and young; no tinsel bright with candlelight upon its branches hung. But he who came at Christmas our sins and sorrows bore, and still we name his tree of shame our life for evermore. A child was born at Christmas when Christmas first began; the Lord of all a baby small, the Son of God made man. For love is ours at Christmas, and life and light restored, and so we praise through endless days the Saviour, Christ the Lord.

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Lyrics to Eve and Mary by Dorothy Lee: Mother of the living, Mother of the Christ: Bound by a wounded serpent, Blessed by paradise. Begun in Eden’s garden, Formed in sleeping deed, Told above wind and bird-call - eating bitter seed. Renewed in Nazareth village, Through ancestral screed, Told above beast and footfall - bearing quickened seed. Finished in death and rising, Easter garden beds, Told above song of angels - offering living bread. Mother of the living, Mother of the Christ: Bound by a wounded serpent, Blessed by paradise.

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Lyrics to Here I Stand, the Keeper of the Inn by Andrew Anderson: Here I stand, the keeper of the inn. Who knocks this night upon my door? A man, his bride, of David’s kin, come to fulfill the law. Her babe’s near due and she needs rest My house, howe’er, is full of guests, whose coins my livelihood provide, Guests I forego with this pair inside. The cattle stable round the back maybe will solve this thing both for them and for me. And so amongst the hay, behind the stable’s gate, the Christ child lies in slumber and in quiet patience waits. Here I stand, the keeper of my heart. Who knocks this night upon its frame? A gentle but persistent tap, that comes each night the same! It is the Christ who seeks to rest inside my heart as welcomed guest, But my heart’s room is filled with all those things that charm me and enthrall, Maybe a place outside my heart, somewhere out back, a place apart, will show I’ve not turned him away, yet still allow all my prized things to stay? And so in some small corner, by worldly cares displaced, Christ waits in quiet hope for the day He is embraced.