Setlist - 11 Dec 2011
The Kings Carol Service

Tags: carols, christmas

A really fantastic Carol Service!

There was, as usual, a great choir piece, a hilarious home-grown drama and our now-traditional (meaning it's happened twice) brass band playing the carols with us. Jon Burns spoke well on 'A child is born! A son is given!'

The theme was from Isaiah 9, so we sang 'His name, his name': a version of verse 6 to the tune 'Finlandia'. I wasn't sure how it was going to work - there are limits to what guitar-led band can manage - but with the brass band taking the lead and an instrumental first verse, it came off wonderfully!

We've opened our Carol Services with 'O come all ye faithful' and closed with 'Hark, the herald' for a number of years now. I always wonder about dropping one or both in favour of something else, but I think they must be the two richest carols from a worshipping point of view, so I can never justify it.

The verse starting "God of God, light of light" in 'O come all ye faithful' is straight from the Nicene Creed, and Wesley's 'Hark the herald' is just brilliant, particularly:

Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate deity
Pleased as man with men to dwell
Jesus, our Immanuel

Before any old friends ask - no, I didn't mix up 'One in royal' and 'Hark, the herald' this year. I think that's a mistake you only make once!

It's always such a joy playing with the brass band. They add huge dimensions to our sound. I'll have to look for more opportunites for them.

All in all, a happy morning!