3rd Sunday of Advent (Year C, 2009)

Entrance	Rejoice for Ever (mcb)
Kyrie	Dinah Reindorf
Psalm	Is 12 (Laurence Bévenot)
Gospel Acclamation	Advent Gospel Acclamations (Alan Smith)
Preparation of the Gifts	Blest be the Lord (Bernadette Farrell)
Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen	Mass XVIII (in English)
Agnus Dei	Alan Rees
Communion	Veni Immanuel (Bell) & Ps 32 (John Ainslie)
Postcommunion	Rejoice in the Lord Alway (Henry Purcell, 1659-1695)
Recessional	Hail to the Lord’s anointed

For our Communion processional song we mixed John Bell’s Veni Immanuel with verses from Psalm 32 (33). This psalm seems just right for Advent, with the lines The Lord looks on those who revere him, on those who hope in his love and Our soul is waiting for the Lord.

We sang an abridged version of Purcell’s famous Bell Anthem – so-called because of the repeated runs down the scale, like a peal of bells, in the open instrumental prelude – omitting the second verse section (beginning Be careful for nothing) but retaining all the repetitions of Rejoice in the Lord alway. The net result was more rejoicing and less admonition than St Paul probably intended. But for Gaudete Sunday I felt it was on target.