Bishop’s new carols are an easy way to learn Christian basics
The schoolchildren who gave three new Christmas Carols written by the Bishop of St Albans their ‘world premiere performance’ with the Bishop have hailed them a success. The carols are set to familiar tunes.
One of the new carols called ‘The Annunciation Tree,’ follows the Christian story from the Garden of Eden to the Resurrection in five four-line verses. The Bishop, the Rt Revd Christopher Herbert said: “With over 40% of adults attending carol services or concerts over Advent and Christmas, carols and hymns provide a good way of people picking up the essentials about the Christian faith.”
The Bishop’s second new carol, The Angels’ Carol focuses more on wonder and awe of the baby born ‘out of deep eternity’ and has a different way of engaging with the Christmas story that contrasts the earthy arrival of Jesus Christ among the shepherds with the effect this has, inspiring adoration both then and now.
In conversation with the Bishop afterwards, children from St Mary’s School Cheshunt, praised them., Jordan, fifteen, who recently sang the lead in the school’s performance of ‘Jonah,’ another new work, said:
“The lyrics came together really well. They have a really deep meaning to them. They bring Christmas alive.”
Tom, 15, also from St Mary’s Cheshunt added:
“It was nice to have an old tune with new words and new meaning - it brought the Christmas spirit alive.”
Samuel, from Ashton Middle School thought that the words made the carols more ‘interesting.’
Tony Crosby, St Mary’s School’s Director of Music, conducted the choirs from St Mary’s and Ashton Middle School, Dunstable. Lynne Griffiths, organist from Stanstead Abbots played the organ.
The Bishop of St Albans was thrilled to hear his carols performed – and had even written a third one for the children to try written almost overnight! He is encouraging schools all over the diocese to sing the carols this Christmas.
The carols can be heard twice on Three Counties Radio. This Sunday on ‘Melting Pot’ between 8 and 8:30 am and on Christmas Day when the Bishop speaks to Ian Pearce.
The recordings can be downloaded from
www.stalbans.anglican.org/downloads/annunciationtree.mp3
www.stalbans.anglican.org/downloads/angelscarol.mp3
www.stalbans.anglican.org/downloads/achristmascarol.mp3
The words to the carols can be aslo be downloaded with information about the tunes:
The Annunciation Tree (word file)
The Angels' Carol (PDF needs Adobe Acrobat)
A Christmas Carol (PDF needs Adobe Acrobat)
Adobe Acrobat file viewer can be downloaded here: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
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Notes
A survey in 2005 by Opinion Research Business found that 43 percent of people expected to attend a church service of one sort or another over the Christmas period. The figure has been steadily rising since the turn of the millennium from the 33 per cent found by ORB in 2001 and 39 per cent in 2003.
