Brilliant Heavens of Evening: Christmas Carols
Brilliant heavens of evening,
Distant stars clearly shining,
Bright as the rapture of childhood,
O why dare I send you nevermore greeting
--Stars, who are shining as clear as my joy? -
Join us, St Oswald’s Parish and Choir, on the evening of Sunday 18th of December at 7:30 pm (Christmas cake and refreshments in the hall afterwards) for our annual Carols Service.
Enjoy a variety of music that celebrates the role of stars and the night sky in the Christmas story, with an Australian-focused variety of traditional carols and sacred songs.
When you think of going to church, you probably think of getting up early on a Sunday morning for mass. Brightly coloured Sunday best dresses, suits and ties, sharp shirts and maybe even matching hats and gloves, depending on denomination, age and location.
But a lot of action in the bible happens at night, this includes the Lord’s supper, his birth, eventual betrayal. All under the cover of darkness. Moon and stars, the only light. Even at Christmas, much of the action - good and bad - happens at night.
From the visit of the angel Gabrielle through to the star that guided the magi through the desert, heavenly and earthly traffic guided through the night by the light of stars certainly starts to ramp up for the birth of the Christ Child.
With traditional Carols to sing-along with including Once in Royal David’s City and O Come All Ye Faithful, St Oswald’s Choir presents special works including the popular Mary, did you know? and Morten Laurison’s Sure on this shining night.
We’ve also tried to keep an Australian flavour to reflect the hot summer nights we know so well from Christmas past with William G. James’ The North Wind and The Silver Stars. Hear an original work by a local composer, Joseph Bird Burgess, written between 1867-1871 and dedicated by permission to Samuel Amess, Mayor of Melbourne.*
Everyone is welcome to join. Families, LGBTIQA+ and First Nations peoples are especially welcome. The people of St Oswald’s Parish acknowledge the sovereign country of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation on which our church is located.
*With thanks to Philippa Burgess
