Thursday evening, 29th September, at 7pm (note time) – Please join us at St Michael’s for our Patronal Festival at which our newly priested Curate, Fr Christopher Durrant, will celebrate the Holy Eucharist for the first time. This is a special occasion for Fr Christopher supported by the whole Parish community of St David’s & St Michael’s, and all visitors are warmly welcomed to come to St Michael’s Church for the Service (with incense) and for the Party afterwards. St Michael’s is wheelchair accessible via ramps.

Music will include:- Introit; Angeli, Archangeli, by Andrea Gabrieli. St Nicolas Mass, by Franz Joseph Haydn. Anthem; Faire is the Heaven, where happy soules have place, by Sir William Harris.

Sermon by Fr David Nixon, Dean of Studies – South West Ministry Training Course, is printed here.

In view of the 7pm start there will be NO Vespers at 6pm, so that the Choir can rehearse.

7pm, Procession, Sung Mass, followed by Drinks & Finger Buffet to celebrate Michaelmas, the Feast of St Michael & All Angels. While we often shorten our church’s title to “St Michael’s”, it’s good also to let the “and All Angels” remind us that God values us all as his children, wherever we are on the pilgrimage of faith; and all are welcome here, quiet, confident or questioning.

English translation of the Gabrieli Introit:- Angels, archangels, thrones and dominions, principalities and powers, heavenly virtues, cherubim and seraphim,
Patriarchs and prophets, holy doctors of the law, apostles, all martyrs for Christ, holy confessors, virgins of the Lord, holy hermits:
And all ye saints, intercede for us.

And the Anthem is Faire is the heaven – words by Edmund Spenser (1552-99), composed in 1925 by William Henry Harris (1883-1973).
Faire is the heaven where happy soules have place In full enjoyment of felicitie;
Whence they do still behold the glorious face Of the Divine, Eternall Majestie;
Yet farre more faire be those bright Cherubins Which all with golden wings are overdight.
And those eternall burning Seraphins Which from their faces dart out fiery light;
Yet fairer than they both and much more bright Be the Angels and Archangels
Which attend on God’s owne person without rest or end. These then in faire each other farre excelling
As to the Highest they approach more neare, Yet is that Highest farre beyond all telling
Fairer than all the rest which there appeare Though all their beauties joynd together were;
How then can mortal tongue hope to expresse The image of such endlesse perfectnesse?

I have discovered online the sonnets for Holy Days of Malcolm Guite, Cambridge poet, priest and performer. For today:-

Michaelmas gales assail the waning year,
And Michael’s scale is true, his blade is bright.
He strips dead leaves; and leaves the living clear
To flourish in the touch and reach of light.
Archangel bring your balance, help me turn
Upon this turning world with you and dance
In the Great Dance. Draw near, help me discern,
And trace the hidden grace in change and chance.
Angel of fire, Love’s fierce radiance,
Drive through the deep until the steep waves part,
Undo the dragon’s sinuous influence
And pierce the clotted darkness in my heart.
Unchain the child you find there, break the spell
And overthrow the tyrannies of Hell.

INTROIT. Benedicite Dominum. Ps. 103.
O PRAISE the Lord, ye Angels of his, ye that excel in strength: ye that fulfil his commandment, and hearken unto the voice of his words. Ps. ibid. Praise the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, praise his holy Name. V. Glory be.

COLLECT.
O EVERLASTING God, who hast ordained and constituted the services of Angels and men in a wonderful order; Mercifully grant that, as thy holy Angels always do thee service in heaven, so, by thy appointment, they may succour and defend us on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

GRADUAL. Ps. 103. O praise the Lord, ye Angels of his, ye that excel in strength: ye that fulfil his commandment. V. O praise the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, praise his holy Name.
Alleluia, alleluia. V. Holy Michael Archangel, defend us in the day of battle: that we perish not in the dreadful judgement. Alleluia.

OFFERTORY. Rev. 8, An Angel stood at the altar of the temple, having a golden censer in his hand, and there was given unto him much incense: and the smoke of the incense ascended up before God, alleluia.

COMMUNION. Song of the Three Children. O ye Angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord: sing ye praises, and magnify him above all for ever.