Church Services.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5193, 26 December 1884, Page 4

Church Services.

. THE CATHEDRAL. ] In accordance with the custom usually observed, the Christmas decorations at the Cathedral were of a very simple but tasteful character. The gasaliers near the east end of the nave wore wreathed with evergreens, and the lower part of the rood screen adorned with a bordeiing of lilies and scarlet geraniums. Flowers, as usual, were placed in large va&es upon the altar, but beyond being somewhat brighter in hue than is ordinarily the case, there was no marked difference made. The services of the day opened with a celebration of the Holy Communion at 7 a.m., at which the Very Rev the Dean was the celebrant, assisted by the Rev W. H. Elton. The number of communicants was thirty-two. At the 8 o'clock celebration, the service wa3 taken by the Rev Canon Stanford alone, when forty; three persons communicated. Tho 11 o'clock service was full choral, the service used being that by Hopkins, in F. " Hark the Herald Angels Sing/' was sung professionally by the choir, which entered by tUe north door, as an opening hymn. Hopkins' anthem, " Let us now go even unto Bethlehem," was chosen, and the choral celebration of Holy Communion, at which there were fifty-three communicants, was taken to Smart in F. The introit was "O come all ye Faithful." The sermon was preached by the Most Rev the Primate, who took for his text St John, ch. i, v. 14, " The Word was made Flesh and dwelt among Us." Though the congregations wt re scarcely as large as they are on ordinary occasions, the services during the day were fairly well attended, considering the general exodu3 from town that takes place as a rujg on Christmas Day. Evensong was sung at 7 p.m., "While Shepherds watched tneir Flocks by Night," being the processional. Hopkins, -in F, was the service, as in the morning, and '• Glory to God in the Highest," from the Messiah, the anthem; "O Come all ye Faithful," was sung during the collection of the offertory, and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," as the recessional. The sum collected at the four offertories held during the day was JEI7 10s 7d.