Welcome to Anthem 49 in my attempt to write a new choir anthem every week for a year. I’m Kevin Mulryne and I hope you will enjoy listening to my progress throughout 2024. Please do visit the website Anthem52.com, follow along on x.com - @realanthem52 or Instagram - @realanthem52 and send me a message to show@anthem52.com.

By contrast to last week, this anthem was much easier to compose. In order to catch up with the rapidly disappearing weeks of 2024, I set myself the target of writing this anthem in 2 days. I wondered if I could write a carol that would fit into one of the 'standard' patterns congregations would recognise - and I think I got pretty close with anthem 49.

THe words come from another carol service, this time at St Stephen’s Church, Canterbury. It's a 15th century Kent carol.

Here are the words I chose:

Words for Anthem 49:

Today our God of his great mercie
Hath sent his Son with us to be,
To dwell with us in verity,
God who is our Saviour.

Today in Bethlehem did befall,
a child was born in ox's stall,
Who needs must die to save us all,
God who is our Saviour.

Today there spake an angel bright,
To shepherd there who watched by night,
And bade them take their way forthright,
To God who is our Saviour.

Therefore 'tis meet we kneel today,
And Christ, who died on cross, we pray
To show his grace to us alway,
God who is our Saviour.