We are a small Episcopal Church on the banks of the Rappahannock in Port Royal, Virginia. We acknowledge that we gather on the traditional land of the first people of Port Royal, the Nandtaughtacund, and we respect and honor with gratitude the land itself, the legacy of the ancestors, and the life of the Rappahannock Tribe. Our mission statement is to do God’s Will in all that we do.

Introduction

Back to: The Twelve Days of Christmas Carols

Angels Announcing the Birth of Christ to the Shepherds – Govert Flinck (1639)

The Irish author was imprisoned twice for his beliefs and efforts for Irish freedom from the English but found joy and delight in writing in between living a vagrant’s life. The music capitalized on the desire of churches to move beyond traditional chant to harmonized more popular music. The hymn has 4 verses but there is a 5th omitted because of its tone though it brings the hymn to an appropriate conclusion.