' Mr. Portly Tells a Story ' by Kitty Styles
Told by Macdonald' Parke
5.15 This Joyful Eastertide '
A service of Easter carols, hymns, and stories from the Gospels telling of the first Easter
Readers:
Jenny Simpson and David Page
The Choir of King's School, Canterbury
Directed by Dr. E. F. A. Suttle
The service begins with St. Mark's description of the visit of the women to the sepulchre early on Easter morning. This is followed by the visit of Peter and John (St. John 20, vv. 2-10); the return of Mary Magdalene to the sepulchre (St. John 20, vv. 11-18); the appearance of our Lord on Easter Day to two of his friends as they walk to the village of Emmaus (St. Luke 24, vv. 13-16 and 28-35), and the appearance of the risen Lord a week later when he convinces even Doubting Thomas that he has indeed risen from the dead.
The Lessons are interspersed with such well-known hymns as, Jesus Christ is risen today,' 'The strife is o'er,' Ye choirs of New Jerusalem,' and ' All hail the power of Jesu's name,' and certain Easter carols, of which perhaps the best known are ' Lord Jesus hath a garden,' and the lovely Dutch Easter carol, from which the title of this service is taken, This Joyful Eastertide.'
The hymns and carols were recorded by the choir of the King's School, Canterbury, from Canterbury Cathedral itself, by permission of the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral and the Headmaster of King's School, the Reverend Canon F. J. Shirley.