The Church - November lyrics

Across the wet November night The church is bright with candlelight And waiting evensong And waiting evensong A single bell with plaintive strokes Pleads louder than the stirring oaks The leafless lanes along The leafless lanes along It calls the choirboys from their tea And villagers, the two or three Damp down the kitchen fire Damp down the kitchen fire Let out the cat, and up the lane Go paddling through the gentle rain Of misty Oxfordshire Of misty Oxfordshire On country morning sharp and clear The penitent in faith draw near And kneeling here below And kneeling here below Partake the heavenly banquet spread Of sacramental wine and bread And Jesus presence know And Jesus presence know And must that plaintive bell in vain Plead loud along the dripping lane? And must the building fall? And must the building fall? Not while we love the church and live And of our charity will give Our much, our more, our all Our much, our more, our all