Nov 12, 2012

Advent Song: Take this light


Anglican parish priest Doug Chaplin (MetaCatholic blog) has written a song for the lighting of the Advent wreath.  It has five verses—one for each Sunday of Advent, and one for Christmas Day.  The suggested tune is Personent Hodie.  

Song for the Lighting of the Advent Wreath

Take this light, let it shine:
call of God, love divine,
summons old Abram’s line,
hope for all the nations
gift of God’s salvation.

Shine, O candles, shine,
Burn with love divine,
to the night,
comes the light
of the Father’s glory.

Take this flame, let it burn:
prophets called: “From sin turn,
come to God, evil spurn:
God will love and pardon,
bear away your burden.”

Take this wick, let it glow
for the one come to show
way of God, Christ to know:
baptise in the river,
new life to deliver.

Take this spark, let it blaze,
Mary’s called: girl amazed,
now says yes, God be praised.
In the womb of woman,
God’s Word now is human.

Take this fire, let it flame,
God is born in our frame,
sinless child tastes our shame,
sin’s might he is breaking;
new the world is making.

—posted on Bosco Peter’s Liturgy: Worship that Works blog. If used in worship, please credit Doug Chaplin.

Advent Song: Shine a Candle


Here’s a candle-lighting song for Advent from Lucy Graham. She writes:  Shine a candle was originally written to accompany the lighting of Advent candles. It is a song of gentle longing. This song may be sung any number of times, as required.


Shine a Candle

Shine a candle into the darkness,
breath new hope into our lives.
Wind your blessed peace around us
till the day when Christ arrives.
Shine a candle in the darkness,
wind your blessed peace around us.

~ written by Lucy Graham, and posted on 
Spirited and Singing. http://spiritedandsinging.blogspot.com/

Advent Song: In the Depth of Winter's Darkness


Here’s a contemporary hymn for Advent from Joy Patterson. You might try singing it to the traditional Christmas carol tune Oh, how joyfully (SICILIAN MARINERS), or Angels from the Realms of Glory (REGENT SQUARE)…or one of these other traditional tunes (in 8.7.8.7.8.7. meter):

LAUDA ANIMA (Praise, my soul, the King of heaven) 
NEANDER (Open now the gates of beauty) 

In the Depth of Winter’s Darkness

In the depth of winter's darkness,
     lost in gloomy shades of night,
all humanity stands watching,
     waiting for God's promised Light.
Alleluia, alleluia,
     come, Lord Jesus, quickly come!

Now the time of preparation--
     with repentance hope, resolve,
let us ready minds and spirits
     for the Christ who comes in love.
Alleluia, alleluia,
     come, Lord Jesus, quickly come!

Once he came, and still he's coming,
     mystery both new and old--
what the hour of his new Advent
     prophets have not known or told.
Alleluia, alleluia,
     come, Lord Jesus, quickly come!

Doing justice, showing mercy,
     praying, praising, let us wait
so that we may greet his coming
     ready for the Daystar's Light.
Alleluia, alleluia,
     come, Lord Jesus, quickly come!

~ written by Joy F. Patterson in Come, You People of the Promise. Words copyright © 1994 Hope Publishing Company. If you use this hymn in worship, be sure to report it on your CCLI license.  Text reprinted here by permission.

For many other new song texts for Advent, visit Hope Publishing Company’s Online Hymnody website. http://www.hopepublishing.com/

Advent Song: Welcome, Jesus


Here’s a contemporary hymn for Advent from Dan Damon.  The song is set to a tune called SWEETWATER (see it here).  Or—if your congregation would prefer to use a tune they already know, you might sing it to one of the following traditional tunes (or any other tune in 8.7.8.7. meter):

PEACE (Peace is flowing like a river) 
CROSS OFJESUS (Cross of Jesus, cross of sorrow) 
GILLARD (The Servant Song) 

If your congregation would prefer a more contemporary musical setting, you might consider using Brian Doerksen’s The River tune instead. If you decide to try that, you might make the last stanza the refrain. 

Welcome, Jesus, You Are Welcome

Welcome, Jesus, you are welcome
in this world made hard by fear;
loving reach us, living teach us,
Jesus, you are welcome here.

Welcome, Jesus, you are welcome
in the ghettos we have made;
give the tattered, bruised, and battered
winter shelter, summer shade.

Welcome, Jesus, you are welcome
with the wealthy and the poor;
give the broken love unspoken,
open wide each prison door.

Welcome, Jesus, you are welcome.
Let your loving light appear.
In our seeing, in our being,
Jesus, you are welcome here.

~ written by Daniel Charles Damon, in Fields of Mercy. Words copyright © 2005 Hope Publishing Company. If you use this hymn in worship, be sure to report it on your CCLI license.  Text reprinted here by permission.

For many other new song texts for Advent, visit Hope Publishing Company’s Online Hymnody website. 

Christmas Song: The Debut (to "Jingle Bells")

Here’s a new song for Christmas from Rev. Christine Sobania’s Freshly Squeezed Liturgy blog. It’s set to the tune of Jingle Bells.

Rev. Sobania writes: I wrote it a few years ago, and it was featured on the favorite Moravian Church publication known as "the bulletin back." I am often requested to share the words with others, so here they are. Celebrate!

The Debut
(to the tune of Jingle Bells)

Refrain
In this crowd sing out loud: Glory to the One!
God has made things personal by sending us the Son.
In this crowd sing out loud: Glory! Allelu!
Celebrate the birth of Christ --the day of his debut.

Stanza 1
The faithful waited long for God to intervene--
To rule with power and might, to give them what they dreamed.
What a big surprise! The Savior was a child!
The Christmas story goes to show God’s plans are really wild!
Refrain

Stanza 2
God’s love is for all, there can be no doubt.
The poor, the weak, the small--no one is left out!
The reason Jesus came: God wanted to be near;
God wanted to draw close to us, and that is why we cheer!
Refrain

~ written by Rev. Christine Sobania Johnson on her blog, Freshly Squeezed Liturgy.  http://freshlysqueezedliturgy.blogspot.com/

Advent Song: God Almighty, We Are Waiting


Here’s a contemporary hymn for Advent from Ann Bell Worley.  You might try singing it to HOLY MANNA (Brethren, we have met to worship) or NETTLETON (Come Thou Fount of Ev’ry Blessing)… or check the Metrical Index at the back of most hymnals for other tunes in 8.7.8.7.D meter.

If you're looking for a more contemporary setting, you might consider using the tune to Brian Doerksen’s The River. 

God Almighty, We Are Waiting

God Almighty, we are waiting for a savior to appear.
Meet us in our desert journey; give a sign that you are near:
burning bushes, parted waters, food aplenty in the wild.
As we look for signs and wonders, help us see you in a child.

God Incarnate, we are waiting for the feast day of your birth.
Looking back and looking forward to the Christ's return to earth.
Help us to proclaim the gospel, 'til the world is reconciled.
Let us set your holy table for each woman, man, and child.

God, the Spirit, we are waiting for your presence here and now.
Humbled by our sinful weakness, at your mercy we will bow.
Search our hearts and make us ready, speak in language strong and mild,
help each one of us, your people, to receive you like a child.

~ written by Ann Bell Worley, in New Hymns of Hope. Words copyright © 2005 Hope Publishing Company. If you use this hymn in worship, be sure to report it on your CCLI license.  Text reprinted here by permission. 

Christmas Song: Hear How the Bells


Here’s a contemporary hymn text for Christmas from Timothy Dudley-Smith. You might try singing it to LASST UNS ERFREUEN (All Creatures of Our God and King).  http://www.hymnary.org/tune/lasst_uns_erfreuen

If your congregation is more accustomed to singing in a contemporary style, why not use David Crowder’s setting of that tune (All Creatures of Our God and King)? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cObXwn-EgGY 

Hear How the Bells of Christmas Play

Hear how the bells of Christmas play!
Well may they ring for joy and say,
   O praise him!  Alleluia!
God has fulfilled his promised word,
born is our Saviour and our Lord,
O praise him!  O praise him!
   Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Let all the waiting earth rejoice,
lift every heart and every voice,
   O praise him!  Alleluia!
Sing now the song to angels given,
Glory to God in highest heaven!
O praise him!  O praise him!
   Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

As through the silence of the skies
shepherds in wonder heard arise,
   O praise him!  Alleluia!
So may we hear again with them
songs in the night at Bethlehem,
O praise him!  O praise him!
   Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

All nature sang at Jesus' birth,
Hail the Creator come to earth!
   O praise him!  Alleluia!
Sun, moon and shining stars above,
tell out the story of his love,
O praise him!  O praise him!
   Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Hear how the bells of Christmas play!
Well may they ring for joy and say,
O praise him!  O praise him!
   Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
Come now to worship and adore,
Christ is our peace for evermore,
            O praise him!  Alleluia!

~ written by Timothy Dudley-Smith, and published in Beneath a Travelling Star. Words copyright © 1987 Hope Publishing Company. If you use this hymn in worship, be sure to report it on your CCLI license.  Text reprinted here by permission.

For many other new song texts for Christmas, visit Hope Publishing Company’s Online Hymnody website. http://www.hopepublishing.com/html/main.isx?sitesec=40.1.0.0