Notes on the Notes – December 22, 2024

Fourth Week of Advent

Love

This week’s music: 

“O Come, All Ye Faithful” (VU #60)

“O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

God of God, light of light,
Lo, he abhors not the virgin’s womb;
Very God, begotten, not created:
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord. 

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above;
Glory to God in the highest;
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him,
O come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

See how the shepherds, summoned to His cradle,
Leaving their flocks, draw nigh with lowly fear;
We too would thither bend our joyful footsteps.
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning;
Jesus, to thee be glory given;
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.”

The original four verses of “O Come All Ye Faithful” were discovered in an eighteenth century Jacobean manuscript with John Francis Wade’s signature.  At one time historians believed that Wade had simply discovered an ancient hymn by an unknown author, possibly St. Bonaventura, a thirteenth century Italian scholar.  Further examination, however, has led many to believe that Wade wrote both the words and music of this hymn himself.  The lyrics are a celebration of the birth of Jesus.

Wade, a Catholic who sympathized with the Jacobite cause in England, created several masses that promoted the return of exiled Catholics to the country of England. Interestingly, the “Jacobite manuscript” including an original copy of “O Come All Ye Faithful,” was one such mass. Printed in the margins of the song, Wade had called on faithful Jacobites to come together and rally against the English throne.

As exiled Catholics returned to England, they took Wade’s hymn with them. And in 1841, the words were translated into English (from Latin). A copy of Wade’s hymn was also sent to the Portuguese chapel in London, where the Duke of Leeds heard it and introduced it to a group of concert singers he conducted. From there it circled the globe, becoming one of our most well loved Christmas hymns.

See the carol in worship at Westminster Abbey:  https://youtu.be/l1wHyMR_SCA

Hear Frank Sinatra sing the carol at:  https://youtu.be/NczzSYC-s10

See Pentatonix’s interpretation of the carol at:  https://youtu.be/Mj7Pr42rliI

“Light a Candle” (verse 4)

“Light a candle for love in the darkness,
Hearts content, we know you are near;
Advent watching and waiting for Jesus,
God with us, your purpose is clear,
Emmanuel, love is here;
Love is here! “

This beautiful new Advent song was written by Lisa Waites in 2018. Each week we will be using a different verse as we light the candles in the Advent wreath. This week we light the candle of love.

“Come, Come Emmanuel” (MV #11)

“Come, come Emmanuel. Come, Emmanuel.
Come, come Emmanuel. Come, Emmanuel.”

This gentle chant will be used as our response to the Words of Assurance during the season of Advent. It was written by James J. Chepponis in 1995.

“My Soul Cries Out” (MV #120)

The text of the hymn we are singing today is a paraphrase of Luke 1:46-55, the Magnificat text,  Mary’s song of praise.  It is one of the eight most ancient Christian hymn texts.   In the narrative, after Mary greets her cousin Elizabeth, who is pregnant with John the Baptist, the child moves within Elizabeth’s womb. When Elizabeth praises Mary for her faith, Mary sings what is now known as the Magnificat in response,  praising God, who, through her child, will change the world. It is a joyful text, full of hope for a time of change in a dismal world.

“My soul cries out with a joyful shout that the God of my heart is great,
And my spirit sings of the wondrous things that you bring to the ones who wait.
You fixed your sight on your servant’s plight, and my weakness you did not spurn,
So from east to west shall my name be blest.
Could the world be about to turn?

Though I am small, my God, my all, you work great things in me,
And your mercy will last from the depths of the past to the end of the age to be.
Your very name puts the proud to shame, and to those who would for you yearn,
You will show your might, put the strong to flight,
For the world is about to turn.

From the halls of power to the fortress tower, not a stone will be left on stone.
Let the king beware for your justice tears every tyrant from his throne.
The hungry poor shall weep no more for the food they can never earn;
There are tables spread, every mouth be fed,
For the world is about to turn.

Though the nations rage from age to age, we remember who holds us fast;
God’s mercy must deliver us from the conqueror’s crushing grasp.
This saving word that our forebears heard is the promise which holds us bound,
‘Till the spear and rod can be crushed by God,
Who is turning the world around.

My heart shall sing of the day you bring.
Let the fires of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near,
And the world is about to turn!”

“Calypso Lullaby”

“On a clear and starry night, on a hillside far away,
Shepherds saw a golden light, and they heard the angels say:
“Alleluia, shout for joy,” – sweet music fills the sky.
The heavens ring while angels sing a Christmas lullaby.

Sleep, sleep, sleep, little one, rest your head,
Dream of peace on earth in your manger bed.

Angels filled the evening sky and with joy began to sing:
“Glory be to God on high! Let the bells of heaven ring!”
“Alleluia, shout for joy,” –sweet music fills the sky.
The heavens ring while angels sing a Christmas lullaby.

It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold.
“Alleluia, shout for joy,”—sweet music fills the sky.
The heavens ring while angels sing a Christmas lullaby.

Sleep, sleep, sleep, little one, rest your head,
Dream of peace on earth in your manger bed.

“Alleluia, shout for joy,”—sweet music fills the sky.
The heavens ring while angels sing a Christmas lullaby.
A Christmas lullaby.”

This week’s anthem is based on “Mary’s Little Boy Child” by Jester Hairston and is arranged by Joel Raney.  By combining the lively Jester Hairston classic with additional new text and a beautiful lullaby setting, Joel Raney has crafted a spirited Christmas celebration. The calypso rhythms provide a joyful expression of the angels’ song, “Alleluia, shout for joy,” alongside an original cradlesong, “Sleep little one, rest your head.”  Raney also includes a portion of “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” which fits with the Hairston tune.

“In this Advent Time of Waiting”

“In this Advent time of waiting may we serve the Prince of Peace.
Share our gifts with those around us, joy and hope in all increase.
Dream the vision, tell the story, healing bring to those in need.
Share the promises once more, Christ is near, who came before.”

Our offering response for the season of Advent will be sung to a variation of the traditional Polish carol, W ZLOBIE LEZY, known in English as the carol “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly.”

“Angels We Have Heard on High” (VU #38)

“Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply,
Echoing their joyous stains.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Come to Bethlehem and see
Christ whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ, the Lord, the newborn King.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

See him in a manger lain,
Whom the choirs of angels praise;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
While our hearts in love we raise.
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!”

Many years ago shepherds in the hills of southern France had a Christmas Eve custom of calling to one another, singing “Gloria in Excelsis Deo,” each from his own hillside. The traditional tune that the shepherds used may have been from a late Medieval Latin chorale. It became the magnificent chorus of “Angels We Have Heard on High.”

See the boys choir Liberia perform at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7MTjm6UYYA

See the fascinating Piano Guys at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n543eKIdbUI

See Andrea Bocelli and chorus at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5iaV989_5M

“May the God of Hope” (VU #424)

“May the God of hope go with us every day,
Filling all our lives with love and joy and peace.
May the God of justice speed us on our way,
Bringing light and hope to every land and race.
Praying, let us work for peace,
Singing, share our joy with all,
Working for a world that’s new,
Faithful when we hear Christ’s call.”

We will be using the first verse of this hymn as our Advent benediction response.  It was written in 1984 by Alvin Schutmaat, an American Presbyterian musician, theologian, and educator who taught in South America and Mexico.   An educator, theologian and administrator, he used the arts to communicate the gospel.   “May the God of Hope” is a song of blessing, justice and peace.  The tune is an Argentine folk melody chosen by Alvin Schutmaat for his text.