Notes on the Notes – December 8, 2024 – Advent 2

Second Sunday of Advent
Peace 

This week’s music:

“We Raise a Song of Advent Praise:

“We raise a song of Advent praise, expectant hope proclaim,
For God who has in Christ once come, comes to us yet again.

The wilderness shall burst in flower, the streams shall overflow,
When God shall bless the earth with love, when God shall bring us home.

The two-fold call, “Rejoice, repent,” the message for this day,
That we may ready heart and house for God who comes to stay.

For poor and helpless such as we, the Saviour Christ is born;
With Mary we both wait and pray and sing, in faith and hope.

What joy in one small baby’s cry, the promise now fulfilled,
When God shall in an infant’s form be in the earth revealed.

Sing alleluia, O my soul, sing praise to God alone,
For in the advent of the Lord, creation is made whole.”

The words for this week’s opening hymn were written by Flora & Wayne and focus on the messages of Isaiah and John the Baptist. We will be using the hymn tune WINCHESTER OLD (published in 1592), also known as the tune for the English carol, “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night.”

Hear Mantovani and his orchestra at: https://youtu.be/dhrHIEgtNkc

“Light a Candle” (verse 2)

“Light a candle for peace in the darkness.
Souls content, we know you are near;
Advent watching and waiting for Jesus,
God with us, resolving our fears,
Emmanuel, peace is here;
Peace 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.

“Come, Come Emmanuel” (MV #11)

“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.

“All Earth is Waiting” (VU #5)

“All earth is waiting to see the Promised One,
and open furrows await the seed of God.
All the world, bound and struggling, seeks true liberty;
it cries out for justice and searches for the truth.

Thus says the prophet to those of Israel,
“A virgin mother will bear Emmanuel.”
One whose name is “God with us,” our Saviour shall be,
through whom hope will blossom once more within our hearts.

Mountains and valleys will have to be made plain,
open new highways, new highways for our God,
Who is now coming closer, so come all and see,
and open the doorways as wide as wide can be.

In lowly stable the Promised One appeared.
Yet, feel that presence throughout the earth today,
For Christ lives in all Christians and is with us now;
again, on arriving, Christ brings us liberty.”

This song comes from Catalonia, in Spain.  Both the words and music were written by Alberto Taule, a Catholic priest, in 1972.  The English translation and arrangement were prepared for the United Methodist Hymnal in 1989.   The theme of a captive world awaiting liberation through the coming of the Saviour is a familiar one to Latin America, where this hymn has become very popular. The words reference the words of the prophet Isaiah, as well as John the Baptist, who proclaims the coming of the Messiah.

Hear the hymn sung by the UCUP Choir at: https://youtu.be/rdUMZNymIgQ 

Hear the song in the original Spanish at:  Toda la Tierra

“Prepare the Way”

“Prepare the Way, prepare the Way,
A flame is burning bright.
For Jesus Christ is coming,
In Love and Truth, and Light.

We are the pathways, winding roads,
Hearts will be opened, love will grow.
We are the rough roads, smoothed and slow,
And the valleys that fill and the mountains made low.

Prepare the Way, prepare the Way,
A flame is burning bright.
For Jesus Christ is coming,
In Love and Truth, and Light.

We are the people God made one,
We are beloved every one.
We are the earth, the stars, the sun,
We’re preparing the way for the Wonder to come.

Prepare the Way, prepare the Way,
A flame is burning bright.
For Jesus Christ is coming,
In Love and Truth, and Light.

For Jesus Christ is coming,
In Love and Truth, and Light.”

This week’s anthem has words and music by Pat Mayberry (arranged by David Kai).  It was written in 2021. Through the lyrics Pat Mayberry compares us to the rough roads and valleys from the Gospel reading.  In preparing for the coming of Jesus, we need to open our hearts to God’s love.

“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.”

“When Hands Reach Out” (MV #169)

“When hands reach out beyond divides and hope is truly found,
Each chain of hate will fall away and bells of peace shall sound.
And bells of peace, of peace shall sound, and bells of peace shall sound,
Each chain of hate will fall away and bells of peace shall sound. 

When fear no longer guides our steps and days of war are done,
God’s dream for all shall live anew; our hearts will heal as one.
Our hearts will heal, will heal as one, our hearts will heal as one.
God’s dream for all shall live anew; our hearts will heal as one.

When race and creed blind us no more, a neighbour’s face we’ll see,
And we shall dance the whole world round, for love will set us free.
For love, yes love will set us free, for love will set us free,
And we shall dance the whole wolrd round, for love will set us free.”

The lyrics for this hymn of unity, peace and love are by Keri Wehlander, an author, hymn lyricist, liturgical dancer and leader of retreats and workshops. In this time of global uncertainty, God’s peace is the dream for the world and for each other.  The tune, SALEM, is from the 1854 edition of Southern Harmony.

Hear the hymn recorded by Andrea LeBlanc at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MNjjTgA_cI

“May the God of Hope Go With Us” (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.