Notes on the Notes – November 28, 2021

First Sunday of Advent

Hope

This Week’s Music:

“Light a Candle”

“Light a candle for hope in the darkness.
Minds at rest, we know you are near;
Advent watching and waiting for Jesus,
God with us, redeeming the years,
Emmanuel, hope is here;
Hope is here!”

This beautiful new Advent song was written by Lisa Waites in 2018.

“Once in Royal David’s City” (VU #62)

“Once in royal David’s city stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her baby in a manger for his bed.
Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.

He came down to earth from heaven who, with God, is over all,
And his shelter was a stable, and his cradle was a stall.
There among the poor and lowly lived on earth our Saviour holy.

For he is our lifelong pattern; daily, when on earth he grew,
He was tempted, scorned, rejected, tears and smiles like us he knew.
Thus he feels for all our sadness, and he shares in all our gladness.

And our eyes at last shall see him, through his own redeeming love;
For that child who seemed so helpless is our Lord in heaven above;
And he leads his children on to the place where he is gone.”

“Once In Royal David’s City” is a Christmas carol originally written as a poem by Cecil Frances Alexander. The carol was first published in 1848 in Miss Cecil Humphreys’  “Hymns for little Children.”  A year later, the English organist Henry John Gauntlett discovered the poem and set it to music.   Since 1919, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols at the King’s College Chapel Cambridge has begun its Christmas Eve service, with Dr Arthur Henry Mann’s arrangement of “Once in Royal David’s City” as the processional hymn.

See some of the younger members of Libera sing this hymn in 2018:

“Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” (VU #2)

“Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set they people free:
From our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee.

Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art,

Dear desire of every nation, joy of ever longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver; born a child and yet a king;
Born to reign in us for ever; now thy gracious kingdom bring.

By thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone;
By thine all-sufficient merit raise us to thy glorious throne.”

Charles Wesley published this hymn in 1744. He intended it as a Christmas hymn, but its theme of awaiting the arrival of the long-expected redeemer makes it suitable for Advent as well. Like so many of Wesley’s texts, “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” alludes to one or more Scripture passages in virtually every phrase. The double nature of Advent is reflected in this text, in which we remember Christ’s first coming even while praying for his return. Stanzas 1 and 2 recall Advent prophecies in the Old Testament; stanza 3 speaks of Christ’s birth and kingdom, and stanza 4 is a prayer for Christ’s rule in our hearts.

Hear the hymn at:  https://youtu.be/huHEA3n1Lu8

“Hope is a Star” (VU #7 v. 1)

“Hope is a star that shines in the night,
Leading us on till the morning is bright.
When God is a child there’s joy in our song.
The last shall be first and the weak shall be strong,
And none shall be afraid.”

We will be using one verse of this hymn by Brian Wren for each week of Advent. The words of the song will be reflected in our Advent art work.  Brian Wren wrote this hymn for Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Chicago in Advent 1985.  The tune MOON BEAMS was composed for Wren’s text by Joan Collier Fogg in 1987.

“Longing for Light”

“Longing for light, we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, we turn to you.
Make us your own, your holy people,
Light for the world to see. 

Longing for peace, our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, many despair.
Your word alone has power to save us.
Make us your living voice.

Many the gifts, many the people,
Many the hearts that yearn to belong.
Let us be servants to one another,
Making your kingdom come.

Christ, be our light!
Shine in our hearts. 
Shine through the darkness.
Christ, be our light!
Shine in your church gathered today. 

This week’s anthem was written by Bernadette Farrell in 1993 and expresses our longing for the light of God to come into our lives, and through us, go into the world.

“O Little Town of Bethlehem” (VU #64)

“O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by;
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light;
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

 For Christ is born of Mary; and gathered all above,
While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth,
And praises sing to God the King, and peace to all on earth.

How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts the blessed gift of heaven.
No ear may hear his coming; but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still the dear Christ enters in.

O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in; be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel.”

The text for “O Little Town of Bethlehem” was written by Phillips Brooks (1835–1893), an Episcopal priest, Rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia. He was inspired by visiting the Palestinian city of Bethlehem in 1865. Three years later, he wrote the poem for his church and his organist, Lewis Redner, added the music. Redner’s tune, simply titled ST. LOUIS, is the tune used most often for this carol in the United States and Canada.

See Sarah McLachlan sing this carol at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyPMDD8fGeA

Sing along at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpHY3jU27dc

Hear the song “Bethlehem” by Chris Tomlin at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZesKpNv11U0 

“There’s a Song of Love”

“There’s a song of hope in my heart;
Hope is a gift from Jesus.
There’s a song of hope in my heart;
Hope is a gift from God.
Alleluia!  Hope in my heart is singing praises.
Alleluia!  Hope is a gift from God.”

Our benediction response for the season of Advent was written by Handt Hanson (1996) with piano adaptation by Henry Wiens.

Bonus video: