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This episode lists my personal favorite new (to me) praise and worship songs that I had discovered in 2012.

Being that when this was recorded, we were still in the Christmas season (which many Christians celebrate until the Feast of the Epiphany, which this year is Jan 6), the episode begins with some worship based off of Christmas Carols.

Every song that made my countdown will have a snippet played, an examination of its lyrical content, a demonstration of how I would play it in a live setting, and my recommendations as to the best places to play these songs.

Each song that made the list is under copyright and thus I am unable to play any of these songs in their entirety on this podcast, until granted such by the copyright holders. But they are under CCLI (Christian copyright licensing incorporated); license holders have permission to display lyrics to these songs for their church services, youth groups, etc. To join CCLI, go to www.ccli.com.

A songsheet is available. Right-click to Download.

Episode Log Times
2:07 – Worship Session (Music and Prayer)
2:27 – Unam Petii a Domino (Chant from Roman Gradual)
4:44 – O Come All Ye Faithful/Angels we Have Heard mashup
9:21 – Silent Night
12:40 – Spoken, Spontaneous Prayer
18:21 – Top Ten List
19:29 – #10 – Sometimes / Where I Belong (mashup)
25:51 – #9 – God I Look to You
29:16 – #8 – Behold Our God
34:34 – #7 – The Everlasting
38:57 – #6 – One Thirst and Hunger
43:30 – #5 – When the Stars Burn Down
48:12 – #4 – Lay Me Down
54:46 – #3 – From Glory to Glory
59.22 – #2 – 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)
1:02:41 – #1 – O The Blood
1:08:30 – Final Comments and Doxology

******************SONGS*******************

UNAM PETII A DOMINO
Roman Gradual

Unam petii a Domino, hanc requiram:
ut inhabitem in domo Domini omnibus diebus vitae meae.

One thing have I asked of the Lord, this I will seek;
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my whole life.

Public Domain

O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL
J.F.Wade, 1751
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!

Sing choirs of angels, sing in exultation
Sing, all ye citizens of heav’n above
Glory to God in the highest!

Public Domain
ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH!
French Carol Melody

Angels we have heard on high
Singing sweetly o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echo back their joyous gains

Glo – ria! in excelsis Deo.
Glo – ria! in excelsis De – o.

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing
Come adore on bended knee
Christ the newborn King.

Public Domain

SILENT NIGHT
Franz Grueber, 1818

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born!

Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy Holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth!
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth!

Public Domain

Top 10 List

#10 – Sometimes by David Crowder / Where I Belong by Jason Ingram and Jason Roy (mashup)
#9 – God I Look to You by Jenn Johnson and Ian McIntosh
#8 – Behold Our God by Jonathan Baird, Meghan Baird, Ryan Baird, and Stephen Altrogge
#7 – The Everlasting by Fellowship Church
#6 – One Thirst and Hunger by Jeremy Riddle
#5 – When the Stars Burn Down (Blessing & Honor) by Jennie Lee Riddle and Jonathan Lee
#4 – Lay Me Down by Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Jonas Myrin and Jason Ingram
#3 – From Glory to Glory by Jackie Francois and Audrey Assad (purchase sheet music here)
#2 – 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) by Matt Redman and Jonas Myrin
#1 – O The Blood by Thomas Miller and Mary Elizabeth Miller

Feel free to leave comments, questions, and/or prayer requests, below
or leave a message at 203/701-7771.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

* How can we retain our joy in the Christmas season even when hard times come?
* How has the person of Jesus Christ utterly changed history?
* How can you come to know Jesus in a personal way, and what will happen when you do so?

This episode is dedicated to the victims, the heroes, the families and the community of Sandy Hook, CT.

*********Episode Log Times***************

1:49 – Worship Session (Music and Prayer)
1:54 – Puer Natus Est Nobis (Chant from Roman Gradual)
5:00 – Joy to the World
7:52 – Ding Dong Merrily on High
10:13 – Hark, the Herald Angels Sing
11:48 – Break Forth, O Beauteous Heav’nly Light
14:38 – The Wexford Carol
20:13 – Go Tell It On the Mountain
22:15 – How Brightly Beams the Radiant Star
24:49 – Noel! Noel!
27:40 – O Holy Night
30:00 – Ring Out Ye Wild and Merry Bells
31:45 – Angels From the Realms of Glory
34:00 – Spoken, Spontaneous Prayer
40:50 – Sharing: Christmas Thoughts
49:18 – Final Comments and Doxology

A songsheet is available for this episode. Right-click here to download.

******************SONGS*******************
PUER NATUS EST NOBIS
Roman Gradual
Puer natus est nobis, et filius datus est nobis
Cujus imperium super humerum ejus:
et vocabitur nomen ejus, magni consilii Angelus.

A child is born to us, and a Son is given for all of us
And the government shall be upon the shoulders of His
And there’ll be given a Name for Him:
Wonder-Counselor Mighty God.

Public Domain

JOY TO THE WORLD
Isaac Watts, 1674-1748; ANTIOCH from George F. Handel, 1685-1759

Joy to the world! The Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King!
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heav’n and nature sing
And heav’n and nature sing
And heav’n and heav’n and nature sing

Joy to the world! The Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat repeat the sounding joy

He rules the earth with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders of His love.

Public Domain

DING! DONG! MERRILY ON HIGH!
Jehan Tabourot (1519–1593); Tr by George R. Woodward
Ding! Dong! Merrily on High,
In heav’n the bells are ringing
Ding dong! verily the sky
Is riv’n with angel singing.

Glo – ria! Hosanna in excelsis.

E’en so here below, below,
Let steeple bells be swungen,
And io, io, io, by priest and people sungen.

Pray you, dutifully prime
Your matin chime, ye ringers
May you beautifully rime
Your evetime song, ye singers.

Public Domain

HARK, THE HERALD ANGELS SING
Charles Wesley

Hark! the herald angels sing:
Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinner reconciled
Joyful all ye nations rise.
Join the triumph of the skies
With th’angelic hosts proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Glory to the Newborn King

Christ by highest heav’n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Come Desire of Nations come
Fix in us Thy humble home
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail th’Incarnate Deity
Pleased with man as man to dwell
Jesus our Emmanuel!

Hail the heav’n-born Prince of Peace
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris’n w healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth.

Public Domain

BREAK FORTH, O BEAUTEOUS HEAV’NLY LIGHT
W: Johann Rist (1641); Tr by John Troutbeck (1885);
M:Johann Schop (1641); harmony by Johann S. Bach (1734)

Break forth O beauteous, heav’nly light
And usher in the morning.
You shepherd, shudder not with afright
But hear the angel’s warning.

This Child, now weak in infancy
Our confidence and joy shall be
The pow’r of Satan breaking,
Our peace eternal making.

Public Domain

THE WEXFORD CAROL
Irish carol, 12th century

Good people all this Christmas time
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending His beloved Son
With Mary holy, we should pray
To God with love, this Christmas Day
In Bethlehem, upon that morn
There was a blessed Messiah born.

The night before that happy tide
The noble Virgin and her guide
Were long time seeking up and down
To find a lodging in the town.
But mark how all things came to pass
From ev’ry door, repell’d alas!
As long foretold, their refuge all
Was but an humble ox’s stall.

Hallelujah, Hallelu-jah.
Hallelujah, Hallelu-jah.

Near Bethlehem, did shepherds keep
Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep
To whom God’s angels did appear
Which put the Shepherd in great fear.
“Prepare and go” the angels said,
“To Bethlehem, be not afraid.
For there you’ll find this happy morn,
A princely babe, sweet Jesus born.”

With thankful heart and joyful mind
The Shepherds went the babe to find
And as God’s angel had foretold
They did our Saviour Christ behold.
Within a manger He was laid
And by His side, the Virgin maid
Attending on the Lord of life
Who came on earth, to end all strife.

There were three wise men from afar
Directed by a glorious star
And on they wandered night and day
Until they came where Jesus lay.
And when they cam unto that place,
Where our Beloved Messiah laid.
They humbly cast them at His feet
With gifts of gold and incense sweet.

Public Domain

GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN
African-American Spiritual

When I was a seeker
I sought both night and day
I asked the Lord to help me
And He showed me the way

Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born!

He made me a watchman
Upon the city wall
And though I am a Christian
I am the least of all

Public Domain

HOW BRIGHTLY BEAMS THE RADIANT STAR
Philipp Nicolai 1556-1608, Tr: William Mercer 1605-75, Harm. by J.S. Bach

How brightly beams the morning star!
What sudden radiance from afar
Doth glad us with its shining?
The ray of God that breaks our night
And fills the darken’d souls with light
Who long for truth we’re pining
Thy Word, Jesus, truly feeds us
Rightly leadus us, Life bestowing

Through Thee alone can we be blest
Then deep be on our hearts imprest
The love that Thou hast borne us
So make us ready to fulfill
With burning zeal Thy holy will
Though men may vex or scorn us
Saviour, Jesus, never lose Thee
For we choose Thee, thirst to know Thee.
All we are and have we owe Thee!

O praise to Thee who came to save
You conquered death and burst the grave
Each day new praise resoundeth
You are the Lamb who once was slain
the Friend whom none shall trust in vain
Whose grace always aboundeth
Sing, you heavens: tell the story of His glory
Till His praises flood with light earth’s darkest places.

Public Domain

NOEL! NOEL!
Traditional French-English Carol

Noel! Noel! Good news I tell,
And eke a wonder story
A virgin mild hath borne a child,
Jesus the King of glory!

Public Domain

O HOLY NIGHT
W:Placide Cappeau (1808-1877), Tr: Placide Cappeau (1808-1877),
M:Adolphe-Charles Adam (1803-1856)

O Holy Night! The Stars are brightly shining
It is the night of the dear Saviour’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope the weary world world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn

Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine! O night when Christ was born
O night divine! O night O night divine!

Public Domain

RING OUT YE WILD AND MERRY BELLS
Words: unknown; M: C. Maitland
source: Carols old and Carols New (1916)

Ring out, ye wild and merry bells
Ring out the old, old story
That first was told by angel tongues
From out the realms of glory.
Peace on earth was their sweet song, glory in the highest!
Echoing all the hills away, glory in the highest!

Ring sweet bells, ring evermore
Peal from ev’ry steeple.
Christ the Lord, shall be our God
And we shall be His people.

Ring out ye silv’ry bells, ring out
Ring out your exultation
That God with man is reconciled.
Go tell it to the nations.
Therefore let us all today, glory in the highest!
Banish sorrow far away, glory in the highest!

Public Domain

ANGELS FROM THE REALMS OF GLORY
James Montgomery (1816), Henry Smart (1867)

Angels from the realms of glory
Wing your flight o’er all the earth
Ye who sang creation’s story
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth.

Come and worship, come and worship
Worship Christ the newborn King.

Shepherds, in the field abiding
Watching o’er your flocks by night
God with man is now residing
Yonder shines the infant Light.
Sages leave your contemplations
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of Nations;
Ye have seen His natal star.

Saints, before the altar bending
Watching long in hope and fear.
Suddenly the Lord, descending
In His temple shall appear.

Public Domain

Feel free to leave comments, questions, and/or prayer requests below or leave a message at 203/701-7771

Did you know that Nick Alexander is available for keynotes? For comedy? For worship? For teaching about the faith?
Learn about what Nick Alexander can bring to your community, youth rally, keynote or event: http://www.nickalexander.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

This episode is dedicated to the victims, their families, and the heroes of Sandy Hook Elementary School. I will continue to pray and listen.

• What has been our Advent progress these last few days, in the midst of Christmas preparations?
• Why has A Christmas Story become so strongly loved during this season?
• It is a funny movie; but aren’t there other funny Christmas movies out there?
• It’s a quotable movie; but are there other highly-quotable Christmas movies?
• Is the film popular because it represents an America that no longer exists?
• Two Major Advent Themes:

1. Every single material gift in this world–no matter how wonderful–will always fail to fully satisfy our deepest longings. (Heaven is our home, where nothing will ever disappoint us).
2. How are the dual themes of judgment and mercy shown in this film?

• We need to be ready for the judgment we all will receive; we need to be right with God.
• This Christmas, we can ask God to come alive for us, reveal Himself to us, expecting that our lives will be changed.

A songsheet is available for personal use. Right-Click “Save As” to download.

***********SONG OF THE WEEK***********
Lyric Study and Guitar Workshop
The Everlasting
by Fellowship Church
Copyright (c) 2011 Creality Publishing, Inc. and Fellowship Church.

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqaU7piEIdA

***************Log Times******************
3:05 – Worship Session (Music and Prayer)
3:30 – Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates
6:10 – Watchman Tell Us Of the Night
8:12 – O Come O Come Emmanuel (6th & 7th verses)
10:51 – Hope In the Lord
15:21 – Creator Of the Stars of Night
17:36 – Laudem Domini
19:05 – Spoken, Spontaneous Prayer
26:48 – Song of the Week: The Everlasting by Fellowship Church
(lyric study and guitar workshop)
32:55 – Sharing: Advent IV and “A Christmas Story”
48:44 – Final Comments and Doxology

******************SONGS*******************

LIFT UP YOUR HEADS, YE MIGHTY GATES
George Weissel, 1642 (Based on Psalm 24)

Lift up Your heads, ye mighty gates
Behold the King of glory waits!
The King of Kings is drawing near
The Savior of the world is here.

O blest the land, the city blest
Where Christ the ruler is confest!
O happy hearts and happy homes
To whom the King of triumph comes!

Fling wide the portals of your heart
Make it a temple, set apart
From earthly use for heav’ns employ,
Adorned with prayer and love and joy.

So, come my sov’reign, enter in!
Let new and nobler life begin;
Thy Holy Spirit guide us on
Until the glorious crown be won.

Public Domain

WATCHMAN TELL US OF THE NIGHT
John Bowring, 1825, Joseph Parry 1879

Watchman, tell us of the night
What its signs of promise are
Trav’ler o’er yon mountain height
See that glory beaming star.
Watchman does its beauteous ray
Aught of joy or hope foretell?
Trav’ler yes: it brings the day
Promised day of Israel

Watchman, tell us of the night
Higher yet that star ascends
Trav’ler blessedness and light
Peace and truth its course portends
Watchman will its beams alone
Gild the spot that gave them birth?
Trav’ler ages are its own
See, it bursts o’er all the earth.

Watchman, tell us of the night
For the morning seems to dawn
Trav’ler darkness takes its flight
Doubt and terror are withdrawn
Watchman let thy wandrings cease
Hie thee to thy quiet home
Trav’ler, lo! the Prince of Peace
Lo! the Son of God is come!

Public Domain

O COME O COME EMMANUEL
veni veni Emmanuel, Latin 9th cent.; tr. by John Neale, 1818-1866

O Come Thou Dayspring from on high.
And cheer us by Thy drawing night.
Disperse that gloomy clouds of night
And put death’s dark shadows to flight

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to Thee, O Israel.

O Come Desire of Nations bind
In one the hearts of all mankind
Bid thou our sad divisions cease
And by Thyself our King of peace.

Public Domain

HOPE IN THE LORD
Robert Filoramo, Jr.

Our Lord is the eternal God
Creator of the ends of the earth
He does not grow faint nor grow weary
And His knowledge is beyond compare

He gives strength unto the fainting
For the weak He makes vigor abound
Though young men may faint and grow weary
And though, they stumble and fall

They that hope in the Lord
will renew their strength
They will soar as with the wings of eagles
They will run and never grow weary
They will walk and never faint

Copyright (c) 1990 Robert Filoramo, Jr. and Koinonia Academy Press; Used by Permission. www.bobfiloramo.com
CREATOR OF THE STARS OF NIGHT
Latin, 9th century; Tr. by John M. Neale

Creator of the stars of night
Thy people’s everlasting light
Jesu, Redeemer, save us all
And hear your servants as we call

Thou grieving at the ancient curse
Should doom to death the universe
Has found the medicine full of grace
To save and heal the ruined race

Thou cames the Bridegroom of the Bride
As drew the world the evening tide
Proceeding from a Virgin shrine
The Spotless Victim all divine

At Whose dread Name, majestic now
All knees must bend, all hearts must bow
And things celestial Thee shall own
And things terrestrial, Lord alone.

O Thou Whose coming is with dread
To judge and doom the quick and dead
Preserve us while we dwell belo
From every insult of the foe.

To God the Father, God the Son
And God the Spirit, Three in One
Laud, honor, might and glory be
From age to age eternally.

Public Domain

LAUDEM DOMINI
Roman Gradual

Laudem Domini Loquetur os meum:
The praises of the Lord are spoken from lips of mine.

Public Domain

*********************************
Feel free to leave comments, questions, and/or prayer requests below,
or leave a message at 203/701-7771

Did you know that Nick Alexander is available for keynotes? For comedy? For worship? For teaching about the faith?
Learn about what Nick Alexander can bring to your community, youth rally, keynote or event: http://www.nickalexander.com

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

A songsheet is available for this episode.  Right-click and select Save-As to copy to your local drive.

***************SHOW NOTES***************
• What has been our Advent progress these last few days, in the midst of Christmas preparations?
• Why has this story captured our hearts?
• A Christmas Carol is a fundamentally religious work.
• In what ways does pre-conversion Ebeneezer Scrooge sound almost logical in today’s society? Is he hypocritical at any point?
• How are government programs (helpful that they are) woefully inadequate in solving major social problems?
• How have self-help experts used “A Christmas Carol” to enact personal transformation in one’s life?
• Three Steps:
1) Take a good hard look at where you are today, and the milestones in your life that brought you to this point.
2) If we were to continue the path we are on, where will we be in the future?
3) Knowing the course we are on, what adjustments would we have to make in order to be assured we will go to where we want to go?
• We all need to change in some area; we are not perfect. What areas would we need to change in order to prepare ourselves for Christmas?

Episode Log Times
2:45 – Worship Session (Music and Prayer)
2:58 – Gaudete In Domino Semper
4:25 – God Will Come to Save Us
8:25 – O Come Divine Messiah
11:25 – O Come O Come Emmanuel (4th & 5th verses)
13:04 – Saviour of the Nations Come
16:10 – Waiting For Your Love
23:13 – Spoken, Spontaneous Prayer
27:18 – Song of the Week: Prepare the Way
(lyric study and guitar workshop)
32:40 – Sharing: Advent III and Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”
49:36 – Final Comments and Doxology

***********SONG OF THE WEEK***********
Lyric Study and Guitar Workshop
Prepare the Way
by Charlie Hall and Louis Giglio
Copyright (c) 2002 worshiptogether.com music

******************SONGS*******************

GAUDETE IN DOMINO SEMPER (PHIL 4:4)
Roman Gradual
Gaudete in Domino semper: Iterum dico, gaudete

O rejoice in the Lord always And again I say rejoice!

Public Domain

GOD WILL COME TO SAVE US
Nick Alexander

Say unto the anxious, do not be afraid!
God will come to save us, surely He will save us.
Say unto the broken, do not be afraid!
God will come to save us, surely He will save us.
Say unto the hurting, do not be afraid!
God will come to save us, surely He will save us.

Say unto the pris’ner, do not be afraid!
God will come to save us, surely He will save us.
Say unto the homeless, do not be afraid!
God will come to save us, surely He will save us.
Say unto the orphans, do not be afraid!
God will come to save us, surely He will save us.

Our God, He will come
And He will come to save us, He will vindicate
So be strong, be strong
God will come to save us, do not be afraid. Don’t fear.

Copyright (c) 2005 by Nick Alexander

O COME DIVINE MESSIAH
Abbe Simon-Joseph Pellegrin, 1663-1745;
tr. by S. Mary of St. Philip 1877

O Come Divine Messiah,
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph
And sadness flee away.

Dear Savior, haste!
Come, come to earth.
Dispel the night and show Your face,
And bid us hail the dawn of grace. (v.1).

O Come Desired of nations,
Whom priest and prophet long foretold
Will break the captive fetters
Redeem the long-lost fold.

O Come, in peace and meekness,
For lowly will Your cradle be:
Though clothed in human weakness
We shall Your God-head see.

Public Domain

O COME O COME EMMANUEL
veni veni Emmanuel, Latin 9th cent.;
tr. by John Neale, 1818-1866

O Come O Rod of Jesse’s stem.
From ev’ry foe deliver them.
That trust Your mighty power to save
And give them vic’try o’er the grave.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to Thee, O Israel.

O Come O Key of David come
And open wide our heav’nly home.
Make safe the way that leads on high
And close the path to misery.
Public Domain

SAVIOUR OF THE NATIONS, COME
Asc. to St. Ambrose, 340-397; tr. by William Reynolds 1812-1876
1. Saviour of the nations, come
Virgin’s Son make here thy home!
Marvel now, O heav’n and earth
That the Lord chose such a birth

2. Not by human flesh and blood
By the Spirit of our God
Was the Word of God made flesh
Woman’s Offspring, pure and fresh.

3. Wond’rous birth! O wond’rous Child
Of the Virgin undefiled!
Mighty God and man in one
Eager now His race to run!

4. God the Father is His source
Back to God He runs His course
Down to death and hell descends
God’s high throne He re-ascends.

5. Thou, the ageless Father’s peer
Gird Thy might in mortal gear
Take on flesh to rout the wrong
Make our flesh in frailty strong.

6. Now Your lowly manger bright
Hallows night with newborn light
Let no night this light subdue
Let our faith shine ever new.

7. Praise to God, the Father, sing
Praise to God, the Son, our King
Praise to God the Spirit be
Ever and eternally.
Public Domain

WAITING FOR YOUR LOVE
Nick Alexander
Jesus, I am here, waiting for Your love
Jesus, I am here, waiting for Your love

1. I cannot go to the mountaintop
I cannot go to the sea
In my abode, I wait for You
Please meet me.

2. You said that You’d come if only I’d wait for You
You said that I’d find if only I’d seek
You can open the door that I find so hard to unlock
Please meet me.

Jesus, here I wait. Please don’t hesitate.
I know Your Word is true.
So Lord, draw me to You.

Copyright (c) 1998 by Nick Alexander Music.

Referenced in the Program:
Michael Hyatt’s Life Plan

Feel free to leave comments, questions, and/or prayer requests below
or leave a message at 203/701-7771

Did you know that Nick Alexander is available for keynotes? For comedy? For worship? For teaching about the faith?
Learn about what Nick Alexander can bring to your community, youth rally, keynote or event.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

A download of the songsheet is available. Right-Click here and select “Save As”.

******************SONGS*******************

O COME O COME EMMANUEL
veni veni Emmanuel, Latin 9th cent.; tr. by John Neale, 1818-1866

O Come O Wisdom from on high.
Who order’st all things mightily
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

O Come O come great Lord of might
Who to Your tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law,
In cloud, and majesty, and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to Thee, O Israel.

Public Domain

WAKE, AWAKE FOR NIGHT IS FLYING
Philipp Nicolai, 1556-1608; Tr. by Catherine Winkworth

1. “Wake, awake, for night is flying,”
The watchmen on the heights are crying;
“Awake, Jerusalem, arise!”
Midnight hears the welcome voices
And at the thrilling cry rejoices:
“Oh, where are ye, ye virgins wise?
The Bridegroom comes, awake!
Your lamps with gladness take! Hallelujah!
With bridal care, yourselves prepare
To meet the Bridegroom, who is near.”

2. Zion hears the watchmen singing,
And all her heart with joy is springing,
She wakes, she rises from her gloom;
For her Lord comes down all-glorious,
The strong in grace, in truth victorious,
Her Star is ris’n, her Light is come.
“Now come, Thou Blessed One,
Lord Jesus, God’s own Son, Hail! Hosanna!
The joyful call, we answer all
And follow to the nuptial hall.”

3. Now let all the heav’ns adore Thee,
Let men and angels sing before Thee,
With harp and cymbal’s clearest tone.
Of one pearl each shining portal,
Where, dwelling with the choir immortal,
We gather round Thy radiant throne.
No vision ever brought,
No ear hath ever caught such great glory;
Therefore will we, eternally
Sing hymns of praise and joy to Thee.

Public Domain

COME DOWN, O LOVE DIVINE
Bianco da siena, d. 1434, Tr. R.F. Littledale, 1867
R. Vaughn Williams, 1906

Come down, O Love divine, Seek thou this soul of mine
And visit it with thine own ardor glowing
O Comforter, draw near, Within my heart appear,
And kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.

O let it freely burn, Till earthly passions turn
To dust and ashes in its heat consuming;
And let thy glorious light, Shine ever on my sight,
And clothe me round, the while my path illuming.

And so the yearning strong, with which the soul will long,
Shall far outpass the power of human telling.
For none can guess its grace, Till He become the place
Where in the Holy Spirit makes His dwelling

Public Domain

HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED WONDERFUL
J. Sibellius; Words Unknown

His Name, His Name, shall be called Wonderful
His Name, His Name, shall be called Counselor
The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father
The Prince of Peace, through all eternity.
The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father
The Prince of Peace, through all eternity.

Copyright Unknown
DOMINE, MISERICORDIAM TUAM
Roman Gradual

Domine, misericordiam tuam
Et Salutare tuum da nobis.

O Lord, show forth Thy mercy unto us
And the salvation of Yours, grant to us.

Public Domain

***********SONG OF THE WEEK***********
Lyric Study and Guitar Workshop
So Come
by Kevin Prosch and Tom Davis
Copyright (c) 1991 Mercy Publishing & 1991 Michael Thomas Publishing

YouTube

***************SHOW NOTES***************

• What has been our Advent progress these last few days, in the midst of Christmas preparations?
• How far can one tolerate a person’s eccentricities before they perceive that person to be a threat?
• This is the rare film that shows how one man’s unique claims becomes a threat to the corporate culture, politicians, and the justice department.
• “Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to.” What do you think of this statement?
• It is a grave disservice to “faith” to relegate it to “We have to believe, otherwise life would become unbearable.”
• In what ways does the radical claims of Jesus have veracity even to today?
• “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 ; What does this verse mean to you?
• Who was the real St. Nicholas? When did he live? What great accomplishments did he do? What actions of his led to some of the traditions of today?
• What are examples of commercialism that do not interfere with the meaning of the Christmas season? What are some companies that truly care for those in need, both through philanthropy and through addressing the concerns of their patrons?
• Are there people in your area in great need during this time? How can you help assist them, without attribution?

Episode Log Times
1:34 – Worship Session (Music and Prayer)
1:57 – O Come O Come Emmanuel (2nd verse)
4:52 – Wake, Awake For Night Is Flying
9:41 – Come Down, O Love Divine
12:10 – His Name Shall Be Called Wonderful
14:37 – Domine, Misericordiam Tuam
16:26 – Spoken, Spontaneous Prayer
21:05 – Song of the Week: So Come (lyric study and guitar workshop)
26:52 – Sharing: Advent II and “Miracle on 34th Street”
43:17 – Final Comments and Doxology

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