Sunday, 30 November 2014

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

SONG: O COME, O COME EMMANUEL

Artist: Choir of Wellington Cathedral
Words/Music: Anon trans Neale/Anon arr Carter
Recording: HERALD JAVPCD 224

O come, O come Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel
Shall come to thee,
O Israel!

O come, Thou Branch of Jesse's tree,
Free them from Satan's tyranny
That trust Thy mighty pow'r to save,
And give them vict'ry o'er the grave. [Refrain]

O come, Thou Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight. [Refrain]

O come, thou 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. [Refrain]

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai's height
In ancient times didst give the Law
In cloud and majesty and awe. [Refrain]

SONG: COME, THOU LONG-EXPECTED JESUS

Artist: Choir of Methodist Central Hall, Westminster
Words/Music: C Wesley/Anon
Label: Abbey 280828

Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy 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 every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
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.

SONG: PEOPLE LOOK EAST

Artist: The Linden Singers
Words/Music: Farjeon/Trad
Recording: Private CD 813

People, look east. The time is near
Of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
Trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the guest, is on the way.

Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim
One more light the bowl shall brim,
Shining beyond the frosty weather,
Bright as sun and moon together.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the star, is on the way.

Angels, announce to man and beast
Him who cometh from the east.
Set every peak and valley humming
With the word, the Lord is coming.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Lord, is on the way.

SONG: LOOK TOWARDS CHRISTMAS

Artist: NZ Secondary Schools Choir
Words/Music: Murray/Bray
Recording: NZ Hymnbook Trust 941001

Look towards Christmas! Advent is here:
welcome December, changing the year.
Whistle up, shepherds! Saddle up, kings!
Chorus up angels, flexing your wings.
Sing, sing alleluia!
Sing, sing alleluia!
Sing, sing out the story,
sing about hope and peace.

Set the world singing, make the world glad;
now is good reason not to feel sad!
Hear John the Baptist shout to prepare:
Good News is coming, earth be aware.
Sing, sing, sing alleluia!
Sing, sing alleluia!
Sing, sing, sing out the story,
sing about hope and peace.

Mary and Joseph, soon is the day:
ready the donkey, start on your way.
You are the chosen, willing to trust,
joyful your burden, carrying Christ
Sing, sing alleluia!
Sing, sing alleluia!
Sing, sing out the story,
sing about hope and peace.

SONG: E’EN SO, LORD JESUS, QUICKLY COME

Artist: Kansas City Chorale
Words/Music: R Manz/P Manz
Recording: Nimbus NI 5568

Peace be to you and grace from Him
Who freed us from our sins,
Who loved us all and shed His blood
That we might saved be

Sing Holy, Holy to our Lord
The Lord, Almighty God,
Who was and is and is to come;
Sing Holy, Holy, Lord!

Rejoice in heaven, all ye that dwell therein,
Rejoice on earth, ye saints below,
For Christ is coming, is coming soon,
For Christ is coming soon!

E’en so, Lord Jesus, quickly come,
And Night shall be no more:
They need no light nor lamp nor sun,
For Christ will be their All!

SONG: ES IST EIN ROS’ ENTSPRUNGEN

Artist: London Brass
Words/Music: Anon harm. Praetorius
Recording: Warner Classics

SONG: LOVE DIVINE, ALL LOVES EXCELLING

Artist: Choir of Westminster Abbey
Words/Music: C Wesley/Rowlands
Label: Hyperion 712801

Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of heaven to earth come down;
Fix in us thy humble dwelling;
All thy faithful mercies crown!
Jesus, thou art all compassion,
Pure unbounded love thou art;
Visit us with thy salvation;
Enter every trembling heart.

Come, almighty to deliver,
Let us all thy life receive;
Suddenly return and never,
Never more thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve thee as thy hosts above,
Pray and praise thee without ceasing,
Glory in thy perfect love.

Finish, then, thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be.
Let us see thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.

SONG: HILLS OF THE NORTH REJOICE

Artist: Guildford Cathedral Choir
Words/Music: Oakley/Shaw
Label: Word WSTCD 9705

Hills of the North, rejoice;
River and mountain spring,
Hark to the advent voice;
Valley and lowland, sing;
Though absent long, your Lord is nigh;
He judgment brings and victory.

Isles of the southern seas,
Deep in your coral caves
Pent be each warring breeze,
Lulled be your restless waves:
He comes to reign with boundless sway,
And makes your wastes His great highway.

Lands of the East, awake,
Soon shall your sons be free;
The sleep of ages break,
And rise to liberty.
On your far hills, long cold and gray,
Has dawned the everlasting day.

Shores of the utmost West,
Lands of the setting sun,
Welcome the heavenly guest,
in whom the dawn has come;
High raise the note, that Jesus died,
Yet lives and reigns, the Crucified.

Shout, while ye journey home;
Songs be in every mouth;
Lo, from the North we come,
From East, and West, and South.
City of God, the bond are free,
We come to live and reign in thee!

SONG: CHRIST WHOSE GLORY FILLS THE SKIES

Artist: St Michael’s Singers
Words/Music: C Wesley/Smart
Label: Kingsway KMCD 891

Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ, the true, the only light,
Sun of righteousness, arise,
Triumph o’er the shades of night;
Dayspring from on high, be near;
Day star, in my heart appear.

Dark and cheerless is the morn
Unaccompanied by thee;
Joyless is the day’s return
Till thy mercy’s beams I see;
Till they inward light impart,
Glad my eyes, and warm my heart.

Visit then this soul of mine,
Pierce the gloom of sin and grief;
Fill me, radiancy divine,
Scatter all my unbelief;
More and more thyself display,
Shining to the perfect day.