When will it stop..... God rest ye merry Advent wreath

I'm going to stop doing this. No really I am.  but I may spend the evening leafing through Carols for Choirs....... another Advent candle lighting song - to God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

We light an Advent candle to show us the way
to find the Christ child waiting in a manger on the hay.
The mothers and the fathers of our faith all point the way.
O glory to God in heav’n and peace on earth
O glory to God in heav’n.
 
We light an Advent candle to show us the way
to find the Christ child waiting in a manger on the hay.
The prophets foretold long ago that bright and glorious day
O glory to God in heav’n and peace on earth
O glory to God in heav’n.
 
We light an Advent candle to show us the way
to find the Christ child waiting in a manger on the hay.
“The Kingdom now is close” said John, “Believe, repent today!”
O glory to God in heav’n and peace on earth
O glory to God in heav’n.
 
We light an Advent candle to show us the way
to find the Christ child waiting in a manger on the hay;
For Mary mother of our Lord her “yes” to God did say
O glory to God in heav’n and peace on earth
O glory to God in heav’n.
 
We light our Christ-light candle to show us the way
And we have found the Christ child in a manger on the hay;
And now we raise our voices with the angel host to say
O glory to God in heav’n and peace on earth
O glory to God in heav’n.

In case I hadn't made this obvious I'm happy for people to use these if they are of any help at all.  I'd appreciate being credited if you do use any of the words on here. 

Sing Something Simple 2 - Away in a Christingle

Lots of Christingle songs are very long - and set to very bouncy (sometimes stompy) tunes.  Now I know everyone does Christingle differently - but for the last few years I've combined it with a crib service, twice, on Christmas Eve.  I don't know about you but when we've just revealed the nativity, arrived with awe and wonder at the manger - stompy and bouncy aren't the mood I'm after.  We used to light our candles, turn down the lights and sing "Hope of Heaven".  The grown ups didn't know it the first year we used it.  I could feel the wave of disgruntlement as I played the intro on the piano and they turned to look at words they didn't know.  The thing was, the children at our local Infant School had learned it. It was quite a thing as the children began to sing their hearts out.  You can find that here https://shop.childrenssociety.org.uk/digital-christingle-hymns-songs.html 

After a few years though the school's Christmas repertoire changed - and on the basis that I didn't want to be the only one singing the Christingle song, I couldn't find one online I liked, and I wanted to give the disgruntled some familiarity back - I wrote this to sing to Away in a Manger. 

Christingles are shining they show us the way

to understand all God is doing today.

They light up our darkness and teach us to give

that the blessings we know can help everyone live.

 

The world is the orange, creation God gave

for us to take care of and nurture and save.

The fruit and the sweets all good things the earth gives

to share all together so everyone lives.

 

The ribbon is Jesus, the life that he gave

He loves us so much he came back from the grave.

His love is a challenge to care for the poor

to pray and act always if we can do more.

 

Christingles are shining they show us the way

to understand all God is doing today.

They light up our darkness and teach us to give

that the blessings we have can help everyone live.

Sing Something Simple - The Advent Candles

Back into lockdown for the second time - and back to focussing on pre-recording worship to broadcast on YouTube and Facebook live. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDnuuwT-yGPu8EbkjpxlcWg?reload=9 

Planning our Advent liturgy I suddenly realised I needed a song for the lighting of the Advent candle that was simple, easy for folks to follow/pick up even if they aren't looking at a service sheet, and that I wouldn't feel like a complete fool singing on my own as I record the services on my own.

So there's going to be a few. This one is set to "Be still and know" which has an 888 metre. I've tried to keep it simple while making it week by week specific too (Patriarchs/Matriarchs, Prophets, John, Mary).  In another context I think I'd just sing one stanza a couple of times - or encourage singing is as a round. 

Advent 1
We light a candle on this day
We know the Lord is on the way
We know the Lord is on the way.
 
The fathers and mothers of our faith
Declare the Lord is on the way
Declare the Lord is on the way.
 
We light a candle on this day
We know the Lord is on the way
We know the Lord is on the way.
 
Advent 2
We light a candle on this day
We know the Lord is on the way
We know the Lord is on the way.
 
The prophets told the Christ would be
A king of peace for you and me
A king of peace for you and me
 
We light a candle on this day
We know the Lord is on the way
We know the Lord is on the way.
 
 
Advent 3
We light a candle on this day
We know the Lord is on the way
We know the Lord is on the way.
 
Believe, repent, the Kingdom’s near
Baptiser John told what is here
Baptiser John told what is here
 
We light a candle on this day
We know the Lord is on the way
We know the Lord is on the way.
 
Advent 4
We light a candle on this day
We know the Lord is on the way
We know the Lord is on the way.
 
For Mary mother of our Lord
You carried Jesus, Saviour, Word,
You carried Jesus, Saviour, Word.
 
We light a candle on this day
We know the Lord is on the way
We know the Lord is on the way.
 
Christmas Day
We light Christ’s candle on this day
We celebrate this Christmas Day
We celebrate this Christmas Day
 
With angels now we sing our praise
One with us yet born to save
One with us yet born to save
 
The bright star shines to show the way
The longed-for Lord is here today.
The longed-for Lord is here today.

More to follow - as I have just found last year's Christingle song to Away in a Manger!