From RevKev, Pender’s Former Associate Pastor – “As it was, so it is, Christmas about Jesus. We are all distracted by the glitz and festivities, but let us hear the sound of Angels and the call to worship our Newborn King.
Just in time for Christmas, a gift from God to you: A baby in a manger who would love us through and through..”
In Honor of Charles Wesley ‘s birthday today. Wesley (1707-1788), the younger brother of John Wesley wrote the words to this Christmas Carol.
Charles was a hymn writer and a poet, also known as one of the people who began the Methodist movement in the Church of England. Hark the Herald Angels Sing appeared in 1739 in a book called Hymns and Sacred Poems.
Wesley envisioned this being sung to the same tune as his hymn, Christ the Lord Is Risen Today, and in some hymnals it is included along with the more popular version.
This hymn was regarded as one of the Great Four Anglican Hymns and published as number 403 in “The Church Hymn Book” (New York and Chicago, USA, 1872).
To celebrate the invention of the printing press, Felix Mendelssohn composed a cantata in 1840 called Festgesang or “Festival Song”. The melody of Mendelssohn’s cantata was then used by William H. Cummings and adapted it to the lyrics of Wesley’s “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”.
Hark the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled”
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
“Christ is born in Bethlehem”
Hark! The herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!”
And, of course, no one can do it better than The Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Spiritual Sunday — Happy 2nd Week of Advent!
On this second Sunday of Advent, as we think about the coming of Christ, we light the purple candle of peace. We take time to reflect on God’s peace that he supplies to us without end in Jesus.
Also tomorrow:
Location: Pender United Methodist Church, 12401 Alder Woods Drive, Fairfax, VA US 22033
Outdoor Communion will be held for the Traditional Service at 1:00 pm.
Communion will be held for the Common Ground Contemporary Service at 2:00 pm.
At 3:00 pm there will be a Live Stream Communion for those who cannot attend the Outdoor Communion. No signup necessary but please have grape juice and bread ready.
Please note that communion services cannot be recorded for later viewing.
The 2020 Pender UMC Advent calendar contains images, video and text for each day of Advent.
Check it out each day for family activities, Advent information, music or just for fun.
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