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Christmas Music, Part 3 – Angels We Have Heard On High

Angels We Have Heard On High

Angels We Have Heard On High

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strainsCHORUS:
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song? Chorus

Come to Bethlehem and see
Him Whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee,
Christ the Lord, the newborn King. Chorus

See Him in a manger laid
Jesus Lord of heaven and earth;
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid,
With us sing our Savior’s birth. Chorus

This is a traditional French carol (Les Anges dans nos Campagnes) that was translated into English by Bishop James Chadwick.

This carol commemorates the story of the birth of Jesus Christ found in the Gospel of Luke, in which shepherds outside Bethlehem encounter a multitude of angels singing and praising the newborn child.

In 2009, Andrea Bocelli and David Foster collaborated to produce a Christmas album with a number of other music legends. This is “Angels We Have Heard on High” with choir and orchestra.

 
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Posted by on December 3, 2012 in Christmas Music, Music, Posts of Interest, Videos

 

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Christmas Music, Part 2 – Joy To The World

Joy to the World

Joy To The World

Joy to the World, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King.

Isaac Watts wrote  the words to “Joy to the World” in 1719, based on Psalm 98 in the Bible. The hymn originally glorified Christ’s triumphant return at the end of the age, rather than a song celebrating His first coming. Only the second half of Watts’ lyrics are still used today.

The music was adapted and arranged to Watts’ lyrics by Lowell Mason in 1839 from an older melody which was then believed to have originated from Handel. The name “Antioch” is generally used for the hymn tune.

As of the late 20th century, “Joy to the World” was the most-published Christmas hymn in North America.

 

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Sermon – December 2, 2012

Journey To Bethehem

Advent Sermon Series ~ Journeying to Bethlehem

Each Christmas is a journey!  We make it from wherever we are to the manger.  Mary and Joseph journeyed from Nazareth to Bethlehem on the First Christmas.  What will our journey be like?  Are there helps along the way?  How do we really prepare to receive the King? Let’s see how we might journey together so that this Christmas we find the true reason for the season — the child Jesus!

Dec. 2 Sermon – Mary of Nazareth:  Journey of Faith – Luke 1:26-38

Christmas is about miracles, love, giving, family, friends, presents.  But the first Christmas didn’t have any of these but a miracle and love.  For Mary, Christmas was a surprise that required of her a lot of FAITH.  How many of us would believe an angel?  How could we even know what an angel is and looks like?  And the message, a virgin will birth a baby?  Now that does take FAITH!  Let’s learn from Mary about how FAITH is needed and helps to bring about a holy Christmas for each of us.

This sermon is now available on the Pender Sermon Podcast series and on the home page of PenderUMC.org

 

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The Heavens are Telling

 

The opening verses of Psalm 19 present the heavenly bodies and their movement as a universal witness to the glory of God that is understood by people of every language. The language connects day and night as a continuous presentation. The words suggest energy, strength, joy, and light.

So many of the Psalms and scriptures have been made into wonderful works of classical music.  Franz Joseph Haydn was one of these composers.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” ~ Psalm 19:1 (NIV)

A setting of ‘The Heavens are Telling the Glory of God’ from Haydn’s  Creation.

More about Haydn’s work, The Creation, can be found on Wikipedia

 

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Methodist Trivia Quiz

How much do you know about The United Methodist Church and its history?
Take this quiz to find out just how United Methodist you are!

Start!

 
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Posted by on November 28, 2012 in Posts of Interest

 

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