The Season of Advent – Music – 60.1

Congregational Song in Advent

A change in liturgical seasons creates opportunities to use congregational responses unique to the season and to repeat liturgical responses set to new and different music.

Songs with refrains might be sung refrain only, or stanzas might be used week to week either sequentially or cumulatively.

Lighting of the Advent Candles

• Come, Come Emmanuel GTG 91
• God Is Our Help, Refuge, and Strength GTG 380
• The Lord Is My Light GTG 842
• Bless the Lord GTG 544
• Come Now, O Prince of Peace GTG 103
• He Came Down GTG 137
• Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus (STUTTGART) GTG 83
• Prepare the Way of the Lord GTG 95
• Prepare the Way, O Zion (different stanzas week by week, then all 3 on Advent IV) GTG 106
• People, Look East (refrain only, as an echo/call-and-response) GTG 105
• Muéstranos, Señor / Lord, Let Us See Your Kindness SSS 72
• Restáuranos, oh Dios / Restore Us, O God (refrain only or with stanzas) SSS 72
• Preparen el camino / Make Ready a Highway (refrain only or with stanzas) SSS 76
• Christmas Is Coming (Innkeepers and Light Sleepers, Wild Goose Publications)

These songs might be used in different ways within a Confession-Pardon liturgy, as part of the Call to Confession or the Prayer of Confession, or as a bridge from Confession to Pardon.

Confession

• Comfort, Comfort Now My People (different stanzas week by week, then all 3 on Advent IV) GTG 87
• Be Still and Know That I Am God GTG 414
• O Come unto the Lord (refrain only or with stanza 2) GTG 416
• Forgive Us, Lord / Perdón, Señor GTG 431
• God Is Our Help, Refuge, and Strength GTG 380
• Listen, God Is Calling GTG 456
• Give Us Light GTG 467
• Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior, stanza 1 UMH 351, AAHH 435
• Over My Head AAHH 169 
• I Will Trust in the Lord AAHH 391

Pardon

• Glory to God / Gloria, gloria GTG 583
• Glory, Glory, Glory GTG 584
• Glory to God / Gloria a Dios GTG 585 
• In the Lord I’ll Be Ever Thankful GTG 654
• Do Not Be Afraid (different stanzas week by week, then all 3 on Advent IV) GTG 76
• Peace of God Be with You GTG 448
• Dona nobis pacem GTG 752

Anthems for Children’s Choirs in Advent

• “Advent Carol,” Beth Kenreich, CGA, uni, pno, opt cong (E)
• “Advent Prayer,” Children Sing, Mark Patterson, AF, uni, pno (E)
• “Will You Light a Candle,” Katie Houts, CGA, uni/2 pt, pno, opt hb/hc/cong (ME)
• “Climb to the Top of the Highest Mountain,” Carolyn Jennings, KJO, SATB and uni, pno/org (M)
• “Prepare Ye the Way,” Mark Burrows, CGA, uni/2 pt, pno, hd (ME)

Anthems for Youth Choirs in Advent

• “In the Bleak Midwinter,” Robert Powell, GIA, SAB, pno, vln, vc (ME)
• “Come, Messiah, Come,” Lynn Shaw Bailey and Becki Slagle Mayo, CGA, 2 pt, pno, fl (E)
• “O Magnum Mysterium,” Evan Ramos, BRI, SAB, acap (ME)
• “People, Look East,” John Leavitt, HAL, SAB, pno (M)
• “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus,” Mark Miller, CGA, SAB, pno (ME)
• “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence,” Carlton R. Young, AF, SAB, hb, fc (ME)
• “Creator of the Stars of Night,” Andrew Bruhn, AF, 2 pt, keybd (E)

Handbell Music in Advent

• “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming,” EST IST EIN’ ROS’, arr. Michael Kastner and Kevin McChesney, 3–5 oct, JHS, JHS9304, Level 2
• “The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came,” BASQUE, arr. Jason W. Krug, 3–6 oct, opt 1 oct hc, GMH, GMH350034, Level 3
• “Savior of the Nations, Come,” arr. Joshua Kramer, 3–5 oct, AGEHR, AG35328, Level 2
• “Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending,” BRYN CALFARIA, arr. Susan T. Nelson, 3–6 oct, opt 3–4 oct hc, HOPE, 2253, Level 3+
• “Advent Tidings,” NUN KOMM, DER HEIDEN HEILAND, VENI EMMANUEL, DIVINIUM MYSTERIUM, arr. Matthew Compton, 3–6 oct, opt 2 oct hc, HOPE, 2810, Level 3+
• “Fantasy on Winchester,” WINCHESTER OLD, WINCHESTER NEW, arr. William Bryan Kyle, 3–6 oct, opt 3–5 oct hc, JM, JMG1101, Level 3
• “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” ABERYSTWYTH, arr. Linda R. Lamb, 3–5 oct, opt 3–5 oct hc, opt fl, BP, HB557, Level 3
• “Fantasy on Kingsfold,” KINGSFOLD, arr. H. Dean Wagner, 3–6 oct, opt 3 oct hc, HOPE, 2134, Level 2+

Piano Music in Advent

• “The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came,” GABRIEL’S MESSAGE, The Essential Collection for Christmas, Larry Shackley, HOPE (MA)
• “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus,” HYFRYDOL, Seasonal Sunday Solos for Piano, HAL (ME)
• “Comfort, Comfort Now My People,” GENEVAN 42, The Essential Collection for Christmas, Larry Shackley, HOPE (A)
• “Good King Wenceslas,” TEMPUS ADEST FLORIDUM, Christmas Expressions, Joel Raney, HOPE (A)
• “The Holly and the Ivy / O Christmas Tree Medley,” Christmas Memories, Book 3, Melody Bober, ALF (M)
• “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence,” PICARDY, Visions of Noel, Vicki Collinsworth, LOR (A)
• “Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending,” HELMSLEY, The Church Pianist’s Library, vol. 23, Terry Osman, LOR (MA)
• “Lo, How a Rose,” ES IST EIN’ ROS’, Carols A to Z, Janet Vogt, LOR (MA)
• “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel / Born That We May Have Life,” Medleys for Blended Worship: Complete Collection, Carol Tornquist, ALF (M)
• “Of the Father’s Love Begotten,” DIVINUM MYSTERIUM, Advent, Mark Hayes, LOR (MA)
• “‘Sleepers, Wake!’ A Voice Astounds Us,” WACHET AUF, Emmanuel Shall Come, Gilbert Martin, LOR (MA)

Vocal Solos in Advent

• “I Am Light,” India.Arie, www.musicnotes.com (E)
• “My Lord, What a Mornin’,” The Spirituals of Harry T. Burleigh, H. T. Burleigh, BMP (ME)
• “Ave Maria,” Sing Solo Christmas, René Atkinson, OUP (M)
• “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus,” 10 Hymns and Gospel Songs for Solo Voice, Mark Hayes, ALF (ME)
• “Comfort Ye . . . Ev’ry Valley Shall Be Exalted,” Messiah, G. F. Handel, NOV, tenor (A)
• “What You Goin’ to Name the Baby?” The Story of the Spirituals, Edward Boatner, BMP (M)
• “Mary’s Soliloquy,” What Child Is This? A Christmas Songbook for Voice and Piano, Cecil Effinger, GSH (M)
• “Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion,” Messiah, G. F. Handel, NOV, sop (A)
• “Willkommen, werther Schatz,” Cantata No. 36, Schwingt freudig euch empor, J. S. Bach, BV, bass (A)
• “Bewundert, o Menschen,” Cantata No. 62, Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, J. S. Bach, BV, tenor (A)