Music Notes... From our Music Director

Advent Music

On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry
Announces that the Lord is nigh;
(from hymn 356, Red Hymnal)

The first group of hymns in our hymnal, numbers 355 to 373, contains the hymns which we use to prepare ourselves in church to celebrate Christmas. While the commercial world of shopping malls and TV ads encourages us to use Christmas music to "get in the mood", the Church through the ages has developed its own repetoire of music specifically suitable for the season of Advent. We are fortunate to have contained in our hymnal beautiful poems of faith from many different countries and centuries, including a 9th century hymn (Creator of the Stars of Night #368) and one of the most famous European Advent hymns (Savior of the Nations, Come #372), which we will be singing during this season. If you have the opportunity to spend some quiet time in the church during Advent, consider reading some of the hymns in the Advent section, and use these lovely poems to help you to prepare spiritually for the Feast of Christmas.