Every year millions of people all around the world ring in the New Year with resolutions. We vow to start doing this or stop doing that, and everything seems right with the world for about a week – maybe two. Then, inevitably, something goes wrong with our resolutions and we revert back to our old habits and ways and give no more thought to our resolutions until next year roles around. So this year, rather than make more resolutions, I thought I would offer up a New Year’s prayer. Acknowledging that, in myself, I am not capable of keeping resolutions,
Continue reading New Year's Resolutions
In case you missed it earlier this month, the latest Children’s Ministry Think Tank was just published over at Ministry-to-Children.com. I was going to promote it then, but I didn’t want to interrupt the whole Christmas Carol Advent The Think Tank got into the Christmas spirit this month to have a look at what Santa has to do with the holiday. I contributed my thoughts to the question again this installment along with several others involved in Children’s Ministry.
The question for this installment was:
How do you handle the whole issue of Santa Claus in your ministry? How
Continue reading Santa Claus and Children’s Ministry (Children’s Ministry Think Tank)
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
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History
This song was written and performed by Go Fish and appears on their Christmas album called Snow which was released in 2006. We actually kicked off our Christmas Song Advent with a Go Fish song (Christmas With A Capital “C”) and it seems appropriate to end with this one which reminds us that Christmas may be about the birth of Christ, but in the end we must never lose sight of the cross!
Commentary & Analysis
This song isn’t as well known, but I couldn’t think of a better way to finish off this Christmas Carol Advent than with this
Continue reading December 25 – It’s About the Cross (A Christmas Carol Advent)
1 MORE DAY UNTIL CHRISTMAS!
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History
Silent Night was penned in German (Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht) by the Austrian Priest Father Joseph Mohr. The melody was composed by Franz Xaver Gruber, and the song was first performed in the Nikolaus-Kirche (Church of St. Nicholas) in Oberndorf, Austria on December 24, 1818.
Commentary & Analysis
This is one of my favorite Christmas Carols and one of my favorite songs of all time. Interestingly, the whole idea behind this song, a “silent night” is not addressed anywhere in the Bible. There is no indication of atmosphere when Christ was born. More likely, the phrase “silent night,
Continue reading December 24 – Silent Night (A Christmas Carol Advent)
2 MORE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!
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History
“O Holy Night” was originally a French carol (“Cantique De Noel”) was penned as a poem in 1847 by Placide de Roguemaure based on his interpretation of what it would have been like to be present at the birth of Christ based on the account in the Gospel of Luke. The music was composed by Adolphe-Charles Adam. It
Commentary & Analysis
The first verse of this famous Christmas Carol capture the state of the world prior to the birth of Christ (“Long lay a world in sin and error pining”) and at the birth of Christ (“for
Continue reading December 23 – O Holy Night (A Christmas Carol Advent)
3 MORE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!
Video
[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83huFAMOte0&feature=PlayList&p=CFF70EC088CC7224&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=11]
History
This song based on the Hymn “Angels from the Realms of Glory” was written by Bebo Norman for his Christmas CD entitled Christmas…From The Realms of Glory. That CD was released in 2007.
Commentary & Analysis
This month, we have looked at Christmas from the standpoint of shepherds, wise men, Mary, and a spectator in Bethlehem, amongst others. This song tells the story of Christmas from heaven’s perspective. The first verse speaks to the angels from creation to proclaiming the Messiah’s birth. The chorus is a call to the only rightful response to the coming Messiah –
Continue reading December 22 – Come And Worship (A Christmas Carol Advent)
4 MORE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!
Video
[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZ4FK1uXm_U]
History
Mary’s Boy Child was written by Jester Hairston in 1956 and recorded by Harry Belafonte that same year.
Commentary & Analysis
This one is a little more offbeat as Christmas songs go, but I love the very first line in that it reminds us of our source of all truth when it comes to Christmas. No matter what society tries to change the holiday into, not matter what fallacies have come to be accepted because of their inclusion in Christmas songs, no matter how many stories are written are about Santa Claus and his elves, the only
Continue reading December 21 – Mary’s Boy Child (A Christmas Carol Advent)
5 MORE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!
Video
[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDgm87S0WxU]
History
This carol is a traditional English Christmas Carol dating from the 18th century. It was first published in its current form in 1823.
Commentary & Analysis
This song reflects on three of the preeminent events that people think of when they think of Christmas. First, of course, is the birth of Christ. “Born is the King of Israel” is the final line of each and every verse. The first two verses discuss the angels’ appearance to the shepherds in the fields outside of Bethlehem to announce the birth of Jesus. Although this song is fairly faithful to
Continue reading December 20 – The First Noel (A Christmas Carol Advent)
6 MORE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!
Video
[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdLwZCprtkI&feature=related]
History
Written by Chris Eaton, and performed by Amy Grant, this song first appeared on Amy Grant’s second Christmas album titled Home For Christmas released in 1992. On a personal note, it ranks as one of my favorite “contemporary” Christmas songs.
Commentary & Analysis
This song is written from the perspective of Mary. Mary was a young woman told by an angel that she would give birth to the Son of God. She was a young woman who traveled many miles on foot and donkey to travel to Bethlehem to be counted for the census. Although not based
Continue reading December 19 – Mary’s Song (Breath of Heaven) (A Christmas Carol Advent)
7 MORE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!
Video
[Youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbdvo019mgM]
History
This song was written by Charles Wesley and first appeared in print in 1739. The opening verse was originally written as “Hark! how all the welkin rings / Glory to the King of Kings.” The version sung today is different from Wesley original tune mainly due to alterations made by George Whitfield who worked with Wesley. This song is considered one of the “Great Four” Anglican Hymns.
Commentary & Analysis
This song covers many of the same items as previous songs in this Christmas Carol Advent, and rather than regurgitate many of the same themes covered with
Continue reading December 18 – Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (A Christmas Carol Advent)
