Music - Sunday, 27 November 2022 – First Sunday of Advent, Year A

Introduction

There are many music choices available each week. You will find music suggestions for each reading drawn from the Lutheran Hymnal, the All Together song books and Together in Song. In addition, we have selected the Top 4 Public Domain hymns, the Top 4 All Together and LHS songs under copyright and the Top 4 Contemporary Music suggestions each week. You may like to mix and match from these lists to suit your context.

Music Suggestions for an Advent Readings and Carols service – click here for both Public Domain and Contemporary song suggestions. A fully stocked service order and PPTS are available on the Service order tab.

Light of the Nations – Advent version

Robin Mann has given permission for congregations to use his song ‘Light of the Nations’ as an Advent song, with suggested verse changes by Claire Kleinig to match the customary Advent Wreath candles of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love.  Simply replace the phrase after Light of the Nations with the suggested phrase.

Light of the nations sight of the blinded
You are our freedom from ev’ry dark prison
Shine Your light on the world
Shine Your light on the world

Advent 1 – hope of the helpless
Advent 2 – peace for the troubled
Advent 3 – joy for the tearful
Advent 4 – love for the lonely

Top 4 Public Domain

If you enjoy traditional hymn singing or your congregation does not have a copyright license, here are our recommended Public Domain hymns for the week:

If a title is hyperlinked, that means that modernised lyrics are available. MP3 backing tracks have been recorded for you to use.

LHS 16 Hail to the Lord's anointed - Backing track
LHS 1 Hark a herald voice is calling - Backing track
LHS 338 Rise my soul to watch - Backing track
LHS 490 O Son of God we wait - Backing track

Top 4 All Together and LHS songs under copyright

Copyright information for the following suggestions has been provided. Please ensure that you are reporting the use of any material under copyright.

AT 20 (green) Come, Lord Jesus, come (CCLI, One Licence)
AT 313 (red) Christ, be our light (One Licence)
AT 221 (orange) They were waiting (CCLI, One Licence)
AT 301 (orange) Prayer for peace (CCLI)

Top 4 Contemporary Music Suggestions

The following songs have been carefully reviewed, and are recommended for use in congregational worship, primarily because they point people to Christ and proclaim the message of his word in music and song for this Sunday in the lectionary cycle. They also fit well with other selection guidelines as highlighted in Tips for song selection and Fact Sheet 6: Music in Worship. While the use of a particular song by a band or organisation is not necessarily an endorsement of that group or the entire body of their work, we recognise that any scriptural song is a Spiritual song that can be used to complement a rich diet of worship for God’s people.

Please note, the hyperlinked Youtube clips are provided to give you a sense of how music can be performed or for personal use. You must always obtain permission from the creators of the music videos and the creators of the song before using clips in worship, unless permission is explicitly stated beneath the video.

We Are One - Emu Music - CCLI by Alanna Glover, Claire Williams
Light Of The World - Lauren Daigle - CCLI by Lauren Daigle, Paul Duncan, Paul Mabury
We Belong To The Day - Emu Music - CCLI by Michael Morrow
Build Your Kingdom Here - Rend Collective - CCLI by Chris Llewellyn, Gareth Gilkeson, William Herron

Song/Hymn suggestions based on the Lectionary readings

First Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5

LHS

16 Hail to the Lord’s Anointed G6
215 Arise, O God, and shine* G9
731 Come, Lord Jesus, come GS (CCLI, One Licence)
738 The night is marching onwards G4 (One Licence)
779 My Lord of light who made the worlds G8 (CCLI, One Licence)

AT

17 Emmanuel: God is with us (One Licence)
20 Come, Lord Jesus, come (CCLI, One Licence)
36 Vine and fig tree (Public Domain)
301 Prayer for peace (CCLI)
313 Christ, be our light (One Licence)
326 Shout for joy (CCLI)
389 Light of the nations (CCLI, One Licence)
409 We are marching in the light of God (Public Domain)

TIS

238 Christ is the world’s true light
275 Hail to the Lord’s anointed
441 Behold! The mountain of the Lord
666 We are marching in the light of God
680 God! as with silent hearts we bring to mind

Second Reading: Romans 13:11-14

LHS

1 Hark, a herald voice is calling!* G7
11 The advent of our King G4
327 Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness* G3
336 ‘Come follow me’, the Saviour spake* (esp vv 1,2,3) G3
338 Rise, my soul, to watch and pray G4
358 Renew me, O eternal light* G3
359 Thee will I love, my strength, my treasure* (esp vv 3,4,6) G6
738 The night is marching onwards G4 (One Licence)
798 Eternal Ruler of the ceaseless round G6 (Public Domain)
819 Wake us, O Lord, to human need GS (contact author)

AT

313 Christ, be our light (One Licence)
315 Drawn to the light (One Licence)
390 Put on love (contact publisher)

TIS

264 Hark! a herald voice is calling
271 The advent of our God
416 Great God, your Spirit, like the wind
616 O day of God, draw near

Gospel Reading: Matthew 24:36-44

LHS

180 Wake, arise, wake, arise (vv 1,4) G4
202 Help us to conquer, Thou Prince ever-living* G3
338 Rise, my soul, to watch and pray G4
342 Watch, my soul, and pray* G4
490 O Son of God, we wait for Thee* G3

AT

187 Help us, Lord (Public Domain)
221 They were waiting (CCLI, One Licence)
303 Stay awake (CCLI, One Licence)
420 Get ready (CCLI, One Licence)

TIS

280 When he comes back

Other Suitable Hymns and Songs:

LHS

–

AT

Emmanuel: God is with us    17
Come, Lord Jesus, come    20
Comfort, comfort    25
Vine and fig tree    36
His name is Wonderful    55
O Mary, don’t you weep    142
Help us, Lord    187
There’ll be peace    220
They were waiting    221
Christ is a-comin’    229
My soul is praising the Lord    260
Soon and very soon    302
When the Lord returns    309
Christ, be our light    313
Come to us    314
Drawn to the light    315
Freedom is coming    355
Light of the nations    389
God has chosen me    402
Get ready    420
God moving    425
Sing out with joy, he is coming    434
When Jesus Christ worked here on earth    450
The world is waiting    453
Your God will come    454
Sing a New Song    468
It was me    499
Patiently waiting for you    502
Advent news    510
New beginning    519
Word of the Father    542
Life Overflowing  619
Advent Lamb of God  648
Lord, now let your servant depart 677
Jesus is beside us  678

TIS

Advent Wreath Songs for Children

TIS 286 ‘Light one candle for hope’. Beginning with just the first verse, sung by the children and then repeated by the congregation, a new verse can be added each week during the lighting of the Advent wreath until the whole song is sung.

TIS 289 ‘Christmas is coming’. The congregration could sing the chorus and the children sing first one verse, then an extra verse every week, as the candles are lit.

Psalms

Psalm 122

TIS 78 Jerusalem our home is a version of this psalm.
The following metrical paraphrase by David Schütz may be sung to the tune of ‘His banner over me is love’, ATN 76. If reproducing this version, please put ‘Words (c) David Schütz’ at the beginning or the end of the psalm.

I was so glad to hear them say:
‘Let’s go up to the house of God.’
Our feet will stand within your walls,
O city of Jerusalem.
Here is a city strong and firm,
where people of the Lord will come
to praise the holy name of God.

Here are the thrones of David’s house,
where justice will be fairly done.
Pray for Jerusalem, that peace
and blessings of the Lord will come.
Peace to Jerusalem and to
the temple of the Lord our God.
For his sake I will seek your good.

Music Resources Vol. 3– Psalm settings: Psalm 122 p210 , Psalm 122 p211

Advice for Musicians

Advice for Congregations Without Musicians

Other Music Resources

LCA Music Resources

Downloadable Hymnal Resources (including downloadable backing tracks and lyric PPTs)
Modernised Hymn Lyrics
Hymnal Index (by tune and scriptural link) 
All Together Index (by tune, scriptural link and theme)
Five Songs of Faith

For further Music Resources click here.

OTHER HELPFUL WEBSITES FOR CHURCH MUSIC

While the LCA does not necessarily endorse the content of these websites, you may find them helpful in your worship planning.

Together to Celebrate: lectionary based song and hymn suggestions from a variety of sources.
Singing from the Lectionary: has song and hymn suggestions based on the RCL from other hymnals.
Song Select: catalogues CCLI licensed music. You can search for more contemporary songs by theme. If your congregation has a paid subscription you can also download sheet music and other resources.
Hymns Without Words: mp3 downloads of hymn tunes.
Metrical Psalms by Dale Schoening : Psalms set to well known hymn tunes.