Wednesday, December 04, 2013

Worship Wednesdays - The Sounds of Advent

This past Sunday marked the start of the Christian new year - the first Sunday in Advent.

I've always loved this time in the worshiping life of our church. In the madness of shopping, planning, and overwhelming societal obligations, we have the chance to offer something different - a sanctuary, a quiet place to simply relax and prepare for the birth of our Saviour.

This is a time to sing songs filled with longing, anticipation, patience, and perhaps even a little impatience.

This week, I'm sharing a few of our favourite Advent songs and hymns for congregational worship:

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Written in the 12th century, we've welcomed Advent with this song for generations.
This Enya arrangement isn't congregational, but hauntingly beautiful.


Soon and Very Soon

Written by Andrae Crouch, this isn't limited to Advent but certainly suits the season. Sing it simply as a chorus or work it up as a showstopper with all kinds of voices and instrumentations. 


Wait For The Lord


From the Taize community. A beautiful chorus to sing as an Advent meditation.


Come Thou Long Expected Jesus

A classic Advent message written by the great hymn writer, Charles Wesley.
The lyric can be sung to a variety of hymn tunes and effectively played by organ, choir, or band.


What are your favourite Advent songs and hymns?
Please share them in the Comment section below!

Next week, I'll share some of our favourite feature songs - music for soloist, choir, or band to help our congregations relax and reflect on the beauty of the season.


Worship Wednesdays is a weekly series to encourage and equip worship leaders and songwriters. Bookmark this page & visit us every Wednesday!

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