Singing Advent Versus Singing Christmas
It's almost here -- the annual controversy over whether or not we should sing Christmas songs during Advent. For some congregations, it's not an issue; they have usually found a solution in one of these three:
- Advent is for Advent songs; Christmas is for Christmas songs.
- The congregation makes free use of Christmas songs during all of Advent.
- There is some level of compromise in which certain Christmas carols and songs are reserved for later in Advent.
But for many other congregations, it is a controversy that must be confronted yearly. Everywhere but in the church, the Christmas season begins with Thanksgiving and ends somewhere within the first few days after Christmas Day, or perhaps New Year's Day. Worshipers don't understand why some in the church insist on faithfully observing Advent to explore those themes, Scriptures, and hymns, when all around them there are parties, concerts, shopping, wrapping, decorations, Santa Claus, and everywhere, carols, carols, carols.
We have made available a number of articles on the Discipleship Ministries worship website to help congregations maneuver through this controversy, including the following:
If you are a pastor or musician who wants to sing Advent hymns in Advent, here are five excellent Advent hymn texts from the 1964 Methodist Hymnal or the 1989 United Methodist Hymnal that have been set to music of familiar Christmas hymns. They may be copied or inserted into your worship bulletin. All five hymns are available on the Discipleship Ministries website:
- "The King Shall Come," using ANTIOCH ("Joy to the World")
- "Watchman, Tell Us of the Night," using MENDELSSOHN ("Hark! the Herald Angels Sing")
- "The People That in Darkness Sat," using CHRISTMAS ("While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night")
- "Lo, He Comes with Clouds Descending," using REGENT SQUARE ("Angels from the Realms of Glory")
- "Of the Father's Love Begotten," using W ZLOBIE LEZY ("Infant Holy, Infant Lowly")
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