December 21, 2025

The prelude is based on the hymn, "People Look East. The time is near of the crowning of the year", a French tune with words by Eleanor Farjeon, who wrote the words to "Morning has broken", hymn 8.  I think people do know this tune; the setting is by the American contemporary, Robert Hobby.

Our processional hymn is probably the most popular Advent tune,- "O come, O come, Emmanuel", 56, which dates back to the 15th century.  Even older are the words to our Gospel hymn, "Creator of the stars of night", hymn 60.

Our anthem uses the well known English tune, "O Waly Waly", with a text by the American contemporary composer and author of many texts, Shirley W. McRae.  You may feel like singing along with the melody!

During communion we will sing hymn 51, "We the Lord's people", a 20th century hymn, and 475,"God Himself is with us", a much older but I think familiar tune.

Closing, we will sing the popular "Prepare the way, O Zion", hymn 65.  We certainly wouldn't want to go through Advent without singing it!

The postlude is a Paul Manz setting of "Saviour of the nations, cowe" (hymn 54).