Dear Song Leaders, Saint Lydia’s celebrates a lengthened Advent season that begins on Sunday, November 6. Here is the music we’ll be singing during that time. Gathering hymn: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” Lamp Lighting hymn: “Creator of the Stars of Night” Table Acclamation: “Vasile Advent Table Acclamation” Prayer Songs: (The usual choices) Post-Cleanup Gathering […]
Most excellent Song Leaders, Here’s a gentle final hymn for Advent, “In the Bleak Midwinter.” The sheet music is here: In-the-bleak-midwinter. And here’s a lovely online recording that gives you the sense of tempo and mood. If it’s within your power to make it snow outside as we sing, by all means, do. 🙂
Hello, Song Leaders! Here’s a lovely hymn of thanks and praise, “For the Beauty of the Earth.” Here’s the sheet music. For the Beauty of the Earth And here’s a video of it performed by organ and choir. Remember that it helps those who are less familiar with the hymn to sing the first verse […]
Hello, Song Leaders! Here’s a final hymn for Advent, “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus.” We’ve set the words to a to a tune you might have sung with the text “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling . . . ” Here’s the sheet music. Come Thou Long Expected Jesus. And here’s a practice recording — Come, Thou […]
Hello, Song Leaders! “Amen Siakudumisa” is a hymn by Stephen Cuthbert Molefe, a South African composer and choir master. The original words are in Xhosa, and we sing it in both Xhosa and English. Xhosa lyrics: Amen siyakudumisa (masithi) Amen siyakudumisa (masithi) Amen, Bawo; Amen Bawo; Amen siyakudumisa. (masithi) English lyrics: Amen, we praise your […]
Hello, Song Leaders! “Creator of the Stars of Night” is a centuries old hymn we’ll be singing as a lamp lighting song during Advent. We’ll be singing it in unison using call and echo. You have two options. Method #1: This is the simplest approach. You, the song leader, sing a line and invite the […]
Hello Song Leaders, Here’s the music will be using for All Saints’ Day, 2016, which we will observe on Sunday, October 30 and Monday, October 31. All Saints’ Day is a time when we remember those who have died, and the service music reflects this theme of remembrance and the strange mixture of wonder, sadness, […]
Hello Song Leaders, “For All The Saints” is a hymn we sing in observance of All Saints Day (which falls on November 1). Here’s a video that will give you a sense of the melody line. Here’s the sheet music we’ll use (you’ll note that it omits some of the verses found in most hymnals […]
Hello, Song Leaders! Here’s a joyful Alleluia refrain from Zimbabwe. We sometimes use it as we are regathering folks as cleanup wraps up. It’s a melody of four short phrases, all using the same word. Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia We loop it over and over. You can also invite hand claps. Here’s a recording from of […]
Hello song leaders, “There Are Angels Hovering Round” is a traditional song that dates at least as far back as the mid-1800s. The mood of the song is gentle and invocational. Watch this video of it being sung at Saint Gregory’s Church in San Francisco to see how the verse lines are cued by the […]