Welcome to our Advent Hymn-sing! We look forward this month to featuring various carols as well as a weekly story behind one of the carols. Keep hoping and keep singing this Advent!

Acts 5:31 – “God exalted Him to His right hand as Prince and Savior, in order to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.”

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For “littles” and “young at heart”

Prayer of Service:

(Feel free to say each line and have your child repeat what you say or say it as you pray together.)

Dear God,
Help my family and others in my school see
and feel You in me today.
Amen.

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Jump For JOY!

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Away in a Manger

Hymn Background:

“And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!”
Luke 2:13-14

This carol is a favorite of many at Christmastime and one of the best known carols in America. It was first published in the late 19th century but the origins are still being discussed. Up until the 20th Century, it was believed the carol was the work of German reformer Martin Luther which led the carol to be named ‘Luther’s Cradle Song’. But historians are not sure as none of Luther’s writings mention the song and no German text for the carol has been found from earlier than 1934. Some suggest that it was likely a poem written and presented in a church play about Martin Luther during the 400th celebration of his birth in 1893.

It is now believed the carol was printed in the Evangelical Lutheran Sunday School collection “Little Children’s Book for Schools and Families”, which was published in 1885.

The best known melody’s origin is murky as well. It is documented that Jonathan Spilmen composed it in 1837 and also to Williams Kirkpatrick in 1895. And yet another popular version is said to be by James Murray and was first published in 1887’s “Dainty Songs for Little Lads and Lasses”. There are three different melodies that are found in current hymn and carol books.

The first publications had only 2 verses. Some Christian leaders refuse to sing this carol because of the lyrics “the little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes” believing that a key aspect of the Incarnation is that Jesus entered into our world to suffer.

Bishop William F. Anderson gives the background of how the creation of the 3rd verse came about. In 1906 his neighbor Dr. John T. McFarland was asked to write an additional stanza. He went to his office and within the hour created this: “Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay. . . .”

LYRICS

(Traditional Melody)
1. Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,
the little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

2. The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.
I love thee Lord Jesus, look down from the sky,
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

3. Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven to live with thee there.

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Away in a Manger
(non-traditional melody)

Sometimes when we hear a very familiar tune our ears tend to focus more on that than the text. So I included a version of the same text but with a different melody. Would love to hear your reactions to this change good, bad or otherwise. (kimpianoward@gmail.com)

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The First Noel
**“Noel” is a short form of Hebrew “NORAD EL” meaning “born of EL” or born of God.**