Welcome to our first Hymn-sing of Advent! 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!

John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

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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,
Please help me to be kind to other people and help other people
to be kind to me. Help me to be a blessing to someone today.
Amen.

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O Come, All Ye Faithful

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O Little Town of Bethlehem
1868

Hymn Background:

“. . .Bethlehem . . . though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel . . .”
Micah 5:2

As a native of Boston and 9th generation of Puritan stock, Phillips Brooks was a Episcopalian pastor in Philadelphia and Boston. His sermons were topical rather than expositional. Rev. Brooks is considered one of America’s greatest preachers.

While at Philadelphia’s Holy Trinity Church, Phillips at 30 years old, visited the Holy Land. On December 24, 1865, traveling by horseback from Jerusalem, he attended a 5 hour Christmas Eve service at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and was deeply moved. “I remember standing in the old church in Bethlehem close to the spot where Jesus was born, when the whole church was ringing hour after hour with splendid hymns of praise to God, how again and again it seemed as if I could hear voices I knew well, telling each other of the wonderful night of the Savior’s birth.”

Three years later as he prepared for the Christmas season of 1867, he wanted to compose an original hymn for the children to sing during their annual program. Recalling his magical night in the Holy Land, he wrote a little hymn of five stanzas and handed the words to his organist, Lewis Redner and requested he create a new tune for this poem. If it was a good tune, he promised Lewis that he would name it ‘St. Lewis’ after his friend.

Lewis struggled with his assignment, complaining of no inspiration. Finally, on the night before the Christmas program, he awoke with the music ringing in his soul. He jotted down the melody, then went back to sleep. The next day, six teachers and thirty-six children sang “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”

Brooks was so pleased with the tune that he did indeed name it for his organist, changing the spelling to ST. LOUIS, so as not to embarrass him. The fourth stanza which is usually omitted from hymnbooks says:

Where children pure and happy pray to the blessed Child,
Where misery cries out to Thee, Son of the mother mild;
Where charity stands watching and faith holds wide the door,
The dark night wakes, the glory breaks, and Christmas comes once more.

LYRICS

1. O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light.
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

2. For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.
O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth.
Your voices raise to God in praise; and peace to all on earth.

3. How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts the joys of highest heaven.
No ear may hear Christ coming, but in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in.

4, O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin, and enter in; be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us, our God, Emmanuel.

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Hark! The Herald Angels Sing