Music for the Second Sunday of Advent, Year C: December 8, 2024

HOLY COMMUNION SETTING

St. Mark's expresses a change of seasons through color and music. You may have noticed last Sunday that all our hymns were Advent themed - to support the "propers" of the day. (Propers are the texts that change daily. Most notable are the readings and the Prayer of the Day.)

Last Sunday, our musical changes included a change to the sung setting of Holy Communion. This setting comes from "This Far by Faith," an African American worship resource published by Augsburg Fortress. "This Far by Faith is celebrating its 25-year anniversary this year!

We're using Setting One, also called "River of Life." Tilis Butler wrote this musical setting. I have not been able to learn much about him except that he worked for the Detroit Board of Education for 35 years, as well as being a composer.

This setting features lush chords that support the texts, rather than allowing the style to overshadow them.

OPENING VOLUNTARY An Advent Meditation David Lasky

This musical meditation includes three Advent Hymns: "Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus" (Hyfrydol) ELW 254; "Savior of the Nations, Come" (Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland) ELW 263; and "Come Now, O Prince of Peace" (Ososo) ELW 247

Last Sunday I found a package in the choir room with a note that included the words "Perhaps your office could use an Advent wreath." Well, not my office, but it's sitting on the piano in the choir room and we will light it at the end of each rehearsal when we say our closing prayer.
Thanks to Gregg and Linda K. for this thoughtful gift!

GATHERING HYMN Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus

ELW pairs this Charles Wesley text with the tune "Jefferson," but today we sing it to the Welsh tune "Hyfrydol." This is one of Wesley's 9,000+ hymns! Ordained in 1735 as an Anglican priest, he and his brother, John, were the founders of the Methodist Church.

The hymn speaks of the Messiah as "Israel's strength and consolation," but reminds us he is also the "dear desire of every nation." This second phrase calls to mind the voice of the prophet Haggai in Haggai 2:7.

I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come. . . (NIV)

PSALM

Occasionally, the psalm isn't from the book of Psalms. Today's psalm comes from Luke's gospel. Often called the "Benedictus" or "Canticle of Zachariah," it's also part of ELW's Morning Prayer service - which is where the setting we sing this morning can be found.

HYMN OF THE DAY On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry (Puer nobis) ELW 249

This hymn echoes much of the gospel reading. In the first two stanzas, we sing of John the Baptist and his proclamation that the one who brings salvation is near. Our response to his call is to be cleansed from sin so that we can better be prepared to receive Christ.

The next two stanzas are addressed to Christ. We hail him as Savior, acknowledge our need for grace. We ask him to bring healing - not just to our bodies, but to our souls. Our response to the favor he shows us is to live lives that fills the world with divine love - the love of God.

The doxological stanza that ends the hymn is one of thanksgiving to Christ, who wins freedom for us by his coming.

MUSICAL OFFERING Lift Up Your Heads, O Gates David von Kampen

The text is from Psalm 24:7. A Christian read of the psalm recalls Jesus' triumphal coming into Jerusalem. This reminds us of a future coming, when "he shall come to judge the living and the dead." Thus, it's well-suited to the season of Advent.

Von Kampen's setting makes use of a fun, baroque-styled interlude that lends a joyful moment to our worship.

O Lord, How Shall I Meet You (Wie soll ich dich empfangen) ELW 241

How do we welcome Christ? The meaning is two-fold when we sing this hymn in the context of communion. First, we have the Advent element of welcoming Jesus, but then at communion we acknowledge his true presence in the elements, another way he comes to us.

Stanzas 2 and 3 take on very personal language. "Love brought you down to ME. . . Your thirst for MY salvation procured MY liberty."

The fourth stanza (Paul Gerhardt originally wrote 10 stanzas) is an invitation to all who are living in a sinful state to join in our rejoicing at our Lord's appearing. Christian hymnody often speaks of heaven as "home," and this stanza ends with a prayer that Jesus would guide us there. 

SENDING HYMN All Earth Is Hopeful (Toda la tierra) ELW 266

CLOSING VOLUNTARY He Came Down setting, David Lasky
How do you take and African folk song and translate into an organ postlude? David Lasky adds rhythmic flourishes that result in a sort of theme and variations where the tune is straightforward in each iteration, but the accompanying flourishes add some playful pizazz.

He has little to do with Advent, but this fella lives 20 steps from St. Mark's.
I thought he deserved a little love!

Sources:

Wikipedia!
Hymnal Companion: Evangelical Lutheran Worship (Augsburg Fortress)
Lutheran Service Book Companion to the Hymns (Concordia Publishing House)