Hymns for Advent and Christmas (Year A)

Presbyterian hymn writer, Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, composed Advent hymns based on the lectionary Scriptures set to familiar Christmas tunes and other well-loved hymns.

Your hymn purchase includes downloads of  a PDF of the lyrics scored with the music for a half-page regular sheet of paper, a second PDF of the lyrics scored with music for a half-page of legal-sized paper (large print) and a document with lyrics only. You have permission to print as many copies as needed for your use.

Advent wreath hymn

“The Candle of Hope”  is a new hymn that is not geared to the lectionary passages. This new hymn follows the themes of each of the Sundays in Advent: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. If you light Advent candles as part of your worship during the season, then this hymn is ideal!

The words are set to the familiar tune of “O Worship the King, All Glorious Above.”

The Candle of Hope (preview of full hymn text)
“The candle of hope we light in this hour,
proclaims that the Lord is coming in power.
We wait for a future, now hidden from view,
when Christ in his glory will make all things new.”

LYONS 10.10.11.11 (“O Worship the King, All Glorious Above”)
Hope: Matt. 24:36–44, Mark 13:24–37; Peace: Isa. 11:1–10, Luke 1:68–79, Isa. 2:4; Joy: Luke 1 46b–55; Love: John 3:16–17, Luke 1:26–38, Matt. 1:18–25; Christ: Luke 2:1–20, John 1:1–14, Titus 3:4–7

Click here to purchase “The Candle of Hope” for $10.

Advent hymn – package 1

• No One Knows the Day or Hour
• Did Your Parents Pray at Table?
• “Are You the One Who Is to Come?” (CORONATION tune)
• Joseph Was Troubled
• All of You Who Walked in Darkness
• Bonus: A Savior Born, A Gift of Joy & A New Father, Awe-Stuck

Purchase package 1 for $50

Advent hymn – package 2

• Here’s a Promise We Can Count On!
• When John the Baptist Preached
• “Are You the One Who Is to Come?” (ST. LOUIS tune)
• Joseph Heard the Troubling News
• When Mary Hugged Her Newborn Son
• Bonus: A Savior Born, A Gift of Joy & A New Father, Awe-Stuck

Purchase package 2 for $50

First Sunday of Advent — December 1, 2019

No One Knows the Day or Hour (preview of full hymn text)
Matthew 23-25
IRBY 8.7.8.7.7.7 (“Once in Royal David’s City”)
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Here’s a Promise We Can Count On! (preview of full hymn text)
Isaiah 2:1-5
W ZLOBIE LEZY  4.4.7.4.4.7.4.4.4.4.7 (“Infant Holy, Infant Lowly”)
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Second Sunday of Advent — December 8, 2019

Did Your Parents Pray at Table? (preview of full hymn text)
Matthew 3:1-12
NETTLETON 8.7.8.7.D  (“Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”)
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When John the Baptist Preached (preview of full hymn text)
Matthew 3:1-12
VENITE ADOREMUS 10.10.10.10  (“The Snow Lay on the Ground”)
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Third Sunday of Advent — December 15, 2019

“Are You the One Who is to Come?” (CORONATION) (preview of full hymn text)
Matthew 11:2-11
CORONATION  (“All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name”)
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“Are You the One Who is to Come?” (ST. LOUIS) (preview of full hymn text)
Matthew 11:2-11
ST. LOUIS 8.6.8.6.7.6.8.6 (“O Little Town of Bethlehem”)
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Note: These are two different hymns (different tunes and different lyrics) with the same name and based on the same Scripture.

Fourth Sunday of Advent — December 22, 2019 

Joseph Was Troubled (preview of full hymn text)
Matthew 1:18-25
ADELAIDE (“Have Thine Own Way, Lord”)
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Joseph Heard the Troubling News (preview of full hymn text)
Matthew 1:18-25
TEMPUS ADEST FLORIDUM 7.6.7.6 D (“Gentle Mary Laid Her Child”)
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Blue Christmas/Longest Night

How Can We Sing a Joyful Song? (free download)
O WALY WALY 8.8.8.8 (“Though I May Speak”)
A hymn for a Blue Christmas service.

Christmas Eve

O God, Your Grace Has Now Appeared (preview of full hymn text)
Luke 2:1-20
WINCHESTER OLD CM (“While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks”)
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Christmas Day

All of You Who Walked In Darkness (preview of full hymn text)
Isaiah 9:2-7
MENDELSSOHN 7.7.7.7.7.7  (“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”)
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When Mary Hugged Her Newborn Son (preview of full hymn text)
Luke 2:19; Luke 2:8-20; Matthew 2:1-12
TALLIS’ CANON LM (“All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night”)
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Bonus Hymns – FREE with purchase of hymn package

 A Savior Born, A Gift of Joy
O WALY WALY LM  (“Though I May Speak”)

Note: This hymn celebrates that God’s gift of Jesus Christ to the world is a gift of joy — a joy that we as a church are called to share with those who are in need.  The third and fourth verses refer to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Christmas Joy Offering.  Half of the receipts of this offering go to Presbyterian-related racial ethnic schools and the other half provides assistance for current and retired church workers and their families who are in need.  Churches of other denominations that are not receiving the Christmas Joy Offering may still wish to use verses one, two and five as a hymn of dedication of their special Christmas gifts.

A New Father, Awe-Struck
Luke 2:1-20; 22-24; Leviticus 12:6; Matthew 2:13-18; Luke 1:46-55; Matthew 25:31-46; Micah 6:8.
MUELLER   11.11.11.11  (“Away in a Manger”)

Note:  This hymn begins with a traditional image of a manger scene, and becomes a prayer that we may look deeper — at our loving God who chose to come into this world as someone who was poor, powerless, in danger and a refugee.  It is a prayer for the church to work for justice as our gift to Jesus.