SongBook Hymns & Carols for Advent & Christmastime

TEXT EDITION

Gather around hearth and piano, before cradle and crèche,

and love will grow

St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Parish

Leawood, Kansas

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How To Use this Collection

T HE hymns and carols of Christmas provide a soundtrack for our lives

everywhere in the public sphere as early as October. When we gather for Mass,

however, Christmas hymns and carols are reserved for the time between Christmas

and the Baptism of the Lord. The preceding season of Advent has its own hymns

and carols, but these may not be as familiar to us because part of the preparation for

Christmas involves elders teaching Christmas carols to the young while making other

preparations for Christmas.

The Nativity Project SongBook then, is a collection of hymns and carols for both

Advent and Christmastime. It is offered as an encouragement to use not merely as a

“soundtrack” for life, but to sing seasonal hymns and carols together in community.

Communal (choral) singing of the praise of God is one way that Christ is truly

present in his Church (even when we are at home) and it is the only apostolate (work

of witness) that we do on earth that continues for eternity in heaven.

Try singing hymns and carols at home by yourself as well as with those with whom you live:

While cleaning your home and setting up your Crèche, Advent wreath, or Christmas Tree.

While decorating your home and Christmas Tree, placing your Nativity figurines in your Crèche, baking Christmas cookies, and making or wrapping gifts.

As part of your meal or bedtime prayers or following the prayerful reading of sacred scripture.

As fun alternative to watching TV or isolating with electronic devices, sitting together in front of a fire or gathering around a piano.

Gathering around your Crèche or Nativity scene on Christmas to read together the story of Christmas from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2.

When else might you sing hymns and carols together?

Gather around hearth and piano, before cradle and crèche,

and love will grow

(Paraphrasing John Senior, The Restoration of Christian Culture, Chapter 1)

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Songbook Hymns & Carols for Advent & Christmastime

The following printable editions and sing-along recordings

are available at our parish website:

stmichaelcp.org/songbook

Vol. 1 - Text Only

Vol. 2 - Text and Melody

Vol. 3 - Text and Harmony for singing or piano Accompaniment

Contents

1. Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus ...................... p. 4

2. Comfort, Comfort, O My People ........................ p. 5

3. O Come, Divine Messiah .................................... p. 6

4. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel ............................ p. 8

5. On Jordan’s Bank ............................................. p. 10

6. Savior of the Nations, Come ............................ p. 12

7. The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns ... p. 14

8. Wake, Awake for Night is Flying ...................... p. 15

9. Angels We Have Heard on High ....................... p. 16

10. Away in a Manger ............................................ p. 17

11. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen ....................... p. 18

12. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing .............. p. 19

13. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear ........... p. 20

14. Joy to the World .................................. p. 22

15. Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming ............. p. 23

16. O Come, All Ye Faithful ........................ p. 24

17. Of the Father’s Love Begotten ............. p. 26

18. Silent Night .......................................... p. 28

19. Songs of Thankfulness and Praise ....... p. 30

20. The First Nowell ................................... p. 32

21. We Three Kings of Orient Are .............. p. 34

22. What Child is This ................................ p. 36

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