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Christmas Hymn – Long shadows fell across the floor

Long shadows fell across the floor – the first Christmas

1 Long shadows fell across the floor,
the sign of early morning light,
as Jesus gasped a human breath
and stars were fading from the night.

2 His parents waited for this dawn,
a dawn of love, of faith and grace.
But could a little baby boy
be God born in this horrid place?

3 The angels heralded such hope:
that God is very real and near,
and in the person of the Christ
love entered life and cast out fear.

4 We hear the angel song again,
today the story is re-told,
that in that squalid manger bed
our God was laid and love took hold;

5 Took hold of every willing heart,
began to build with child-like hope
a way of loving and of life
to challenge narrow human scope.

6 But then as now the season passed,
the seeming fairy tale had gone.
Sophistication countered truth.
In childlike hearts, hope lingers on.

Andrew E. Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2004 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . 
Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and 
any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd
Metre: 8 8 8 8
Tune: WAREHAM

Advent 4 ANNUNCIATION – MAGNIFICAT

ANNUNCIATION – MAGNIFICAT – 22 December 2024

1 Here a messenger was standing
waiting outside Mary's door,
not a face at all familiar
or that she had seen before.
Was there some anticipation,
or some other grave concern?
Could the stranger have a message,
what was there that she must learn?

2 First there came a welcome greeting,
Gabriel was now made known:
Mary was to be most favoured,
here God's love was being shown.
More of love, and greater kindness,
these were waiting in the wings.
News the messenger was bringing
pointed on to higher things.

3 God was coming as a person,
meeting every human need.
Mary had a role and purpose:
first give birth, then nurse and feed.
Shock, surprise and some resistance
underlined her every word
as young Mary sought to answer,
for the scheme seemed so absurd.

4 But there was much more for sharing
just to make the message clear;
more was needed from her Godhead
to dispel her natural fear.
Fire and love, the Spirit's power
would enfold her in God's care,
all at once she sensed God's comfort,
felt at last her Lord was there.

5 Now she magnified her praising,
thanks for all her God had done,
gift of life, God's gracious saving,
now the promise of a son.
We will go on in her footsteps:
latent servants of the Lord,
join our praise through all our giving,
all the love we can afford.

Andrew Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2011 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . 
Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any 
commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd

Metre: 8 7 8 7 8 7 8 7
Tune: DIM OND IES

John the Baptist – a hymn

Related to Luke 3:7-18 – John the Baptist – The Third Sunday in Advent

1	This is the Baptist, unkempt and yet ready, 	
	calling the people to listen and act; 
	calling them down to the water for washing,
	talking of holiness, Godliness, fact.
	
2	This is the man who will call to repentance
	fisherman, Pharisee, zealot and priest; 
	here in the river the sinners will gather, 
	taking God's blessing and sharing God's peace.
		
3	This is the prophet announcing the crisis, 
	moment for turning for challenge and choice;
	quenching of hatred, demanding repentance, 
	giving a reason to praise and rejoice.
	
4	This is the man, in humility pointing 
	others to one who would soon take his place.
	Jesus is coming, the Spirit confirming, 
	this is my Son who will channel my grace.
	
5	Up from the waters the Christ is arising,
	up from our slumbering we will rise too;
	waking to love and to work every dawning, 
	each a disciple with Christ's work to do.

Andrew Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 2009 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England copyright@stainer.co.uk . Please include any reproduction for local church use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd
Metre: 11 10 11 10
Tune: STEWARDSHIP

New progressive Christian titles worth reading

I have been made aware, by friends in Australia and the USA, of two books which may be of interest; please click below for more information:

Abundant Lives: A Progressive Christian Ethic of Flourishing. Pilgrim Press by Amanda Udis-Kessler

In Wisdom and in Passion: Comparing and Contrasting Buddha and Christ by John Queripel