On this First Sunday after Christmas, we "gather around the piano" for an old-fashioned carol sing! You select the carols from the pews and we will sing as many as we can within the service. Feel free to explore the New Century Hymnal's selections, revisit a favorite from our Christmas Eve services, or choose one we didn't get to sing. Hope to see you then!

Vocalist/cellist Lucas Jackson and I bring you a few Christmas season chestnuts though a bit off the beaten path. For the Gathering Song, the Vince Guaraldi classic "Christmas Time Is Here" is offered from his well-known score to the 1965 television special "A Charlie Brown Christmas." For the Offertory, an elegant instrumental arrangement of the Austrian carol "Still, Still, Still" by Finnish composer Antti Hakkarainen takes us back to the calm of Christmas night. To close the service, we hear John Lennon's "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)", a beautiful expression of the diverse community of humanity choosing to walk forward into the new year — a new season of hope.

On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, we lean forward — eagerly — toward the yuletide season and the arrival of the Light of the world. Songs relating a bold hope of community in the Christ-Light this Sunday morning —Emmanuel.

We revisit the "eclectic" service format this weekend with guitarist/vocalist Bill DeMarco, vocalist Lucas Jackson and bassist Bill Strening. We will typically be offering this service on the fourth Sunday of each month, so please join us then!

The service begins with the beautifully haunting Korean hymn "Come Now, O Prince of Peace." The yearning character of the work clearly embodies the Advent text of hope and expectancy: "Come now, O God of love, make us one body... Come, hope of unity, make us one body. Come, O Lord Jesus, reconcile all people."

The time-honored Advent carol, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" will be heard one last time this fleeting season. Guitarist/vocalist Noah Kayl and vocalists Suzie Matlock and Brooklyn McBride (also Plymouth's Director of Christian Formation!) share their arrangement during the Special Music moment. 

To close the service, and our Advent journey together, Bill DeMarco sings the contemporary Advent song "Immanuel" by Michael Card. God is indeed with us, always, as expressed in the chorus: "Immanuel, our God is with us, and if God is with us, who could stand against us. Our God is with us — Immanuel.

The German Marian hymn "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen" (translated as 'a rose has sprung up') has its origins in 17th century Germany. The anonymous text uses the rose as a symbol for Mary who has come forth from the Tree of Jesse lineage (Jesse of Bethlehem, the father of King David) to bear the Christ-Child. The text also refers to the prophecies of Isaiah, specifically Isaiah 11.1: "A shoot shall come out from the stock of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots." This imagery was popular in the Medieval era and this cherished Advent carol continues to be meaningful in our modern age.

Two settings based on the beloved carol will be offered Sunday morning. At the Prelude, Johannes Brahms' lovely work from the organ collection "Eleven Chorale Preludes, Op. 122" will be presented. Composed in 1896, just a year before Brahms' death, the work was published posthumously in 1902. The essence of the chorale melody is embedded in the flowing texture and only subtly hinted at in this gentle setting. During our time at the table, the Chancel Choir sings the chorale in a setting by John Jacob Niles based on the well-known harmonization by Michael Praetorius in 1609. 

At the Postlude, Marcel Dupre's "How Fair and How Pleasant Art Thou" is offered. Inspired by Song of Songs 7.6, this beautiful work is the fifth antiphon in the sequence of fifteen versets representing feast days honoring the Virgin Mary throughout the liturgical year.

At the annual 6:00 p.m. Longest Night Service, harpist Alaina Bongers returns with flutist Aaron McGrew and vocalist Lucas Jackson offering songs of winter and solace in the dark cold night. Join us for this beautiful midseason bilingual Advent service as we approach ever closer to the coming dawn of Christmas Day.

On this Second Sunday of Advent, we meditate upon the herald of peace in the Christmas story and the Christ-Light within us all. Songs of light, longing and comforting peace this Sunday morning.

The Plymouth Ringers open worship with a setting of the ancient Advent chant "Veni, Veni, Emmanuel" by Sandra Eithun. The original medieval text was sung in the seven days before Christmas Day as part of the Magnificat during vespers in monastic life. These "O Antiphons" were later joined with the 15th French melody we have come to know as probably the most well-known Advent hymn, "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel."   

The Chancel Choir offers "My Soul Cries Out" in a lively arrangement by Mark Hayes. Subtitled "Canticle of the Turning," the words by Rory Cooney refer to John the Baptist's call to turn away from one's darkness and repent with overt allusions to Mary's Song (The Magnificat). The Irish tune "Star of the County Down" forms the basis of this cheerful anthem with its Celtic flavor further enriched by violinist Harmony Tucker.

A toccata setting of the final hymn "People, Look East" by Rebecca Groom te Velde closes worship on a hopeful note as we turn closer to the Yuletide season. The French hymn tune "Besancon Carol" is treated in a manner reminiscent of a carillon with its repetitive bell-like figures interwoven with the carol tune. Foreshadowing Christmas Day, the melody of the Epiphany hymn "How Lovely Shines the Morning Star" playfully enters the texture near the piece's conclusion.