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.

The world waits for a miracle, the heart longs for a little bit of hope,
O come, o come, Emmanuel.
A child prays for peace on earth, and she's callin’ out from a sea of hurt,
O come, O come, Emmanuel.
And can you hear the angels singing: "Glory to the light of the world...is here."

- from "Light of the World"
by Lauren Daigle, Paul Duncan and Paul Maybury

Songs of community, longing, and light this First Sunday of Advent.

The song "Light of the World" by Christian artist Lauren Daigle becomes a unifying refrain week to week as we journey through this fleeting season of Advent together. The organ offers two contemporary settings of Advent carols from centuries past: "Savior of the Nations, Come" by Kevin Hildebrand based on the 15th century German tune composed by Martin Luther, and "Christ Shall Come When Morning Dawns" by David Johnson based on an anonymous 19th century English folk tune. The Chancel Choir sings a paraphrase of the well-known Christmas story passage from Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 in "The People Who in Darkness Walked," a playful musical setting by David Music using the Swedish melody "Bereden Väg för Herran." The tune is also commonly associated with the Advent hymn "Prepare the Way, O Zion." 

Worship this Third Sunday of Advent begins with a leaning toward folk and Celtic sounds at 9:00 a.m. with guitarist/vocalist Bill DeMarco. 

Violinist Amy Welsh and cellist Lucas Jackson begin the 11:00 a.m.service with an arrangement of the Advent hymn tune "Morning Song." The Chancel Choir offers a re-imagined setting of the traditional Advent text "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" by Dan Forrest. As we near the noon hour, the organ tells us to prepare our hearts and "look east" in a joyful carillon-style setting of the Besancon carol by Rebecca Groom te Velde.    

At 6:00 p.m., the Longest Night Service returns with an evening worship hour of Advent meditations and songs of longing and peace. Harpist Alaina Bongers, flutist Rebecca Quillen, and cantor Alex Young join us for this beautiful Advent tradition at Plymouth.          

At 9:00 a.m., an eclectic musical message of peace and preparation in this season of waiting will be presented. Guitarist Alan Skowron, cantor Alex Young, and bassist Con Woodall join us in the chancel.

At 11:00 a.m., two settings based on the melody of the Advent hymn "Comfort, Comfort O My People" will be offered from the organ. At  the Prelude, excerpts from the partita on "Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele" (Rejoice Greatly, O My Soul) by Baroque composer Georg Böhm will be heard. At the Postlude, a declamatory statement on the hymn tune, entitled Psalm 42 for inclusion in the 1539 Genevan Psalter, by contemporary American composer Craig Phillips closes worship. 

The choir becomes a unified voice calling from the chancel in the anthem "Prepare the Way, O Zion" by Kenneth Drake with violinist Harmony Tucker.    

We welcome the season of Advent with a serene setting of the carol "Veni Emmanuel" (O Come, O Come, Emmanuel) by Charles Callahan. The Chancel Choir ushers in this season of waiting with "Come, Jesus, Come" by Alfred Fedak. Flutist Aaron McGrew joins us for the latter two offerings as well. The organ presents a hopeful rendering of the Advent carol "Helmsley" (Lo! He Comes With Clouds Descending") in a toccata by James Vivian. 

Carols of this fleeting Advent season tell us to look east for the coming of Christ in song and in a carillon for organ. The prophetic tale of Mary and Jesus walking amid the thorns is told by the Chancel Choir. The organ states a lovely Marian antiphon in response as well. A Celtic Canticle of Turning and pleas of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" foreshadow the end of this season of waiting leading into our Longest Night Advent vigil Sunday evening. Savior of the nations, come.

The spirit of joy and peace on this Third Sunday of Advent.

At the 9:00 a.m. service, we are joined by flutist Norman Menzales offering works by Nicanor Abelardo, J.S. Bach and others. Norman is the Principal Flute for the Fort Collins Symphony, Montana Great Falls Symphony, and the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra. Together with vocalist and cellist Lucas Jackson and I we bring a more "classical" tone to our eclectic early morning worship service.

At the 11:00 a.m. service, the Chancel Choir sings a delightful contemporary setting of the 12th century Latin hymn "Veni Emmanuel" by Dan Forrest. The shifting duple and triple meters propel this joyous reading of the ancient text into a frenetic dance.

From the organ come two carols of this most fleeting season of Advent. At the Prelude, we hear a minimalistic-inspired gigue on the tune "Macht hoch die Tür" (fling wide the door) by Richard Hudson. At the Postlude, a stately toccata on the tune "Helmsley" (often associated with the Advent text "Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending") by James Vivian closes worship.