King to Kings Songs for Advent and Christmas

By David Alexander

The songs and hymns you'll find here are keyed to the Sundays and Festivals between November 24, 2019 and January 6, 2020: Reign of Christ Sunday through the Festival of the Epiphany. Each assigned lesson for these Sundays has been set for singing. Each is accompanied by a link to an audio file of the accompaniment. Use the book for personal devotional reading / singing or for congregational song. Raise your voices in praise!

• Language: English
• Publisher: David Alexander
• Release date: Nov 9, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463706466

David Alexander

Originally from Los Angeles Vietnam Veteran (18th Engineer Brigade, 577th Engineer Battalion) Undergraduate degree in Spanish Graduate degrees in Theology (MA) and Education (EdM) Clergy (Reformed Church in America and Presbyterian Church in Taiwan) 39 years of life in Taiwan. Took citizenship there in 2018 and promptly retired to Holland, MI. Life in Taiwan included college campus ministry, parish ministry, publications work and theological education. Finished career as a lecturer in practical theology and director of the language center of Tainan Theological College.

Book preview

Matthew 2:1-12

Acknowledgments

The grace of God;

the love of a good woman;

the fellowship of colleagues;

and the wonder of Taiwan.

Introduction

About a dozen years ago it became apparent that there might be more than just a few things that Christians might sing during the four Sundays of Advent. I looked at the assigned lessons for those Sundays as set forth in the Revised Common Lectionary, and found little based on them in the hymnals available to me. So I set out to put those 16 or so passages to music. BUT, there are three years in the lectionary's cycle, so the project expanded to 48.

Personally, even though Advent begins when it does, the Sunday preceding it, known either as Christ the King or, less imperially,Reign of Christ has always been part of that season for me, as Christmas Eve is to Christmas, or All Hallows' Eve to All All Saints. So another 4 lessons per year were added. Then the three propers for Christmas Day, then the Sundays after Christmas, and festivals like Name Day and New Year's Day and Epiphany, and on and on.

A limit had to be declared. So, from the King to the Kings set a boundary. The 60 items in this collection will carry anyone using it through the final Sunday of year C (24 November 2019) through the Feast of the Epiphany on Monday, 6th January 2020,

Each setting of an assigned scripture passage is presented with a link to an audio file. Most of these require only one click to access. Where I haven't been able to make things that convenient, additional clicks may be necessary.

Use them for personal enrichment, share them for congregational enjoyment.

Dave Alexander

On the cusp of Advent, 2019

R

eign of Christ (Year C)

Jeremiah 23.1-6

Woe Unto Unfaithful Shepherds

TUNE: Holy Manna

https://www.smallchurchmusic.com/MP3-2010/MP3-HolySpiritEver-HolyManna-SPiano-128-CAM.mp3

Woe unto unfaithful shepherds who destroy my sheep, says God.

"In your negligence you’ve scattered and have driven off my flock.

Don’t think I’ve not paid attention or your deeds have been ignored.

I myself shall go and seek them and replace you," says the Lord.

"Hark, the days are surely coming when I’ll raise a righteous branch.

He will reign o’er David’s kingdom, wise and justly in the land.

Israel shall live in safety; Judah likewise know