He Is Born The Divine Christ Child was playing as occasional music before worship at MGPC this morning. It is an old favourite with my daughter and I always wondering what the merry playing of a bagpipe and oboe would really sound like. Nothing says ‘Party’ like some oboe and bagpipe apparently. Children’s voices carry …

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Long Ago Prophets Knew by Fred Pratt Green is a newer hymn, despite sounding like its been around forever. Sung to Green’s tune PERSONENT HODIE, it again contrasts the expectation of God’s deliverance with the modest and unknown nature of Jesus’ birth. This youth choir rendition shows the sense of joy that the hymn expresses …

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Hills Of The North, Rejoice by Charles E. Oakley sung to Martin Shaw’s tune LITTLE CORNARD. The lyrics reflect the spread of the Gospel around the globe, and also anticipate the final welcome of creation to the returning Lord Jesus. The lyrics: 1 Hills of the North, rejoice; River and mountain spring, Hark to the …

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Wake, Oh Wake! With Tidings Thrilling is F. Crawford Burkitt’s translation of Philipp Nicolai’s lyric, which remains set to Nicloai’s tune WACHET AUF. It seems to largely by confined to choral renditions. Hearing the melody I can understand why. The lyrics: 1 Wake, O wake! With tidings thrilling the watchmen all the air are filling, …

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