A hymn for candle lighting services in Advent
Different lectionaries and churches use different themes and orders for these service, A selection of four verses for the Sundays of Advent should be chosen from the selection together with the last verse for Christmas day. The order of verses may be altered to suit the Sunday by Sunday themes – Advent Hope; Bible Sunday, John the Baptist; Mary; the People of God; Christmas Day.
Advent Hope
From the darkness to the dawning,
in the shades of deepest night,
we will hold a single candle,
cradled flame of hopeful light.
See the darkness is receding,
such a small, yet flickering flame,
heralds hope for all the nations,
Christ will come, will come to reign.
Six more verses follow for the Weeks/Sundays:
Bible Sunday
John the Baptist (1)
John the Baptist (2)
Mary
The People of God/The Nations
Christmas day
Tune:CALON LAN
Metre: 8.7.8.7.D
Andrew Pratt (born 1948)
Words © 16/11/2013 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England, www.stainer.co.uk.
Please include any reproduction for local church and school use on your CCL Licence returns. All wider and any commercial use requires prior application to Stainer & Bell Ltd.