Keeping a lid on Christmas
For worship leaders everywhere, keeping a lid on Christmas celebrations can feel like holding back the tide. End of year festivities, summer holiday preparations (in the southern hemisphere), extra worship services and activities close to Christmas day mean self-reflection and spiritual preparation often take a back seat.
This year, consider having an A Cappella Sunday during advent. Such an approach can provide a stark contrast in the midst of a busy December lifestyle.
Hints for Selecting A Cappella Songs
I have provided a dozen suggestions as a starting point. Be sure to make at least two selections your community know well. Plan to have one sung in unison, one as a canon/round, one in simple parts, and one for which people can invent their own harmonies (eg: Kum by yah) I am certain there will be other songs you will recall as you plan. Your suggested additions to this list are welcome and may be made by means of a post comment.
What is A Cappella Sunday?
May I wish you an adventurous advent!
The Beginnings of a List
What is A Cappella Sunday?
How to teach a song in 4 steps
View other Advent and Christmas material on this blog
For worship leaders everywhere, keeping a lid on Christmas celebrations can feel like holding back the tide. End of year festivities, summer holiday preparations (in the southern hemisphere), extra worship services and activities close to Christmas day mean self-reflection and spiritual preparation often take a back seat.
This year, consider having an A Cappella Sunday during advent. Such an approach can provide a stark contrast in the midst of a busy December lifestyle.
Hints for Selecting A Cappella Songs
I have provided a dozen suggestions as a starting point. Be sure to make at least two selections your community know well. Plan to have one sung in unison, one as a canon/round, one in simple parts, and one for which people can invent their own harmonies (eg: Kum by yah) I am certain there will be other songs you will recall as you plan. Your suggested additions to this list are welcome and may be made by means of a post comment.
What is A Cappella Sunday?
May I wish you an adventurous advent!
The Beginnings of a List
- Come all you people - Come All You People or All Together Whatever
- Glory, Glory Glory (Argentina) - All Together OK
- Be Still and know - Come All You People, As One Voice 2
- Jubilate Deo (there are many, including Jubilate Servite by Jacques Berthier to be sung in two part canon)
- Christ the Worker - All Together Everybody
- There is a line of women - One is the Body
- Children go, I will send you (African American Spiritual)- There are numerous word versions of this song. I have been unable to find the version i learnt as a child, so have provided what I believe are more seasonally appropriate lyrics here.
- Kum By Yah - Come All You People, and many other sources
- O come, O come Emmanuel (plainsong melody from the 15th century which is wonderful sung unaccompanied, or with a bass drone added throughout) - many hymnbooks.
- The Peace of the Earth (This is a beautiful four part vocal song that might be offered by a quartet as a blessing)- There is One Among Us
- Father bless us as we go - All Together Now, Together in Song
What is A Cappella Sunday?
How to teach a song in 4 steps
View other Advent and Christmas material on this blog
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