Best Loved Christmas Carols, Readings and Poetry. Martin ManserЧитать онлайн книгу.
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Best-Loved Christmas Carols, Readings and Poetry
Compiled by Martin Manser
Associate Editor: David H. Pickering
Contents
Title Page
Introduction
Index of Titles and First Lines
Author Index
Index of Bible References
Best-Loved Christmas Carols, Readings and Poetry
Copyright
About the Publisher
Introduction
Christmas: the very word conjures up a sense of celebration, excitement … and bustle. The Christmas season is a unique time of year, but the pressures of commercialism, the trappings associated with Christmas and the expectations we have of it all threaten to overshadow its real significance.
At the heart of Christmas is the most amazing fact: God took on our humanity and was born as a child in Bethlehem. This good news, reiterated in many different ways in this collection of carols, poems and readings, is meant to affect our lives the whole year round. So we have included material that explores the implications of Christmas, urging us to lead lives that reflect the message of peace on earth and goodwill to all.
This collection is designed both as a reference work and a resource for personal devotion. Each carol, reading or poem is given an introduction which provides interesting or helpful background information. All the readings are arranged in alphabetical order of title (ignoring ‘A’ or ‘The’ at the beginning of the title). For ease of reference there are also indexes at the beginning of the book to enable you to find a particular item by reference to its title and first line, its author, or, where appropriate, its Bible reference.
It has been a joy to edit this compilation, which we trust will take us back to the heart of the first Christmas, ‘that to you is born … a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord’ (Luke 2:11). May we respond not only with our worship, praise and adoration but also with changed lives that actually live out the message of Christmas all through the year.
Martin H. Manser
David H. Pickering
Index of Titles and First Lines
(where the first line differs from the title, the first line appears in italics)
Adam and Eve in the garden
Adam lay ybounden
All my heart this night rejoices
All the days of Christmas
Angels we have heard on high
Angels, from the realms of glory
The Annunciation
As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being
As with gladness men of old
Away in a manger
Behold a virgin shall conceive
The bells of waiting Advent ring
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God
The Boar’s head carol
The boar’s head in hand bear I
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son
But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah
The Calypso carol
Celebrations
Child in the manger
The Christ-child lay on Mary’s lap
Christians, awake!
A Christingle song
The Christingle song begins with an orange
Christmas
Christmas bells
A Christmas carol
A Christmas Carol
Christmas Day in the workhouse
Christmas in India
Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat
The Christmas now is past, and I have kept my fast
Christmas shopping
A Christmas song
The Christmas tree
Come, Thou long-expected Jesus
Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God
The Coventry carol
David’s dynasty will last for ever
Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Declare these things
Dim dawn behind the tamarisks – the sky is saffron-yellow –
Ding! dong! merrily on high
Do not let your hearts be troubled
Everywhere, everywhere, Christmas tonight!
Fastidiously, with gloved and careful fingers
The first Nowell
The first-born of all creation
The flight into Egypt
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all
For unto us a child is born
The