Anthony's Christmas Message

This year, as last year, we sang this carol at the carol service I attended in my church last Sunday.

And this year, the words, "The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight" hit me once again, between the eyes, just as they had done the last time I had sung it a year before.

"hopes and fears"!

What are my hopes and fears for the forthcoming year?

What are yours!

It's half past twelve here in the UK, I've prepared the carrots and sprouts, yet to wrap the prezzies, then I'll be ready to go!

A happy Christams everybody!

O Little Town of Bethlehem !

O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And Peace to men on earth

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may his His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel

Rector Phillips Brooks (1835-1903) of Philadelphia, wrote the words to the carol O Little Town of Bethlehem in 1868, following a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He is said to have been inspired by the view of Bethlehem from the hills of Palestine especially at night time hence the lyrics of O Little Town of Bethlehem. His church organist Lewis Redner (1831-1908) wrote the melody to O Little Town of Bethlehem for their Sunday school children's choir.

Redner was Brooks’ organist at Holy Trinity Church in Boston, Massachusetts. The tune came to him on Christmas Eve, and was first sung the next day.