THE LIGHT OF HOPE RETURNING is a concert-length “ceremony” of folk carols in which a number of Kirchner’s best-loved Christmas settings (Lo, How a Rose, Brightest and Best) are combined with newly-penned carols on Christmas, Winter Solstice, and New Year’s themes. Together these carols form a dramatic arc that takes a listener on a journey from distant hope through darkness into the rebirth of light and true hope for the future. Today we are performing a selection of 4 pieces from these beautiful work. To learn more visit https://shawnkirchner.com/product/the-light-of-hope-returning/

The Light of Hope Returning

A joyous welcome bring we here
For Christmas and a brave new year
Come join our feasting and delight
Come revel in this happy night
Here to our house we welcome you in,
To share our gladness as we sing

For here is the bright fire burning
And here the old year turning
So shall we stay to greet the day
And the light of hope returning

For spruce and pine and fir-tree tall
Green branches now shall deck our hall;
The holly and the mistletoe
Gleam red as blood and white as snow.
To celebrate this Yuletide day,
Their light shall drive the dark away.

For here is the bright fire…

To all within this house be peace;
May all our perturbation cease;
And all the bells on earh shall chime
To celebrate so glad a time.

This joyous welcome bring we here
For Christmas and a brave New Year.

For here is the bright fire…

Bright Morning Stars

Bright morning stars are rising
Bright morning stars are rising
Bright morning stars are rising

Oh where are our dear fathers?

Day is a’breaking
In my soul
They are down in the valley praying
Day is a’breaking
In my soul

Oh where are our dear mothers?

Day is a’breaking
In my soul
They’ve  gone to heaven shouting
Bright morning stars are rising

Oh where are our dear children?
(They’re upon the earth a’ dancing)
Day is a’breaking
In my soul

Bright morning stars are rising
Day is a’breaking
In my soul

Bright morning stars are rising
Bright morning stars are rising
Day is a’breaking
In my soul

Behold That Star

Behold that star!
Behold that star up yonder
Behold that star!
It is the Star of Bethlehem!

There was no room found in the inn
For him who was born free from sin

Behold that star….

The wise men travelled from the East
To worship him, the Prince of Peace
A song broke forth upon the night
From angel hosts all robed in white
It is the Star of Bethlehem!

Holy World

O I have seen the beauty of a child,
Born into this weary world —
Pure and new, placed into
The old and care-worn hands.

Refrain:
Holy world, holy world,
Where sorrows are turning with joy
Holy world:
Sorrows are turning with joy.

And I have seen how hope slips away,
Slips away like shifting sand —
Only to reveal:
The rock, and a place to stand.

(Refrain repeats)

Surely, surely, the rainbow promise of old still remains.
Surely, surely there is a voice to which all souls resound.
Surely, surely the road is still there, that leads us all back home.
And surely, surely a mother waits…for her lost to be found.

(Refrain repeats to end)

**End of Kirchner set

Joy to the World (A Christmas Prayer) written by Kevin & Nicholas Jonas
(arranged by Patrick Coyle)

Every year at Christmas
All I can see
Are pictures of the things I want
Around the tree
But this year’s a little different
I’m not thinking of myself
So my prayer for this Christmas
Is for somebody else

So I pray…
Joy To the World
Peace for every boy and girl
Hope when life is hard
Light when everything seems dark

I pray that every hungry soul
Will be fed and will be warm
That not a single, solitary child
Would suffer harm

And wars would find their ending
As we take another view
My hope is that this Christmas prayer
Would somehow come true

God I know you’re listening
And you can hear
The need of every broken heart
And all their tears
I don’t have a lot to offer
Just this one simple prayer
That this Christmas everyone would know
Somebody cares…

I pray…
Humanity would rise
And join with me
And together we’ll sing

Joy To the World
Peace for every boy and girl
Hope when life is hard
Light when everything seems dark