The community here puts on a number of special events during the Christmas season. I was glad to be in Ukarumpa this year for the day of the Primary Campus Christmas chapel, just before school let out for the holidays. Students, staff, and parents sang songs together, and a couple of the classes presented special numbers. James's 6th grade class sang "The Little Drummer Boy," with percussion instruments for each student. On a Friday night near the end of the school term we went to the Middle School band, choir, and jazz band concert, which was excellent. James had an alto saxophone solo in the band and sounded great! The next night, James and I went to the High School concert, with band, choir, and saxophone quartet.
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| String ensemble |
A highlight of this December will be the Christmas concert last night. A couple of families here coordinated the evening, inviting anyone from the community to share a song. What a treat to enjoy the skills of our friends for a worshipful evening of music. Joyce organized a string ensemble, which played "Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming" and "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence" (Joyce is happy to have use of a cello that belongs to a furloughing friend). Neil played an alto saxophone arrangement of "The First Noel" (some of you may remember that one from church last year). We also heard solo and trio singing, guitar, organ, and French horn. In between the special numbers, the whole congregation sang hymns and praise choruses together and heard readings of Scripture passages related to the birth of Jesus. It was exactly the kind of Christmas service that we love.
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| Loving an opportunity to play |
One of the songs we heard last night is one that was new to me this year but has quickly become my favorite: "O Sing a Song of Bethlehem." The words to this hymn were written in 1889 by Louis F. Benson, a Presbyterian minister in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Like many of my other favorite Christmas carols ("We Three Kings" and the full set of lyrics to "What Child Is This"), this one speaks of the whole life of Jesus, not just the baby in the manger. Ralph Vaughan Williams set the words to the English folk tune "Kingsfold" in the early 20th century. It's a beautiful hymn that unfortunately is only included in about a third of all hymnals today.
O sing a song of Bethlehem, of shepherds watching there,
And of the news that came to them from angels in the air.
The light that shone on Bethlehem fills all the world today;
Of Jesus' birth and peace on earth the angels sing alway.
O sing a song of Nazareth, of sunny days of joy;
O sing of fragrant flowers' breath, and of the sinless Boy.
For now the flowers of Nazareth in every heart may grow;
Now spreads the fame of His dear Name on all the winds that blow.
O sing a song of Galilee, of lake and woods and hill,
Of Him Who walked upon the sea and bade the waves be still.
For though like waves on Galilee, dark seas of trouble roll,
When faith has heard the Master's Word, falls peace upon the soul.
O sing a song of Calvary, its glory and dismay,
Of Him Who hung upon the tree, and took our sins away.
For He Who died on Calvary is risen from the grave,
And Christ, our Lord, by Heaven adored, is mighty now to save.
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