I wrote a lyric for a song for Advent/Christmas, and Allan Hoare has written a melody for it (I helped to tweak it a bit). I met Allan at "SongWrite" the Uniting Chuch national songwriters gathering in Canberra. So we've been collaborating online between Adelaide and Melbourne. It's been quite a buzz to get the latest version of the tune and go and play it and then send back suggestions to Allan.
2018 UPDATE: Allan added a refrain which really helps the song feel less like a multi-verse hymn. Sing it after verses 2, 4 and 5. New version of the music added below.
Here are the lyrics:
Sing of a Promise
Sing of a star light
glimpse in the heavens
Sing of a beacon,
guides from afar
Sing of a promise,
shines like tomorrow
Bringing a child
who’ll carry us far
Sing of a town
where trav’llers are passing
Sing of a place
where families come home
Sing of a host
who welcomes the stranger
Making a bed
where love might be born
Emmanuel, God is here, Emmanuel
Sing of a silence
harbouring twilight
Sing of the herders
watching the night
Sing of the choir
whose song opens heaven
Gifting us peace
to make the world right
Sing of three gifts
of balm, gold and incense
Sing of the treasures
wise people bring
Sing from our hearts
our humble self-giving
Offering the Child
whose praises we ring
Emmanuel, God is here, Emmanuel
Sing of the child
who rocks on the waters
Sing of the landless
seeking a shore
Sing of the lives
still broken by sorrow
Open our hearts
And make them a home
Emmanuel, God is here, Emmanuel
Sing of the morn
when justice is coming
Sing of the day
when love comes to town
Sing of the time
when peace is our pathway
Glory to Christ
who makes all his own
From "Deeper Water" published by Mediacom Education 2021.
2018-Sing-of-a-Promise-with-refrain 4.3 mb mp3
The update is that Brougham Place UC did a choral offering of the original song (prior to the refrain), with the very talented Rosemary Nairn writing the arrangement. With Rosemary's permission, here is the arrangement as a live recording of the choir on Christmas eve. Thanks to Rev Jenni Hughes for organising all of this!
Sing_of_a_Promise-CHORAL 6mb mp3
Download Sing_of_a_Promise-Choral_Score 157kb PDF
We'd love to hear whether and where you sing this, and we hope that it serves to open people's spirits to the Christ who comes to us.
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