Christmas Songs

Kyle wrote in to ask:

Could you recommend any other CD’s of “contemporary” congregational songs about the incarnation?  I always struggle planning worship services as Christmas approaches, because the songs with which we are all familiar seem strange in anything other than their traditional musical setting.  Do you know of A) Good band arrangements of well-known Christmas carols, and/or B) New songs that are thoughtful and appropriate for congregational worship?

I hope it doesn’t sound self-serving to say that I think you’ll find a number of these songs on Savior, our CD that will be out next month. It will contain twelve new songs that celebrate and expound the miracle of God becoming man. Most of them are appropriate for congregational worship.

I also did a post last year on what Christmas carols we sing. Here are a few more CD’s and songs worth checking out:

For congregations:

New Irsh Hymns 3 by Keith and Kristyn Getty has a number of great songs. I posted on this last December.
When Love Came Down to Earth by Stuart Townend. This isn’t a “Christmas” song, but can be used in that context.
Here I Am to Worship by Tim Hughes. Again, another “all-year-round” Christmas song.
The Music of Christmas CD by Stephen Curtis Chapman. Contains new arrangements of O Come All Ye Faithful and O Come, O Come Emmanuel. as well as new music for Angels We Have Heard on High
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks (new arrangement by Andrew Peterson on his CD Behold the Lamb of God)
Your King Has Come CD has a number of fresh treatments.

As specials:

Welcome to Our World by Chris Rice from his CD Deep Enough to Dream
Labor of Love by Andrew Peterson from his CD. A poignant song that reflects on Mary’s humble part in the birth of Christ. Behold the Lamb of God
Jesus, Born on this Day by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff (in this case, Mariah Carey’s church roots have served her well)
Come and See by Carolyn Arends from her CD Christmas: An Irrational Season.

I’m just scratching the surface in this answer and know there are many other options out there. What new arrangements of Christmas carols or new congregational Christmas songs have you come across?

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4 Responses to Christmas Songs

  1. Paul Hayes October 28, 2006 at 10:16 AM #

    CHild in a Manger-great lyrics to the tune of Morning Has Broken-great done in a folk style ala Cat Stevens.

  2. Drew October 28, 2006 at 2:14 PM #

    G3 Worship has some good arrangements for band and orchestra. You can purchase charts by the song. You can find them at G3worship.com. I have found a lot of their arrangements helpful with familiar songs.

  3. Leslie October 29, 2006 at 4:15 PM #

    “Your King has Come” is a GREAT CD, plus you can find all the chords online at http://www.igracemusic.com/hymnbook/

  4. Scott Hill November 1, 2006 at 8:43 PM #

    Word Music’s “Hymns for Praise and Worship” has some good new arrangements of some traditional Christmas songs. The arrangements are pretty orchestral, but we didn’t have any problems translating them with our basic band.

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