Christmas Musicals for Church
Issue link: https://read.jwpepper.com/i/600174
2 55/1178&79L-2 Foreword Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who, according to His great mercy, has given us rebirth into A Living Hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3, adapt.) During the journey from Palm Sunday to Easter, we witness extraordinary images of hope gained, hope lost, and hope reborn. We begin in Jerusalem, standing among the crowds shouting "Hosanna!" as King Jesus—the Messiah, the Living Hope—rides triumphantly by. Remarkably, only a few days later, we watch as, incomprehensibly, the Hope of the World is put on trial, condemned to death, crucified on Golgotha's hill, and buried in a dark tomb–the Light of Hope seemingly extinguished. Hope. Even Jesus' closest friends doubted His promise: "In three days I will rise again." But death was swallowed up in victory, and through His death and resurrection, we who follow Jesus receive new birth into A Living Hope. Inspired by this cornerstone of our faith, Tom Fettke and omas Grassi have created a cantata distinguished musically by its use of 19 th century American sources. e opening chorus, which is reprised as the finale, sets the tone with a lively tune from e Christian Lyre. e Shaker melody, Followers of the Lamb, is the perfect fit for the Palm Sunday chorus; the choir's antiphonal "shouts" are especially effective. e melody from Wayfaring Stranger, paired with Barton Stone's remarkable text, is the perfect choice for the scene at Golgotha. Easter dawns with a little gem of a spiritual, One Sunday Morning, that recounts the biblical narrative with utter simplicity and spine-tingling drama. e resurrection chorus dances in triumph with the hymn tunes Nettleton and Diademata, and lyrics from Wordsworth, Crosby, and Bridges. And traditional folk hymns pulse with the joy of salvation in Our Living Hope: I know that my Redeemer lives; glory, glory hallelujah! What joy this blest assurance gives; glory, glory hallelujah! Scripture is filled with references to "hope," and Fettke's six scripture-based narratives both instruct and inspire today's listener. ey can be performed by one or more narrators. Key to the success of any church musical is its craftsmanship for church choirs large and small. Approximately 30 minutes long, A Living Hope is scored for SATB voices with three optional solos. Perform it with the highly effective keyboard accompaniment or Michael Lawrence's stunning orchestration. -e Publisher Companion Products, Vocal Ranges, Production Notes ....................................................... 3 1. e Glories of Christ Choir ..................................................................... 4 Narration 1 ............................................................ 7 2. He Comes in the Name of the Lord Narration 2 .......................................................... 15 Choir ................................................................... 16 3. Behold the Love, the Grace of God Narration 3 .......................................................... 27 Solo and Choir .................................................... 28 4. One Sunday Morning Narration 4 .......................................................... 35 Solo and Choir .................................................... 36 5. His Glories Now We Sing Choir ................................................................... 41 6. Our Living Hope Narration 5 .......................................................... 50 Solo and Choir .................................................... 51 7. e Glories of Christ (Reprise) Narration 6 .......................................................... 58 Choir ................................................................... 59 Contents For Preview Only