VOXmas
December 21st & 22nd
Grand Rapids | South Haven
Texts & Translations
Angels We Have Heard on High
arr. Alice Parker and Robert Shaw
Angels we have heard on high,
Sweetly singing o'er the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains.
Refrain
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing.
Come, adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King. Refrain
See him in a manger laid,
Whom the choirs of angels praise.
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid
While our hearts in love we raise. Refrain
-French carol
Ave Maris Stella
Guillaume Dufay
Ave, maris stella,
Dei mater alma,
atque semper virgo,
Felix cæli porta.
Hail, star of the sea,
Nurturing mother of God,
And ever virgin
Happy gate of heaven.
Sumens illud “Ave”
Gabrielis ore,
funda nos in pace,
mutans Evæ nomen.
Receiving that "Ave"
From the mouth of Gabriel,
Establish us in peace,
Transforming the name of Eve.
-Medieval hymn
Splendid Jewel
Stephen Paulus
Refrain
Hail, hail, devout virgin,
Splendid jewel, Maria!
Now sing we with great delight
Of our perfect love,
Who prays for us to Christ,
Who is our light and way. Refrain
All you whose minds are in heaven,
Now sing sweetly,
Rightly presenting this gift
To Christ and the Virgin Mary. Refrain
High and glorious lady,
Mother of the most merciful Jesus,
You are the rose of heaven,
Than which there is none more beautiful. Refrain
-Spiritual poetry from Laudi Spirituali
Bring Me Home
Sade Adu
The ground is full of broken stones,
The last leaf has fallen.
I have nowhere to turn now,
Not east, not west,
North or south,
And all that’s ahead of me,
And everything I know,
I know nothing so,
So, bring me home.
Put me on a plate with petals and a fire,
And send me out to sea.
Turn my angry sword against my heart,
And let me free.
The dawn holds the heaviness of the night.
I’ve heard the restless sighs and lovers lies,
The brook, the beach and seen the devil’s eyes,
So, bring me home.
I’ve cried for the lives I’ve lost,
Like a child in need of love.
I’ve been so close but far away from God.
My tears flow like a child’s in need of love.
I’ve cried the tears,
So, let the tide take me.
I won’t fight.
I’ve cried the tears.
So, let the tide take me.
I won’t fight.
So, bring me home.
-Sade Adu
Kyrie from Missa in illo tempore
Claudio Monteverdi
Kyrie eleison.
Lord, have mercy.
-Roman Mass
The Rose
Ola Gjeilo
The lily has a smooth stalk,
Will never hurt your hand;
But the rose upon her brier
Is lady of the land.
There’s sweetness in an apple tree,
And profit in the corn;
But lady of all beauty
Is rose upon a thorn.
When with moss and honey
She tips her bending brier,
And half unfolds her glowing heart,
She sets the world on fire.
-Christina Rosetti
O magnum mysterium
Tomás Luis de Victoria
O magnum mysterium,
et admirabile sacramentum,
ut animalia viderent Dominum natum,
iacentem in praesepio!
O beata virgo, cuius viscera
meruerunt portare
Dominum Christum.
Alleluia!
O great mystery,
and wonderful sacrament,
that animals should see the newborn Lord,
lying in a manger!
O blessed virgin, whose womb
was worthy to bear
the Lord Jesus Christ.
Alleluia!
-Responsory for Christmas Matins
In the Bleak Midwinter
arr. Will Todd
In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter,
Long ago.
Our God, heav’n cannot hold him
Nor earth sustain:
Heav’n and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak midwinter
A stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.
Enough for him, whom Cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay:
Enough for Him, whom Angels,
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.
Angels and Archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air;
But only His Mother
In her maiden bliss
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.
What can I give him,
Poor as I am? –
If I were a Shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man
I would do my part, –
Yet what I can I give Him, –
Give my heart.
-Christina Rosetti
Sweet Little Jesus Boy
arr. Edye Evans Hyde
Refrain
Sweet little Jesus Boy,
they made you be born in a manger.
Sweet little Holy Child,
didn’t know who You was.
Didn’t know you come to save us, Lord;
to take our sins away.
Our eyes was blind, we couldn’t see,
we didn’t know who You was. Refrain
-Robert MacGimsey
Hark! (In 7/8)
arr. Steven Landau
Hark! the herald-angels sing,
“Glory to the new born king;
Peace on Earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled.”
Joyful all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies
With angelic hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”
Hark! the herald-angels sing,
“Glory to the new born king.”
Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of a Virgin's womb:
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
Hail the incarnate Deity.
Pleased as man with man to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! The herald-angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King"
-Charles Wesley
Hacia Belén va un borrico
arr. Alice Parker and Robert Shaw
Hacia Belén va un borrico,
Yo me remendaba, yo me remendé,
cargado de chocolate.
Lleva su chocolatera,
Yo me remendaba, yo me remendé,
Yo m’eché un remiendo, yo me lo quité,
su molinillo y su anatre.
Maria, Maria, ven acá corriendo,
que el chocolatillo se lo están comiendo.
Towards Bethlehem goes a donkey,
(All day long I’ve been mending patches)
laden with chocolate.
It carries its chocolate-pot,
(All day long I’ve been mending patches,
Sew one on, take another one off.)
its chocolate mill and its stove.
Mary, Mary, come running here,
because they are eating up all the chocolate.
En el Portal de Belén,
ladroncillos han entrado;
y al Niño que está en la cuna
los pañales le han quitado.
Maria, Maria, ven acá corriendo,
que los pañalillos los están cogiendo.
Maria, Maria, ven acá volando,
que los pañalillos los están llevando.
In the Bethlehem manger,
young thieves have entered;
while the child was in the cradle,
the swaddling clothes have they taken.
Mary, Mary, come here running
because they are taking the swaddling clothes.
Mary, Mary, come flying here
because they are carrying off the swaddling clothes.
Con un sombrero de paja,
al Portal llega un gallego;
mientras adoraba al Niño,
el buey se comió el sombrero.
Maria, Maria, ven acá corriendo,
que el sombrero el buey se lo está comiendo.
Maria, Maria, ven acá volando,
consuela al gallego que está aquí llorando.
Wearing a straw hat
a Galician arrives at the manger;
While he was worshipping the Child
an ox ate his hat.
Mary, Mary, come running,
because the ox is eating the hat,
Mary, Mary, come flying here
comfort the Galician who is crying here.
-Spanish carol
Isn’t She Lovely
arr. Mike Hyde
I Saw Three Ships
arr. Will Todd
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas day in the morning.
And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day?
And what was in those ships all three,
On Christmas day in the morning?
Our Savior Christ and His Lady,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
Our Savior Christ and His Lady,
On Christmas day in the morning.
Pray, whither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day?
Pray, whither sailed those ships all three,
On Christmas day in the morning?
They sailed into Bethlehem, Bethlehem,
They sailed, they sailed on Christmas Day.
And all the bells on earth shall ring,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
And all the Angels in Heaven shall sing,
And all the Souls on Earth shall sing,
On Christmas day, on Christmas day;
On Christmas day in the morning.
-English carol
You Gotta Be
arr. Edye and Mike Hyde
Listen as your day unfolds,
Challenge what the future holds,
Try and keep your head up to the sky.
Lovers, they may cause you tears.
Go ahead, release your fears.
Stand up and be counted.
Don't be 'shamed to cry,
You gotta be.
Chorus
You gotta be bad.
You gotta be bold.
You gotta be wiser.
You gotta be hard.
You gotta be tough.
You gotta be stronger.
You gotta be cool.
You gotta be calm.
You gotta stay together.
All I know, all I know,
Love will save the day.
Herald what your mother said,
Read the books your father read.
Try to solve the puzzles in your own sweet time.
Some may have more cash than you,
Others take a different view.
My, oh my, hey, hey. Chorus
Cold December Flys Away
arr. Daniel Schreiner
Cold December flies away at the rose-red splendor,
April’s crowning glory breaks while the whole world wonders
At the holy unseen power of the tree that bears the flower.
On the blessed tree blooms the rose-red flower.
On the tree blooms the rose here in love’s own garden,
Full and strong in glory.
In the hopeless time of sin shadows deep had fallen.
All the world lay under death. Eyes were closed in sleeping.
But, when all seemed lost in night, came the sun whose golden light
Brings unending joy, brings thee endless joy
Of our hope, highest hope, of our hope’s bright dawning,
Son beloved of heaven.
Now the bud has come to bloom, and the world awakens.
In the lily’s purest flower dwells a wondrous fragrance.
And it spreads to all the earth from the moment of its birth;
And its beauty lives. In the flower it lives,
In the flower, and it spreads in its heav’nly brightness,
Sweet perfume delightful.
-Catalonian carol; trans. Howard Hawhee
We Are Christmas
Kevin Johnson and Sarah Stephens
In the stable in Bethlehem, a baby was born,
Born of a virgin, God’s only son.
Angel Gabriel told them to have joy, have no fear,
For this baby, our Savior, He could dry every tear.
Mary magnified the Lord, in her soul and she cried,
For the baby she would bear held all power and all might.
Born for all people to be free and redeemed,
And he lives today within us though we don’t always see.
Chorus
We are Christmas, We are God’s hands,
To care for one another in these war-torn lands.
We are Christmas, the love that we share
Will carry one another ‘til we understand.
We are Christmas!
So, this Christmas please remember what the true meaning is,
Remember Gabriel and Mary and the Savior who lives.
Remember we are “Christ among us” and we live for His cause
To fulfill His purpose daily as we bring joy to all.
We are comfort for the hurting, mending each broken heart.
We are friends to the lonesome and unite those far apart.
We’re His hands who touched the sick and they’re instantly whole.
We are water for the thirsty and bring peace to every soul. Chorus
He lives in me, Jesus lives in me. Yes, He lives in you.
Martha don’t you weep, Martha don’t you moan
Because he lives in you, He lives in me.
Christmas means “Christ among us, Christ among us!”
That means he lives in you! Chorus
- Kevin Johnson and Sarah Stephens
The Work of Christmas
Dan Forrest
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among others,
To make music in the heart.
-Howard Thurman
Silver Bells
Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
Christmas makes you feel emotional.
It may bring parties or thoughts devotional.
Whatever happens or whatever may be,
Here is what Christmas time means to me.
City sidewalks, busy sidewalks dressed in holiday style.
In the air there’s a feeling of Christmas.
Children laughing, people passing,
Meeting smile after smile,
And on ev’ry street corner you hear:
Silver bells, silver bells,
It’s Christmas time in the city.
Ring-a-ling, hear them ring,
Soon it will be Christmas day.
- Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
Lovely Day
arr. Edye and Mike Hyde
When I wake up in the morning, love
And the sunlight hurts my eyes
When something without warning, love
Weighs heavy on my mind, oh
Then I look at you, uh huh,
And the world’s alright with me
Just one look at you
And I know it’s gonna be
A lovely day…
When the day that lies ahead of me
Seems impossible to face
When someone else instead of me
Always seems to know the way
Then I look at you
And the world’s alright with me
Just one look at you
And I know it’s gonna be
A lovely day…
-Withers and Skip Scarborough
DONORS & SPONSORS
Anonymous
Joshua Albert
Dr. Harlori & Jaspreet Bains
Pammi & Paul Bains
Sukhvinder Bains
Mark Becker
Dennis Buteyn
James Borst
Victor Chang
Dr. Edward Chen
Marianne Ciccolella | In Memory of Gurdip Bains
Sarah Collier
Sue Cooley
Scott Davidson
Christina Dekoekkoek
Gary Eberle
De Priest Family Foundation, INC.
Jake Herrera
Debbie Gilmore | In Honor of Dr. Christopher Mason
Susan Grogan | In Memory of Don Vanderpool
Laura Kozminski
L3Harris Via Blackbaud Giving Fund
Lauri Mason | In Honor of Dr. Christopher Mason
Barbara McCargar
Nathalie Meyer
Emily Volz Mills
Cynthia Molnar
Joshua Plant
Susan Pretty
Melissa Rauch
Dr. Monique Salinas
Harry Singh | In Honor of Jaspreet Bains
Christopher Start
Kathryn Stieler / Westphal Family
Patricia Thoresen
Anita & Dr. Sarabjit Tokhie
Dr. Harnoor & Avni Tokhie
Elise Tripp | In Honor of Hannah DeBoer
Dr. Susan Sevensma
Janice Mason Vanderpool | In Honor of Dr. Christopher Mason
Laura Mason
Julie Volz
Lisa Volz
David Weinandy
Todd Wilkie
Lambert Zuidervaart
and other contributions we received from our past concerts.
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