Many artists, most memorably Bing Crosby, have covered the classic song, “Do You Hear What I Hear?” It would make sense to assume that the song’s inspiration was a creative remembering of the biblical stories of Jesus’ birth. However, Noel Regney, a French songwriter who was living in New York City in the early 1960’s, tells the story more fully. It was during the heart of the Cuban missile crisis, a conflict which arose when the Soviet Union began deploying nuclear missiles in Cuba. The US, under President John Kennedy, threatened to invade Cuba if the missiles were not removed. The air was thick with tension as the country, and indeed, the world, feared that a nightmare of apocalyptic proportions was soon to ensue. One day, Regney was walking home in New York when he saw two babies in their strollers. He would later say, “The little angels were looking at each other and smiling. All of a sudden, my mood was extraordinary.” A poetic spirit came over him, and he wrote this familiar song which includes the words, “Pray for peace, people everywhere…The Child, the Child, sleeping in the night, He will bring us goodness and light.” Advent says to us all, “Do you hear what I hear?”
Advent is a time to engage in spiritual practices that will bring more full awareness of the presence of God to us. We’ll talk about that in worship on Sunday, as the sermon is titled, “Do You Hear What I Hear: the Advent Acoustics of Grace.” The sermon will flow from Isaiah 40: 1-11, to be read by Kristen Hess, and Luke 2: 8-12, to be read by Jim Schaffer. Suzanne Godby Ingalsbe and Nicholas Ingalsbe will lead the Call to Worship, and light the Advent Candle. We’ll experience the joy of Children’s Chimes, as well as the Chancel Ringers under the direction of Lois Leong. Lisa Kurz will offer the solo "The Work of Christmas" by Dan Forrest. We’ll also have a mission moment from Eagle Scout, Tyler Cerney, who will report on his project. We will sing, pray and have a time for children. We hope you join us