Christmas lights at the Ecumenical Center in 2019. Photo LWF/S Gallay
LWF member churches, country programs to share Advent hymns for the third time
(LWI) – The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) member churches expectantly await the coming of Christ this Advent in music and worship with a video calendar of hymns. In this third year of the Advent Hymns, LWF World Service country programs will offer contributions.
A hopeful expression of Advent, the hymns will be shared in social media by the LWF and churches worldwide, giving daily insights into how Lutheran churches celebrate Advent through singing. The hymns are also a resource to share and use on social media and in online services of member churches.
“This will be an Advent unlike others, with many churches worshiping remotely and taking precautions to maintain physical distancing to stop the spread of COVID-19,” said Rev. Arni Danielsson, LWF’s Head of Communication. “In that context we are happy to share such beautiful insights and songs from the communion for the third year in a row. Our hope and prayer is that this strengthens the bonds between Lutherans across the world.”
Special care has been taken to maintain physical distancing, respecting the regulations concerning Coronavirus (COVID-19) in each country. Some hymns were recorded in previous years.
Diverse contributions, widely shared
Participating member churches from the previous two years say the hymns are a way of contributing to the worldwide communion. Last year the Lutheran Church in Chile (ILCH) contributed a hymn. “We expect this could help people understanding Lutheran theology, history and culture” in our country, said Felipe Sepúlveda, Communicator for ILCH. “In 2019, we shared our Advent hymn with the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region church websites and social networks that also shared the video with their networks,” Sepúlveda added.
For two consecutive years, The LWF Asia region has shared all of the videos in local social media channels. “We shared all the LWF communion church hymns on the Facebook page of LWF in Asia and shared the hymns with Asia member churches through messenger applications,” said Tetty Aritonang, LWF Asia Regional Officer. Aritonang said they plan to share the Advent hymns in the same manner this year to “encourage Christians” during the Advent season.
Among the churches offering hymns this year are the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark, The Lutheran Church of Senegal, Church of Sweden, Christian Protestant Church in Indonesia (GKPI), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, and the LWF World Service country program Central America – El Salvador.
The first hymn will be shared on 29 November which is the First Sunday of Advent and the last one on 24 December, Christmas Eve.
"Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,
Praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe,
Praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals."
(Psalm 150:2-5)
3 December 2019
Vamos pastores, vamos – Let’s go shepherds, let’s go
