LWF churches and country programs will share Advent hymns for the third time
The churches of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) await the coming of Christ this Advent with music and worship, creating a video calendar of hymns. This third year of Advent hymns will also feature LWF World Service programs in particular countries.
The hymns will be posted on social media by the LWF and by churches around the world as an expression of Advent hope, offering a daily glimpse of how Lutheran churches celebrate Advent through song. The hymns are also a resource to share and use on social media and in the online worship services of member churches.
“This will be a very different Advent, in which many churches are holding remote worship services and taking precautions to maintain physical distancing in order to stop the spread of COVID-19,” said LWF Head of Communications, the Rev. Arni Danielsson.
“In this context, we are glad to share beautiful insights and hymns from the communion for the third year in a row. We hope and pray that it strengthens the bond between Lutherans around the world.”
Special care has been taken to maintain physical distancing in keeping with the coronavirus (COVID-19) regulations in the country concerned. Some hymns were recorded in previous years.
Many and varied participants
Among the churches that took part in the previous two years, the hymns are seen as a way to foster global fellowship. Last year the Lutheran Church in Chile (ILCH) sent in one hymn. “We think it could help people understand Lutheran theology, history and culture in our country,” said ILCH representative Felipe Sepúlveda. “In 2019 we shared our Advent hymn with the websites and social networks of churches in Latin America and the Caribbean, who also shared the video with their own networks,” Sepúlveda added.
For two years running, the LWF Asia region has shared all the videos on local social media channels. “We shared all the LWF hymns on the LWF Facebook page in Asia and beyond with the churches of Asian countries, using other apps,” said LWF Asia regional representative Tetty Aritonang. Aritonang said that this Advent they again plan to publish the Advent hymns in order to “encourage Christians.”
Among the churches offering hymns this year are the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Poland, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark, the Lutheran Church of Senegal, the Church of Sweden, the Christian Protestant Church in Indonesia (GKPI), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada and the LWF World Service program in Central America – El Salvador.
The first hymn will appear on 29 November, the first Sunday of Advent, and the last on 24 December, Christmas Eve.
“Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise the Lord for his surpassing greatness!
Praise him with the sound of the trumpet; praise him with the pipe and the lyre!
Praise him with the drums and graceful dances; praise him with strings and the sound of the flute!
Praise him with the ringing bells; praise him with the bells of jubilation! “
(Psalm 150: 2-5)
GENEVA, Switzerland
26.11.2020.
Image: Christmas lights at the Ecumenical Centre in 2019. Photo LWF/S Gallay
Source: Lutheran World Federation News
Photo LWF/S Gallay