The Third Sunday of Advent
The Green Candle for the Shepherds
This is a collection of scripture and songs to celebrate the third Sunday of Advent. Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas, and culminates with the celebration of Christmas itself.
The Advent Candles
In sequence, light the gold candle for the prophets, the white candle for the angels, and the green candle for the shepherds.
Scripture
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Luke 2:15-20 (NIV)
Hymns and Carols
Angels from the Realms of Glory
James Montgomery [public domain]
Angels from the realms of glory
Wing your flight o'er all the earth
Ye who sang creation's story
Now proclaim Messiah's birth
Come and worship, come and worship
Worship Christ the newborn King
Shepherds in the fields abiding
Watching o'er your flocks by night
God with man is now residing
Yonder shines the infant Light
Sages leave your contemplation
Brighter visions beam afar
Seek the great Desire of nations
Ye have seen His natal star
Saints before the altar bending
Watching long in hope and fear
Suddenly the Lord descending
In His temple shall appear
Go, Tell It on the Mountain
Traditional spiritual, with stanza lyrics by John W. Work, II
[I have yet not obtained rights to publish the stanza lyrics from the copyright holder, Mrs. John W. Work, III.]
Angels We Have Heard on High
Traditional French carol [public domain]
Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o'er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echo back their joyous strains
Glo-o-o-oria in excelsis Deo
Glo-o-o-oria in excelsis Deo
Shepherds why this jubilee
Why your joyous strains prolong
Say what may the tidings be
Which inspire your heav'nly song
Come to Bethlehem and see
Him whose birth the angels sing
Come adore on bended knee
Christ the Lord, the newborn King
See within a manger laid
Jesus, Lord of heav'n and earth
Mary, Joseph, lend your aid
With us sing our Saviour's birth
How Great Our Joy
Traditional German carol [public domain]
While by the sheep we watched at night
Glad tidings brought an angel bright
How great our joy (great our joy)
Joy, joy, joy (joy, joy, joy)
Praise we the Lord in heav'n on high
Praise we the Lord in heav'n on high
There shall be born, so he did say
In Bethlehem a Child today
There shall the Child lie in a stall
This Child who shall redeem us all
This gift of God we'll cherish well
That ever joy our hearts shall fill
