No Room at the Inn

No Room at the Inn

Copyright by Mel Sterret and Erwin Stoess

 

Chorus:

There was no room
No room at the inn.
There was no room
No room at the inn.
When the time had fully come
For the Savior to be born;
There was no room, ah, no room
At the inn.

Well according to the Word

There was a virgin girl;
Mother of Jesus, she was wanderin’ round at night;
She was trying to find a place
For the Savior to be born;
There was no room, ah, no room
At the inn.

I know that mother was worried;

She began to moan;
And prayed to be delivered of her only son;
She was very sad I know;
For she had no place to go;
There was no room, Lord, no room
At the inn.

[Interlude]

The bell boy, and the porter,

The waitress and the cook
Will be witnessed one day in Heaven
To tell the thing Mary do.
She was driven away;
For she had no place to stay;
There was no room, ah, no room
At the inn.
 
Chorus:
There was no room
No room at the inn.
There was no room
No room at the inn.
When the time had fully come
For the Savior to be born;
There was no room, ah, no room
At the inn.

There was no room, ah, no room

At the inn.
There was no room, ah, no room
Yes, at the inn.

In Summer, Still Unfurled

In Summer, Still Unfurled

Copyright 2012 by Becka deHaan
 
Out in the field, in mid-July,
Feeling the sun sing its song of praise;
And the Fir trees, with the fragrance of Christmas
Even without tinsel, still catch your gaze.
Your every breath is smelling the season,
Though the season isn’t close at all;
Story living beyond all the eggnog and snow;
It’s creation’s King in a cattle stall.
 
Chorus: And the bells and ornaments sit in a chest and hide;
Strings of lights and holly stored for the next Yuletide;
Down the bright warm streets, who’d dare to shout, “Joy to the world!”?
Yet the Maker so loved the work he had done
That his own self part of the craft would become;
Such a marvelous wonder,
In summer, still unfurled.

In that south wind, the Pine branches sway

With those of the poplar, the Oak and Elm;
A whisper in green unison
Welcoming God into the earthly realm.
While you’re basking in this gorgeous weather,
Summer’s busyness but slower pace;
With all nature exalting the Word-made-flesh,
Come and join the trees in their embrace.

When the…

[Chorus]

It’s a special, festive time in December;

But all year round, it’s an undying ember…
Out in the field, in mid-July;
Mary felt promise turn into plan;
For another heart was beating within her
And her song filled the heavens’ span!
Then no…

Chorus: Bells and ornaments sat in a chest to hide;

Strings of lights and holly stored for a next Yuletide;
Down the bright warm streets, she dared to shout, “Joy to the world!”
For the Maker so love the work he had done
That his own self part of the craft would become;
Such a marvelous wonder,
In summer, still unfurled.
Such a marvelous wonder,
In summer, still unfurled.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

[Traditional]

O Come, O Come, Emmanuel;

And ransom captive Israel;
That mourns in lonely exile here;
Until the Son of God appear;
Rejoice, rejoice;
Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, o Israel.
 
O come, thou dayspring, come and cheer
Our spirits by thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night;
And death’s dark shadows put to flight;
Rejoice, rejoice;
Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, o Israel.

[Interlude]

 
O come, desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid thou our sad divisions cease;
And be thyself our Prince of Peace;
Rejoice, rejoice;
Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, o Israel.

Rejoice, rejoice;

Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, o Israel.

Come to thee, o Israel.

Still Running

Still Running

by Peter Adams and Kathy Maslich,
copyright PLOV Music/807 Music
Lyric from “God in the Doorway” by Annie Dillard

 

I am still running;
O I am still running;
Running from the knowledge
That eye, that love;
O I am still running;
I am still running;
Running from the knowledge
From which there’s no refuge.

For you meant only love and love;

And I felt only fear and pain.
So once, in Israel, love came;
And we were all afraid.

For you meant only love and love;

And I felt only fear and pain.
So once, in Israel, love came;
And we were all afraid.
 [Oo]
So once, in Israel, love came;
And we were all afraid;
And we were all afraid.

Now I Have Seen (Simeon's Song)

Now I Have Seen (Simeon’s Song)

Copyright 2011 by Becka deHaan
 

I remember our grand old time, like it was yesterday;

Though it’s going on eighty years ago.
I was sitting in my easy chair, where I opened up the Scroll;
And your Spirit just couldn’t wait to say hello.
You told me that I’d live to greet God’s promise to the world;
I wouldn’t die until I saw your Son.
So I’ve spent my days and slept my nights, believing eagerly
That I will someday meet your Chosen One.

To this very hour, I haven’t told a soul;

Though it’s often been my only source of joy
And now your Breath has guided me into this sacred room
And there’s a couple coming with their baby boy.
Infant fingers grasp my own, amid that brilliant cry;
And I know those very hands have once held time
So back and forth I rock him, to the rhythm of the earth
Or are they his arms that carry mine?

[Interlude]

 
With all these years anticipating Israel restored,
And now salvation every tribe has won:
Deep in those small eyes there glows the light to show the way,
Shining non-extinguished as the sun.

And now, o Lord, you’ve kept your word, let your servant go in peace…

Of the Father's Love Begotten

Of the Father’s Love Begotten

[Traditional]

Of the Father’s love begotten

Ere the worlds began to be;
He is Alpha and Omega;
He the source, the ending he
Of the things that are, that have been
And that future years shall see;
Evermore and evermore.
 
O that birth forever blessed
When the virgin full of grace
By the Holy Ghost conceiving
Bare the Savior of our race;
And the babe, the world’s redeemer
First revealed his sacred face;
Evermore and evermore.

This is he whom seers in old time

Chanted of with one accord;
Whom the voices of the prophets
Promised in their faithful word;
Now he shines the long expected;
Let creation praise its Lord;
Evermore and evermore.
 
O ye heights of heaven adore him;
Angel hosts his praises sing;
Powers, dominions bow before him
And extol our God and King.
Let no tongue on earth be silent;
Every voice in concert ring;
Evermore and evermore.
Evermore and evermore.

O Holy Night

O Holy Night
[Traditional]

 

O holy night;

The stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world
In sin and error pining
Till he appeared, and the soul felt its worth.
 
A thrill of hope;
The weary world rejoices;
For yonder breaks
A new and glorious morn’.

Fall on your knees;

O hear the angel voices;
O night divine;
O night when Christ was born.
O night divine, o night
O night divine.

[Interlude]
 
Chains shall he break
For a slave is our brother;
And in his name, all oppression shall cease.
The King of kings
In thus a lowly manger;
In all our trials
Born to be our friend.
He knows our needs;
To our weakness is no stranger;
Behold your King;
Before him lowly bend;
Behold your King, before him lowly bend.
 
Fall on your knees;
O hear the angel voices;
O night divine;
O night when Christ was born.
O night divine, o night
O night divine.
O night divine, o night
O night divine.

Rise Up Shepherd and Follow

Rise Up Shepherd and Follow

[Traditional Negro spiritual, arranged 2012 by Becka deHaan]

There’s a star on the east on Christmas morn’;

Rise up shepherd and follow;
It will lead to the place where Christ was born;
Rise up shepherd and follow.
 
There’s a star on the east on Christmas morn’;
Rise up shepherd and follow;
It will lead to the place where Christ was born;
Rise up shepherd and follow.

Chorus:

Follow, follow;

Rise up shepherd and follow.
Follow the star over Bethlehem;
Rise up shepherd and follow.

If you pay good heed to the angel’s words

Rise up shepherd and follow;
You’ll forget your flocks, you’ll forget your herds;
Rise up shepherd and follow.

[Chorus]

[Interlude]

Pay good heed to the angel…

Follow the star…
O, o, I said, follow, follow;
Rise up shepherd and follow;

Follow the star over Bethlehem;

(Follow, follow.)
O, rise up and follow!
(Follow the star over Bethlehem.)

O, leave your flocks, forget your herds; (Follow, follow.)

Don’t need no baggage, just get on board!
(Follow the star over Bethlehem.) Follow the child’s cry!
 

That's All We Know (The Carol of the Magi)

That’s All We Know (The Carol of the Magi)

Copyright 2011 by Becka deHaan

 

It wasn’t in the almanac
For the stars to shift
At nine fifty-four PM
That December twenty-fifth.
Outshining every constellation
Was a star we hadn’t come across before;
And it never left our wide-eyed view,
What a night sky to explore!
This astronomical phenomenon, it could only mean one thing:
Somewhere on this ailing planet, there had just arrived a King!
So we headed westward…

 

Chorus:
Neither bothering to look at the time;
Nor bringing a map to trace our travel line;
Our strength in remembering the Light of the world has shone.
Always finding necessities along the way;
Telling each other we’ll get there someday;
And wanting to stop, but the star keeps a-rollin’ on.
We may be wisemen
But that’s all we know.

We entered Jerusalem,

The city of a chosen folk;
Asked them, “Where is the child born King of the Jews?”
And reading from the scroll, they spoke:
“Bethlehem is, by no means, the least of Judah’s towns;”
From her there would come a leader, in whom righteousness abounds!
And the star came once more…

Chorus:
Neither bothering to look at the time;
Nor bringing a map to trace our travel line;
Our strength in remembering the Light of the world has shone.
Always finding necessities along the way;
Telling each other we’ll get there someday;
And wanting to stop, but the star keeps a-rollin’ on.
We may be wisemen…

Finally to a halt it slowed
At a carpenter’s abode
And the child inside was playing with a toy;
But at our knock he squealed with glee
And we sang on bended knee,
Giving gifts we thought as king he would employ.
And beneath the moon’s last gleam
We all woke up from the same dream
A sign saying not to go back through the holy land…
 
Chorus:
Neither bothering to look at the time;
Nor bringing a map to trace our travel line;
Our strength in remembering the Light of the world has shone.
Always finding necessities along the way;
Telling each other we’ll get home someday;
And wanting to stop, but the star keeps a-rollin’ on.
We may be wisemen
But that’s all we know.
Yeh that’s all we know.
We’re goin’ home.

[ad libs]

Over the mountain, over the plain;

Take me home on the midnight train…

The Baby in the Hay

The Baby on the Hay
Copyright 2011 by Becka deHaan

 How many sleeps until

The long-awaited day?
When gifts are shared
And food prepared
Bright colours on display;
The family reunites
And lets the music play
To celebrate
A love so great
The baby on the hay.

How many reigns until

The long-awaited king?
With trumpet blast
And chariot fast
Bow strong as David’s sling;
Who’ll rule in righteousness,
God’s statutes to obey,
Stretching a hand
To the widow and
The baby on the hay.
 
But none were prepared for the birth of the King
So they laid the child down in a barn;
Let all of our clatter not drown out the song
Of the lone caroler, donning snow-covered yarn…]

The halls may be decked

But let us expect…
“The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.”