Those Who Dream: Songs for the Advent & Christmas Season
Music touches our souls in a unique way, especially around the holidays. And in this strange, isolating season, we’ll be turning to music more than usual, even if we can’t go caroling together or stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the pews on Christmas Eve as we sing “Silent Night.” Here we’ve compiled hymns and songs that work well with our Those Who Dream Advent—Epiphany resources (based on the Year B texts in the Revised Common Lectionary). We hope these lists inspire you to dream as you’re planning meaningful worship services in this season.
Planning a Blue Christmas / Longest Night service?
Check out our complete Longest Night Liturgy featuring original music by The Many, including our theme song, “Those Who Dream.” Sheet music is included in the download for several songs including:
“Remember When” by The Many [↗]
“Waiting for You” by The Many [↗]
“Those Who Dream” by The Many [↗]
“Lovely Needy People” by The Many [↗]
“Forsaken” by The Many [↗]
“Longest Nights” by The Many [↗]
You can find more music by The Many on their website, Spotify, and Bandcamp.
This video features our Advent theme song, "Those Who Dream," written and recorded by The Many (video included in our Those Who Dream bundle).
Songs for Listening, Preludes, or Special Music
Hymns and Congregational Songs
“Those Who Dream” by The Many [↗]
(Our Advent theme song)“Dream God’s Dream” [↗]
Words and Music: Bryan Sirchio (1992)“We All Dream of Peace and Justice” [↗]
Words: Jann Aldredge-Clanton (2016) Tune: LONESOME VALLEY (8.8.10.8)“O For a World” [↗]
Words: Miriam Therese Winter (1987) Tune: AZMON (8.6.8.6)“Come, Let Us Dream” [↗]
Words: John Middleton (2004) Tune: O WALY WALY (8.8.8.8)“Now the Heavens Start to Whisper” [↗]
Words: Mary Louise Bringle (2005) Tune: JEFFERSON (8.7.8.7 D)“Dream a Dream” [↗]
Words: Shirley Erena Murray (1996) Tune: SALESTROM (7.8.8.6)
Songs for Listening, Preludes, or Special Music
Hymns and Congregational Songs
“Watchman, Tell Us of the Night” [↗]
Words: John Bowring (1825) Tune: ABERYSTWYTH (7.7.7.7 D)“Wait for the Lord” [↗]
Words: Taizé Community (1984) Tune: WAIT FOR THE LORD (8.8)“Break, Day of God” [↗]
Words: Henry Burton Tune: CHRISTCHURCH (6.6.6.6.8.8)“Your Peace Will Make Us One” [↗]
Words: Audrey Assad Tune: BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC (15.15.15.6 with refrain)“God, You Alone Know What You've Planned” [↗]
Words: Carolyn Winfrey Gillette Tune: CAROL (8.6.8.6 D)“Waiting For You” [↗]
Words and music: Christopher Grundy (2004)
Songs for Listening, Preludes, or Special Music
Hymns and Congregational Songs
“Comfort, Comfort Ye My People” [↗]
Words: Johannes Olearius (1863), trans. Catherine Winkworth (1863) Tune: PSALM 42 (8.7.8.7.7.7.8.8)“Amahoro” [↗]
Words and music: Tracy Howe Wispelwey (2011)“Come, Christ-Sophia, Come, We Pray” [↗]
Words: Jann Aldredge-Clanton (2016) Tune: WALTHAM (8.8.8.8)“Prepare the Way of the Lord” [↗]
Words: Taizé Community (1984) Tune: PREPARE THE WAY (7.7.6.7)“Our Hearts Cry Out in Longing” [↗]
Words: Jann Aldredge-Clanton (2014) Tune: I WONDER (12.11.11.12)
Songs for Listening, Preludes, or Special Music
Hymns and Congregational Songs
“Canticle of the Turning” [↗]
Words: Rory Cooney (1990) Tune: STAR OF THE COUNTY DOWN (8.6.8.6 D)“Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn” [↗]
Words and music: Marty Haugen (1983)“Magnificat” [↗]
Words: Taizé Community (1978) Tune: MAGNIFICAT“Song of Mary” [↗]
Words: Miriam Therese Winter (1987) Tune: MORNING SONG (8.6.8.6)“Better Days Are Dawning” [↗]
Words: Annie Lewis Pinfold (1908) Tune: COURAGE MOTHER (9.9.9.12)“Like a Healing Stream” [↗]
Words and music: Bruce Harding (2003)
Songs for Listening, Preludes, or Special Music
Hymns and Congregational Songs
“All Together We Have Power” [↗]
Words: Jann Aldredge-Clanton (2017) Tune: FEEL THE SPIRIT“The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came” [↗]
Words: Sabine Baring-Gould Tune: GABRIEL’S MESSAGE (10.10.12.10)“No Wind at the Window” [↗]
Words: John L. Bell (1992) Tune: COLUMCILLE (11.11.11.11)“Where Two or Three Are Gathered” [↗]
Words and music: Bruce Harding (2002)“Draw the Circle Wide” [↗]
Words and music: Gordon Light (1994)“I Need You to Survive” [↗]
Words and music: David Frazier
Songs for Listening, Preludes, or Special Music
Hymns and Congregational Songs
“Angels We Have Heard on High” [↗]
Words: James Chadwick Tune: GLORIA (7.7.7.7 with refrain)“In Bethlehem a Babe Was Born” [↗]
Words: Barbara Mays (1986) Tune: DISCOVERY (Irr. with refrain)“Infant Holy, Infant Lowly” [↗]
Polish carol“It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” [↗]
Words: Edmund Hamilton Sears (1849) Tune: CAROL (8.6.8.6 D)“O Little Town of Bethlehem” [↗]
Words: Phillips Brooks (1868) Tune: FOREST GREEN (8.6.8.6 D)“A La Ru (O Sleep, Dear Holy Baby)” [↗]
Mexican carol“Still, Still, Still” [↗]
Austrian carol“Silent Night, Holy Night” [↗]
Words: Joseph Mohr (1818) Tune: STILLE NACHT (Irr.)“Before the Marvel of This Night” [↗]
Words: Jaroslav J. Vajda (1979) Tune: MARVEL (Irr.)“Who Would Think That What Was Needed” [↗]
Words: John L. Bell and Graham Maule (1987) Tune: WHITE ROSETTES (8.7.8.7 D)
Songs for Listening, Preludes, or Special Music
Hymns and Congregational Songs
“The Prophet Anna Sees New Life” [↗]
Words: Jann Aldredge-Clanton (2017) Tune: PISGAH (8.6.8.6.6.6.8.6)“Mary and Joseph Came to the Temple” [↗]
Words: Andrew Pratt (1994) Tune: EVENING HYMN (5.5.5.4 D)“Go, Tell It On the Mountain” [↗]
African-American Spiritual“Lord, Speak to Me That I May Speak” [↗]
Words: Frances R. Havergal (1872) Tune: CANONBURY (8.8.8.8)“I Must Tell It” [↗]
Words: William C. Martin (1906) Music: William Edie Marks (8.8.8.8 with refrain)“How Shall They Hear the Word of God” [↗]
Words: Michael Perry (1982) Tune: AUCH JETZT MACHT GOTT (8.6.8.6.8.8)
Songs for Listening, Preludes, or Special Music
Hymns and Congregational Songs
“Now the Spirit Comes” [↗]
Words: Jann Aldredge-Clanton (2017) Tune: BLESSED QUIETNESS (8.7.8.7 with refrain)“As With Gladness Men of Old” [↗]
Words: William Chatterton Dix (1858) Tune: DIX (7.7.7.7.7.7)“O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright” [↗]
Words: Philipp Nicolai (1597) Tune: WIE SCHÖN LEUCHTET (8.8.7.8.8.7.4.8.4.8)“Every Step of the Way” [↗]
Words and music: Christopher Grundy (2004)“We Shall Overcome” [↗]
African-American Spiritual“From the Nets of Our Labor” [↗]
Words: Mary Louise Bringle (2004) Tune: HAMILTON (7.7.7.6 with refrain)
Anna Strickland (she/her/hers) looks for the Divine in the everyday like treasure in clay jars and first encountered God in the integration of her spiritual self and artistic self. She is a native Austinite and graduated from the University of Texas where she now works in college ministry, especially serving LGBTQ students.