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A Swell of Grace

by Hope College Worship

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1.
V1:  Come in, look around  See the dust and dirt scattered all over the ground, In this cave, in this place, The holy of holies V2: The Lord our God, entered our mess, In the purity of this girl, took on flesh, Virgins womb, the Spirits room, The Holy of Holies. Chorus 1: Hallelujah, forever amen Hallelujah, the Son of man Hallelujah, forever and ever amen Our Earth here, the holy of holies V3: The brightest star, burned the way To the cross where blood was love on display, The old has passed, the new has come The veil has torn  V4: Find rest, find peace For all mankind, for all eternity He has come, he has won He holds the keys/ he’s on the throne  Chorus 2: Hallelujah, forever amen Hallelujah, the Son of man Hallelujah, forever Emmanuel we are all, the holy of Holies, I am His, he is with me Bridges: Do not be afraid  For the Lord God has come  All Earth shall rejoice as Heaven Do not be afraid, For the Lord God has won Bringing a new Earth and Heaven Glory to God in the highest, Peace on Earth with whom He’s pleased
2.
CHORUS Hallelujah God with us to dwell Hallelujah Jesus Emmanuel Chorus V1 Our God is born Wrapped up in human flesh He has made His home with us V2 A helpless child Wrapped in His mother’s arms A baby born to save
3.
4.
VERSE 1 Dm C Gm Dm C Gm Dm The one on the throne was born without a home Dm C Gm Dm Despised and rejected and forced to roam Dm C Gm Dm In a stable filled with hay, our savior born that day Dm C Gm Dm D Mary and Joseph in awe at his name CHORUS D C G D C G D Freedom is found in this child who came down D C G D He empties his heart so our lives can start D C G D Every knee shall bow for the baby's sleeping now D C G D So human and so real Christ Jesus is here VERSE 2 Dm C Gm Dm Precious lord Jesus has come to live with us Dm C Gm Dm A baby in a blanket to fill the world with love Dm C Gm Dm He comes in His innocence to save us from our sin Dm C Gm Dm The moment his crying starts our whole lives begin CHORUS VERSE 3 Dm C Gm Dm No beauty to desire yet we’re drawn to his face Dm C Gm Dm A man of suffering to bear our pain Dm C Gm Dm Pierced for our transgressions to set us free Dm C Gm Dm Oppressed and afflicted his wounds make us clean CHORUS
5.
Intro D D/E G x4 Verse 1 D Bm persecuted in the dark D Bm the Christmas child on earth abides incarnated word of God carried town to town to hide Joseph and the road again Mary clutching child’s weak head holy God, where were we then? immigrants in search of rest Chorus D D/EG God is our witness D D/EG sitting on the darkened stair God is our witness dispossessed and peaceful there Verse 2 D Bm falling into snowy ground contemplating all my sin whispering in winter cold death is in my heart again snow in all the hearts of men spring is far there’s no way in a table’s set inside the house still I stand outside and doubt Chorus D D/EG God is our witness sitting on the darkened stair God is our witness dispossessed and peaceful there Instrumental D D/E G x4 Verse 3 D Bm listen for the call of Christ listen for the hope of night crawl into an earthly form let the heartache keep you warm feel the pain another bears let their story mend the tears taste the fruit of love at last Christ in us is come to pass Chorus x2 DD/EG God is our witness sitting on the darkened stair God is our witness dispossessed and peaceful there Outro DD/EG
6.
Comfort, comfort now my people; “speak of peace!" so says our God. Comfort those who sit in darkness mourning ‘neath their sorrow's load. To God's people now proclaim that God's pardon waits for them! Tell them that their war is over; God will reign in peace forever! Now, our sins our God will pardon, blotting out each dark misdeed; all that well deserved His anger He no more will see or heed. We have suffered many days, now our griefs have passed away; God will change our pining sadness into ever-springing gladness Hark the herald's voice is crying in the desert far and near, calling us to true repentance since the Kingdom now is here. Oh, that warning cry obey! Now prepare for God a way! Let the valleys rise to meet him, and the hills bow down to greet him! Straight shall be what long was crooked; make the rougher places plain! Let your hearts be true and humble, as befits his holy reign! For the glory of the Lord now on earth is shed abroad, and all flesh shall see the token that God's word is never broken.
7.
This quiet carrying This gestation of grace This swelling of a song We are waiting We are waiting For the barren to bear fruit For the bleak to reap hope In His tender mercy Sunrise dawns from on High In the way of peace He guides our feet O Light, pierce the sky This covenant conceived This promise prophesied This blessing be beckoned in We are longing We are longing For the barren to bear fruit For the bleak to reap hope A leap for joy A cry in the night All souls felt its worth Our Christ has arrived These things treasured up This glory incarnate This Good News for all every nation every tongue We are singing Yes, singing as one. For the barren have borne fruit For the bleak now reap hope The stranger now welcomed in In His tender mercy Sunrise dawns from on High In the way of peace He guides our feet O this Light, has pierced the sky
8.
V1 The people who in darkness walked have seen a glorious light; the heavenly dawn broke forth on those who dwelt in death and night, V2 To greet you, Sun of Righteousness, the gathering nations come, rejoicing as when reapers bring their harvest treasures home, CHORUS: To us the promised child is born, to us a son is given; and on his shoulders ever rests all power in earth and heaven, V3 His peace and righteous government shall over all extend; on judgment and on justice based, his reign shall never end. Bridge: His name shall be the Prince of Peace forevermore adored, the Wonderful, the Counselor, the Great and Mighty Lord

about

Welcome to "A Swell of Grace," our Christmas EP for 2019!
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It's difficult to 'hear' the story of the incarnation as we read it in scripture, and the traditional carols of the season don't make it any easier. While the biblical narrative is filled with power struggles, political intrigue, disenfranchised refugees, and cosmic disturbances our telling veers off into sentimentalizing the stark circumstances of Christ's earthly arrival. Last year I (Bruce) was invited to participate in a songwriting retreat encouraging the church's musical artists to write a more honest Christmas song. One that boldly, poetically, and beautifully embraces the holy disturbances of the incarnation story.

Each year students on the worship teams at Hope produce an album of original worship music. Last fall, inspired by the retreat, I invited the students to engage a similar task - write original advent and Christmas songs that explored the narrative and emotional depths of the coming of Christ.

Our deep gratitude to the folks at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Lester Ruth, and David Taylor for their continued work encouraging the church.

Grace and Peace,
Bruce Benedict
Chaplain of Worship Arts

(*Liz Vice just released a song I wrote with her at the retreat mentioned above called "Refugee King")

credits

released November 21, 2019

To find out more about campus ministries at Hope College please visit: hope.edu/offices/campus-ministries/
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Produced by Bruce Benedict for Hope College Campus Ministries
Engineered and mixed by Jack Miller ('18) and Miranda Craig ('18)
with additional engineering by Drew Elliot
Mastered by Drew Elliot
Art & Design by Blake Johnson ('16)
With additional support by Cardiphonia Music: Cardiphonia.com

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Hope College Worship Holland, Michigan

A collection of albums released by Hope College Campus Ministries that record the work of God through music and worship -
mostly recorded live in Dimnent Chapel.

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