What Is “In the Bleak Midwinter” About? Beginning with a stark description of winter, this carol is a study in contrasts. The author and poet Christina Rosetti uses vivid imagery to draw us from the weight of spiritual darkness before Christ’s birth, to the majesty of heaven, and back down to the reason Jesus left […]

Where Did “O Little Town of Bethlehem” Come From? “O Little Town of Bethlehem” began as a poem, written by Rector Phillips Brooks in 1868 for his church’s Sunday School class in Philadelphia. The church organist Lewis H. Redner set the poem to music, and congregations have sung about the town’s “deep and dreamless sleep” […]

What can we learn from “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”? As the Christmas season draws near, the timeless carol “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” echoes in churches and homes, inviting us to pause and reflect on the incredible gift of Christ’s birth. Written by Charles Wesley in 1739, this hymn holds a much needed message […]

James played a foundational role in the early Church; as the brother of Jesus, he was uniquely positioned to be a leader of early Christians. As we prepare to dig deeper into James’ life and message in our upcoming series, The Book of James, let’s shed some light on some of the most common – […]