Please note this is a digital download. One download provides for your whole choir.

My setting of Timothy Dudley-Smith’s beautiful poem is intended for Christmas Eve services such as the Blessing of the Crib or Christingle during which, in many churches, the figure of the Christ child is placed into the crib scene. The words tell of the significance of Jesus’s birth: bringing the world out of darkness and into the light. The minor modality of the three verses together with the quieter dynamics depicts the darkness while the major tonality and louder (generally) dynamics of the choruses represents the light. The more contrast that can be achieved between the verses and the choruses the better. The melody line and words of the choruses are provided below so that they can be reproduced in the service sheet to give the congregation the option of joining in with the chorus each time it occurs. I am very much in favour of congregational involvement during services wherever possible and have deliberately written a melody which is akin to hymn tunes, that is to say with a limited vocal range. Alternatively, the choir can of course perform the piece as a regular anthem without participation from the congregation.