O Come, King of Nations

Tomorrow, Sunday, December 30 we conclude our Advent-Christmas Series "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" based on the hymn of the same title with "O Come, King of Nations."  Services start at 10:30AM (also 8:00AM at Trinity Lutheran in Elgin).



Oh, come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel!

The theme of this Advent–Christmas season is “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” derived from both the popular hymn.  The popular version, translated by the Rev. John Mason Neale in rhymed poetry, often departs from the original Latin.  Traditionally, one antiphon was chanted on each of the seven days before Christmas.  The antiphons generally derive from the prophecies of Isaiah and follow a rough chronology through history until the coming of Emmanuel, Hebrew for "God [is] with Us" (see Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23)