One Holy Night in Bethlehem

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One holy night in Bethlehem

Author: Mary Nelson Keithahn (1997)
Tune: WHISTLER'S TUNE
Published in 3 hymnals

Representative Text

One holy night in Bethlehem
the air was filled with song.
Angelic voices sang on high
and shepherds piped along:
Sing glory, glory, gloria!
God's love is given birth!
Be not afraid, Sing gloria,
and peace to all the earth!

Their music echoed through the town
into the stable stall,
where Mary sang a lullaby
and rocked her baby small:
Sing glory, glory, gloria!
God's love is given birth!
Be not afraid! Sing gloria,
and peace to all the earth!

As Joseph touched the lamb's soft wool,
and fed the donkey hay,
he whistled his own happy tune
and thanked God for this day:
Sing glory, glory, gloria!
God's love is given birth!
Be not afraid! Sing gloria,
and peace to all the earth!

Be still, and you will hear tonight
these melodies of old.
Then join your voice in harmony
until the tale is told:
Sing glory, glory, gloria!
God's love is given birth!
Be not afraid! Sing gloria,
and peace to all the earth!

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Author: Mary Nelson Keithahn

Mary Nelson Keithahn, a retired United Church of Christ ordained pastor and church educator, has been a curriculum writer-editor, journalist, and lyricist for musical dramas and anthems. She still works out of her home in Rapid City, South Dakota, as a free-lance writer. In 2016 she published Elfie: Adventures on the Midwest Frontier, a chapter book for children, and Embracing the Light: Reflectioins on God’s Holy Word, a collection of meditations for individual or small group use. Augsburg Fortress also published Sing the Stories of God’s NEW People, the third in a trilogy of Bible story-based collections of songs for young children, written with her longtime colleague, John D. Horman. The two have written over a hundred hymns togethe… Go to person page >

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First Line:	One holy night in Bethlehem
Title:	One Holy Night in Bethlehem
Author:	Mary Nelson Keithahn (1997)
Meter:	8.6.8.6 with refrain
Source:	Time Now to Gather
Language:	English
Refrain First Line:	Sing glory, glory, gloria!
Notes:	Hymn appears in The Faith We Sing (Abingdon, 2000) and Sing the Faith (Geneva Press, 2003). It is also included in Faith Songs (Abingdon, 2003). An anthem setting is available from Abingdon #0687094984.