Advent 2023 - Joy to the World
Background
Joy to the World was written by Isaac Watts in a 1719 book of poetry. In this book, each poem was based on a Psalm. The lyrics of Joy to the World was based on the poem for Pslam 98. Lowell Mason, in his book Occasional Psalms and Hymn Tunes (1836), combined elements of Handel's Messiah with the lyrics of Watts poem to create the version of Joy to the World most familiar to people. "The result is a favorite Christmas hymn based on an Old Testament psalm, set to musical fragments composed in England, and pieced together across the Atlantic in the United States!" (Discipleship Ministries The United Methodist Church, December 21, 2015, https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-joy-to-the-world)
Lyrics
Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n, and heav’n, and nature sing.
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.
Calendar
Day 11 – Copywork
Day 12 – Read & Discuss Psalm 98
Day 13 – Learn the Hymn in ASL
Day 14 – Read & Discuss Luke 2:10 – 11
Day 15 – Music rhythm sticks activity
Weekend 3 – Make World Cookie: Christmas Island Cooconut Macaroons and watch A Christmas Story
Day 16 – Read 1 Peter 4:13
Day 17 – Art Study The Portinari Altarpiece by Hugo van der Goes
Day 18 – Read Isaiah 55: 12-13
Day 19 – Joy to the World Craft
Day 20 – Read Revelation 11:15
Weekend 4 – Make world cookie Philippines Island Puto Seko and watch It’s a Wonderful Life
Materials Needed
· · Activities Countdown & Cut Out Page (1 per child)
· Scissors
· Glue stick
· Youtube
· Bible
· Paper
· Pencil
· Rhythm sticks (or wooden spoons or rulers)
· The Portinari Altarpiece picture
· Crafting website: https://masterpiecesociety.com/joy-to-the-world-ornament/
· Ornament disc
· Craft paint
· Paintbrush
· Printed map or scrapbook paper with a map pattern
· Mod podge