Hey everyone,

I thought I’d go ahead and list out a few Advent/Christmas CDs that I have gathered over the years to help give you some new options for the classics.  I know we’re only spending a few weeks doing Christmas songs but it’s nice to get some new arrangements for these old songs.

First off, Phil Wickham is releasing his new album Songs for Christmas this Friday from his website.  You can also go there now to watch a performance he did on a radio show in New Jersey.  It looks very promising.

Mike Crawford just came out with their brand new album “Songs for the Advent Conspiracy.” I got to pick it up at the Crowder Conference and it’s really good. You can purchase at HERE.

Check out Future of Forestry‘s Advent Christmas EP. It has some sweet arrangements for a few classics.

Sojourn Church has a CD called Advent Songs that has some unique songs.

Jars of Clay has a CD called Christmas Songs.  I haven’t used it but my buddy said that there are a few good songs on for response if not necessarily for congregational songs.

Starfield has a great arrangement of O Come All Ye Faithful that is really good.  It’s a little darker so it could be maybe used toward the end of Advent.

The MercyMe‘s The Christmas Sessions is pretty cool too.  I’ve used a few songs off of there the last 2 years and the people have really enjoyed them.

Fee has a great arrangement of Joy to the World called All Creation Sing that we’ve used.  It gives a U2/Tomlin feel to the more traditional song.

Casting Crowns‘ album Peace On Earth has some good arrangements on it as well.  We’ve used the O Come All Ye Faithful the last 2 years.

And finally, one of my favorite new arrangements is Matt Maher’s Silent Night (Emmanuel).  It adds a beautiful refrain in the middle that allows us to worship.  We’ve actually used it on Good Friday as well.

Hope that helps you get creative with our worship during the Advent and Christmas seasons.

***Update from Brandon Whiteside***
Andrew Peterson’s Behold the Lamb of God: 10th Anniversary Edition was suggested by Brandon Whiteside.  He says,

It’s put together in a way that’s similar to a musical with each song leading into the next, musical themes related to each song throughout and follows the Biblical narrative from Moses to the birth of Christ.  It even has a song called “Matthew’s Begats” taken out of the beginning of Matthew!

He also suggests Chris Tomlin’s Glory In The Highest, and Shane & Shane’s Glory In The Highest are both worth a listen.