When I heard that the theme for the 2020 Carthage Christmas Festival was “Come, with Healing in Thy Wings” I set about to compose a song for the Lincoln Chamber Singers that would fold into that intriguing and timely theme.   I knew that my singers had agreed to record their portion of the concert by early October, so I needed to fashion a piece that the group could learn and polish in a rather short amount of time.  That mean composing a piece that was relatively simple without being simplistic.  I am very pleased with how beautifully the students sang it.

Here are the lyrics:

Refrain:  “Veni, Immanuel.  Veni, Immanuel.  Come, thou long-awaited One.

Come and heal our hurting world.

Come and heal our anguish. Come relieve the pain.

Come restore the broken.  Help us learn to dance again.   Refrain

Come and heal our selfishness. Show us how to give.

Give us open-heartedness.  Show us how to love and live.  Refrain

Come and heal our bitterness.  Come and heal the hate.

Sow new understanding.  Come before it is too late.  Refrain

Come and heal – Come and heal our hurting world.

Sopranos:  Sarah Jenkins, Isabelle Esquivel, London Roysden,  Audrey Marshall.  Altos: Morgan Taylor,  Madeline Lambert, Elise Brevik, Faith Albright.  Tenors:  Nathan Takahashi, Trevor McDonald,  Gabriel Fulk, Mitchell Dziewior, Bennett Shebesta.   Bass:  Tim Wagner,  Norris Jones,  Jack Myers.