We continue our series on Melodies of Hope: Hymns From Advent and Christmastide. Each year, our churches sing a familiar rotation of Advent and Christmas hymns, often without knowing their meaning and context. To provide a fresh take on the Christmas carol canon, we’ve enlisted eight worship leaders, songwriters and thinkers from around C4SO to tell us a favorite Advent or Christmas hymn, giving us historical and musical context, and a word of good news each hymn speaks to us today.

This episode’s song is “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” and our guest is Krista Vossler, Musician-in-Residence at Church of the Cross in Austin, Texas, as well as a homeschooling parent. She is also in the ordination process to become a Deacon in C4SO.

The recording featured in this episode is Krista’s own recording, with production help from Steve Deckel. It represents how they sing this hymn at Church of the Cross each year.

• Our Cycle of Prayer Spotlight ministry this week is Christ Church Oahu, led by the Rev. Ed McNeill.