Handel's Messiah Family Advent Reader - Hardcover

Lenzo, Frances; Payne, Donna

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0802455743 ISBN 13: 9780802455741

Publisher: Moody Publishers, 1999

Synopsis

For families who yearn for Christmas to be a true celebration of Christ's birth on earth, the Handel's Messiah Family Advent Reader provides daily readings that are biblically-based and culturally rich. With intriguing stories explaining well-known Christmas customs, each reading features a different portion of the libretto from Handel's Messiah and offers a spiritual insight that links the story to an important principle. The book also includes a CD with portions of Handel's Messiah to enhance the experience.

About this title

From the Author

To our readers and potential readers: We are the authors of "The Handel's Messiah Family Advent Reader" and hope that you enjoy our book as much as we enjoyed writing it. We were thinking of and inspired by our own families in writing these 28 unusual stories. Our purpose in writing was to help our readers prepare for Christmas in an entertaining yet meaningful way. The stories give the scoop behind many of the customs of Christmas (What is frankincense? Who were the magi? What was the Christmas star?) These are stories about a strange Christmas truce, about Charles Dickens, an unusual Christmas tree, and many other items you may never have heard about. Each story begins with a portion of the words from Handel's "Messiah" and is linked to the music which is included on the free CD included with the book. Each story is illustrated by a beautiful full-color drawing from classic works of art, and there is an end-section that is chock full of fascinating facts, trivia, and activities.

We would love to hear your questions or comments. You can reach us by email at advent11@home.com

By the way, this is our first book. The "other books by Donna Payne and Fran Lenzo" that are listed on the amazon web page, are by different authors.

Thanks for your interest,

Donna and Fran

From the Back Cover

This is Christmas Eve. This is the night of all nights to thank Messiah. The baby of Bethlehem is our mighty God. He offers the gift of salvation to any who will accept it. Let us bow our heads, bend our knees and rejoice!

ARE YOU READY FOR CHRISTMAS?

That's the question on everyone's lips during this season of celebration. Usually, it evokes a flurry of images: shopping lists, crowded malls, tinsel decorations, trays of decorated cookies, and strings of sparkling lights.

But there's another aspect to that question. A deeper meaning. One we too often forget to address. Maybe the more appropriate question would be:

IS YOUR HEART READY FOR CHRISTMAS?

What better way to prepare your heart for Christmas than to spend a moment each day of the Advent season in quiet reflection about the incarnation of the Savior whose birth we celebrate? Authors Donna W. Payne and Fran Lenzo offer this fresh and friendly collection of Advent devotional reading featuring the Scripture texts used to create Handel's Messiah. And each reading begins with an entertaining story that tells the amazing facts behind the symbols of Christmas. Find out about angels, swaddling clothes, gold, frankincense, myrrh, carols, magi, and more!

In just moments each day, you and every member of your family (from the youngest to the oldest) will come to a new appreciation of the rich meanings behind the lyrics of this God-directed classic.

The culmination of this volume of 28 readings is the Christmas Eve entry, a thought-provoking treatment of the Hallelujah Chorus titled "Why the King Stood Up."

There is no better way to prepare your family to stand in awe before His manager and kneel in worship before His cross than to join with the choir on the companion CD and sing wholeheartedly:

"I can't think of a better way to approach the joy of Christmas than that which is offered to us in 'The Handel's Messiah Family Advent Reader.' It carves a path that cuts through all the consumerism of the Christmas season and prepares a family to experience the true meaning of the birth of Jesus."

DR. ROBERT E. WEBBER
Professor of Theology, Wheaton College
Author, Founder of the Institute for Worship Studies

Edition details

• Publisher: Moody Publishers
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0802455743
• ISBN 13: 9780802455741
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 128