The original text for THE LINDEN TREE CAROL describes the angel Gabriel bringing news to Mary of Nazareth and then carrying her response back to a company of angels. In this new text, good news takes a journey from angels to shepherds and then out into the world. This familiar story from the gospel of Luke is complemented by imagery from Psalms 96 and 98, often read during Christmastide. Thanks to the Rev. Angela Menke Ballou who shared the idea of the Christmas message sounding like a bell that still rings in our hearts.  

One performance possibility is to “pass” the tune between different groups in the congregation.

You can find the hymn on GIA Unbound here and reproduce it for congregational use with One License.