Mosaic staff collaborated on creating a Spotify Christmas playlist. The end result was an interesting and diverse mix of holiday music in different languages and genres.
This playlist is made of the many facets of Christmas:
It’s filled with happy memories and sad memories.
It’s filled with nostalgia and new discoveries.
It’s celebrated in multiple languages.
It exudes the warmth of culture and family traditions.
It reminds some of home, while others are reminded of a journey.
Here is a sample of some of the songs, a mosaic of sorts, contributed by staff and the memories that accompany them.
“Always” by Kirk Franklin
“I made a Christmas production in my home church in Indonesia in 2015 and we used this as a theme song. It was just before we moved to the US. So this song reminds me of “home” and my church family. I also like Kirk Franklin’s style as a music composer and worship leader.” – Hendy Matahelemual, Associate Minister for Community Engagement
“Christmas at Boot’s Place” (Album) by Boots Randolph
“Boots Randolph was an artist that my dad listened to when I was a child, so I passed it on to my children.” – Randy Heacock, Leadership Minister
“Seorang Anak T’lah Lahir” by Robert & Lea Sutanto
“I love this song because it is one of the very few original Indonesian songs for Christmas. The lyrics of the song are based on Isaiah 9:6, so it’s very easy to learn, yet it holds a meaningful message. One of my favorite memories of this song is singing it as a duet with my husband, Andy, during Philadelphia Praise Center’s Christmas service a couple years ago.” – Cindy Angela, Digital Communication Associate
“He Shall Reign Forevermore” by Chris Tomlin
“I was introduced to this song just last year on Christmas Eve. Our church choir (West Swamp in Quakertown, PA) sang the song and it was amazing. The packed church erupted with applause. I leaned over to my husband, the pastor, who was immediately following the choir’s song with his Christmas Eve meditation, and whispered, ‘Now that’s a tough act to follow!’” – Sue Conrad Howes, Editor
“Friendly Beasts” by The Kingston Trio
“Friendly Beasts is a song I remember from my childhood, but is rarely heard these days, so I wanted to include it as a memory of my childhood.” – Conrad Martin, Director of Finance
“Vamos Pastores Vamos, Llegó la Navidad, Navidad en el Perú” by Coral Infantil Colegio Manuel Pardo Chiclayo
“These songs take me back to my childhood when all of my dad’s family would gather at my aunt’s house for Christmas. The Peruvian tradition is to stay up till midnight on Christmas Eve and then everyone opens all their gifts. All the cousins would play with their new toys and listen to these villancicos. The party would continue until 2 or 3am, with everyone dancing to cumbia and salsa music. It was just a great time together as a family and these songs remind me of my family’s culture.” – Danilo Sanchez, Youth Formation Pastor
“Refugee King” by Liz Vice and Hannah Glavor
“Refugee King was entirely new to me this holiday season. Meaningful, lovely and a bit conscience-stirring. The meaning and sound from Liz Vice are moving.” – Steve Kriss, Executive Minister
“Our Hope Endures” by Natalie Grant
“Our Hope Endures speaks to me every year because it’s an Advent song as much as a Christmas song. Its words talk about the difficulty that many of us face—pain, loss, grief—that sometimes makes the Christmas season bittersweet. It’s a reminder that Emmanuel, God with us, knows our human condition, and stands with us in our hope and longing for a day when God will wipe away the tears from every eye. It seems like a good fit for Christmas 2020!” – Emily Ralph Servant, Leadership Minister for Communication
Click here to listen now. Merry Christmas from the Mosaic Staff!
The opinions expressed in articles posted on Mosaic’s website are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference. Mosaic is a large conference, crossing ethnicities, geographies, generations, theologies, and politics. Each person can only speak for themselves; no one can represent “the conference.” May God give us the grace to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us through people with whom we disagree and the humility and courage to love one another even when those disagreements can’t be bridged.