Darlene Zschech and HopeUC ‘The Table: A Christmas Worship Gathering’ Album Review

Darlene Zschech and HopeUC
The Table: A Christmas Worship Gathering
(Integrity Music)

For those wondering what a candlelight Christmas Eve service might sound like at legendary worship artist Darlene Zschech’s HopeUC, they need look no further than The Table: A Christmas Worship Gathering. Building off the idea that all of humanity is invited to God’s table as illustrated by Jesus’s parables, Zschech and company unveil a tapestry of quiet, centered worship that focuses on the glory and the invitation of the Savior’s birth.

The majority of the setlist is comprised of sacred holiday classics like “O Holy Night,” “Little Drummer Boy,” and “Do You Hear What I Hear” with favorites like “Come All Ye Faithful (Come and Adore)” and “Silent Night (In A Moment)” garnering a bit of extra energy with new bridges added on to enhance the familiar lyric. The arrangements are subtle and smooth, allowing for contemplation of the lyrics while original tracks “The Mystery” and “Emmanuel (Glory to God)” offer up new praise for the season. Zschech’s original song “The Table” closes out the subdued affair with a passionate invitation to “come as you are.”

Poised and poignant, The Table: A Christmas Worship Gathering provides a centering respite from the busyness of the holiday season.

–Andrew Greenhalgh