A gentle beginning to a new hymn series shaped by presence, noticing, and the holiness of ordinary moments

There are seasons in the Church’s year that ask us to slow down, breathe, and pay attention. Christmastide is one of them. It is a season of tenderness—of God‑with‑us in the quiet places, of light arriving not with spectacle but with gentleness, of hope that settles into the ordinary rhythms of daily life.

The Mindful Year: Hymns for Christmastide grew out of that stillness.

Written during Christmas 2025 and first shared on NeuroDivine.blog, this collection gathers hymn texts shaped by mindful spirituality and the lived experience of neurodiversity. These hymns were written in moments of quiet noticing: the hush of early morning, the soft glow of candles, the small acts of welcome that make Christmastide feel like home.

Star in the bogland,
light on the frost-fields,
Christ in our darkness,
dawning anew;
Star of the Morning – Hymn for Epiphany

Rather than grand declarations, these hymns lean into presence—the God who arrives in vulnerability, the Christ who meets us where we are, the Spirit who breathes through the ordinary.

A new series begins

This volume is the first in a wider project: The Mindful Year, a series of hymn collections for the seasons of the Church’s year. Each book will explore a different liturgical moment through the lens of attentiveness, compassion, and the gentle courage of simply being present.

Christmastide felt like the right place to begin. It is a season that invites us to notice the small things: the warmth of a room, the kindness of a neighbour, the quiet joy of shared life. These hymns try to honour that invitation.

What you’ll find in the book

• Hymns that reflect on the Incarnation with tenderness and clarity
• Texts shaped by mindful practice and neurodivergent ways of experiencing the world
• Language that is accessible, singable, and rooted in the rhythms of community
• A tone that encourages stillness, welcome, and gentle joy

These hymns are written for real congregations — for parish choirs, small communities, and anyone who wants to pray or sing their way through Christmastide with a little more spaciousness.

Available now

The Mindful Year: Hymns for Christmastide is now available in paperback through Lulu.

Purchase the book (via lulu.com)

A final word

My hope is that these hymns offer a moment of calm in a season that can feel hurried. That they help you breathe a little deeper. That they remind you of the quiet courage at the heart of the Incarnation — God choosing to dwell with us, gently, in the ordinary.

Thank you for reading, and for supporting this new journey into The Mindful Year. More seasonal collections will follow in time, each shaped by the same spirit of attentiveness and grace.