Merry Christmas, Everyone!

I've been on a bit of a hiatus for the season of Advent because I figured there wasn't a whole lot of mystery as to how I was selecting music. But there is something I like to share with my friends every year - the literal translation of Silent Night. 

As you may know, Silent Night is a German Christmas carol. The version we sing in English has been modified to rhyme but it is not quite the same. Here is a rough translation of the original German lyrics (the third and fifth verses are my favorite):

1. Silent night! Holy night! All are sleeping; only the Holy Pair watches the lovely boy with curly hair sleep in heavenly peace.

2. Silent night! Holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight! Angelic "Alleluias" sound it near and far: "Jesus, the Savior is here!"

3. Silent night! Holy night! God's Son, o how love laughs out of Your divine mouth! Then it hits us - now is the hour of our saving - Jesus, in your birth.

4. Silent night! Holy night! The healing of the world brought from heaven's golden height - we see the fullness of His grace: Jesus in human form!

5. Silent night! Holy night! Where today all the power of Fatherly love pours forth, and Jesus, like a brother, embraces all the people of the world!

6. Silent night! Holy night! Long we hoped to be freed from the Lord's wrath. In time, the Father promises to spare all mankind! 

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Sunday, December 21st - First Sunday of Advent

(First time here? Read the Introduction for more information)


I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving - welcome to Advent!


Opening Hymn: Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers H-68

The scripture readings this week have a lot to do with waiting, watching, and waking. So we kick off our Advent season with "Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers." 

"Rejoice, rejoice, believers, and let your lights appear.

The evening is advancing, and darker night is near.

The Bridegroom is arising, and soon He will draw nigh.

Up, watch in expectation: At midnight comes the cry.

See that your lamps are burning; replenish them with oil.
Look now for your salvation, the end of sin and toil
The marriage feast is waiting, the gates wide open stand
Rise up, ye heirs of glory, the Bridegroom is at hand

Our hope and expectation, O Jesus, now appear!
Arise, thou Sun so longed for, above this darkened sphere
With hearts and hands uplifted, we plead, O Lord, to see
The day of earth's redemption and ever be with thee!"


Sequence Hymn: Wait for the Lord G-256

Continuing the theme of watching and waiting, the sequence hymn is the Taize song, "Wait for the Lord." 
It is short and simple, repeating the same phrase; "Wait for the Lord, whose day is near. Wait for the Lord, be

strong, take heart." 

Communion Hymn: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence H-324

Every other hymnal I'm familiar with puts this hymn in the Advent section. The Hymnal 1982 is the first one I've seen that

lists it as Eucharist. To be honest, I've never much cared for this hymn - that is, until I heard this rendition. 

It needs an air of mystery. Now I love this hymn.

Recessional: The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns H-73

We conclude with "The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns." The other hymns have been mostly about waiting

in the darkness, so this hymn serves as a reminder of what comes when the darkness is over.

I hope this adds to your worship experience and I hope to see you there!

Sunday, November 24th - Christ the King

(First time here? Read the Introduction for more information)

Welcome to the last Sunday of November and the last Sunday before Advent!


Opening Hymn: Jesus Shall Reign H-544

As soon as I heard this Sunday was called "Christ the King Sunday," this is the hymn that sprang to mind. The hymn tune ("Duke Street") has been one of my favorites ever since my college handbell choir played an arrangement of it my sophomore year (you can listen to a recording of it here, if you're interested!) It's such a joyful tune - full of praise!

"Jesus shall reign where'er the sun
Doth its successive journeys run
His Kingdom stretch from shore to shore
Till moons shall wax and wane no more"


Sequence Hymn: Jesus, Remember Me G-293

The Gospel reading for this week comes from Luke 23. Jesus is being crucified and the thief hanging next to him says, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." I had another hymn selected (I don't remember now what it was), but one of my choir members said, "There's a Taize song in Gather that's based on that scripture." This is why I love running my selections by the choir - it's not unusual that they have better suggestions! I'm still getting familiar with two new hymnals.

It's a very simple song (as Taize songs usually are), but it's taken directly from the scripture passage and it's beautiful.

"Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom
Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom"


Offertory Anthem: Thank the Lord - Rene Clausen

This week is the Sunday before Thanksgiving, so the choir is singing a song of gratitude. It's a charming little a capella folk song.

"Thank the Lord and sing his praise, tell everyone what he has done
Let everyone who loves the Lord rejoice and gladly bear his name.
He recalls his promises and leads his people forth in joy
With shouts of Thanksgiving, Alleluia, Alleluia!"


Communion Hymn: Seed, Scattered and Sown G-6-1

This is one of my favorite communion hymns and one that I really like to do in the fall/harvest season. It's a straight-forward communion hymn but it talks about gathering wheat, which is why it makes me think of harvest. It's a beautiful song.

"Seed, scattered and sown
Wheat, gathered and grown
Bread, broken and shared as one
The living bread of God

Vine, fruit of the land
Wine, work of our hands
One cup that is shared by all
The living cup, the living bread of God"


Recessional: Lift High the Cross H-473

This was another suggestion from a choir member. I hadn't heard it before, but it works so well to close this week's service.

"Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim
Till all the world adore his sacred name"



I hope this adds to your worship experience and I hope to see you there on Sunday!

Sunday, November 17th - Retreat Weekend

This will be short and to the point because I'm about to head out for the church retreat. Full blog posts return next week!

Opening Hymn: A Mighty Fortress is Our God

I chose this hymn because of the Canticle for Sunday. It's all about God's provision and protection.


Sequence Hymn: Jesus Calls Us O'er the Tumult

In the Gospel reading, Jesus speaks of difficult times to come. I chose Jesus Calls Us O'er the Tumult to serve as a reminder that even through difficult times, Christ is there.


Recessional: Almighty Father, Strong to Save

Continuing the theme of protection and provision.

Sunday, November 10th

(First time here? Read the Introduction for more information)


Opening Hymn: Immortal, Invisible H-423

Sometimes I pick hymns based on the Old Testament readings for the opening hymn. Or hymns that fit the theme, if it's a themed Sunday. When neither of those approaches work, I go with a general hymn of praise to God. "Immortal, Invisible" is essentially a laundry list of the qualities of God - a great way to start any Sunday. It's always important to remember Who we come to worship when we come to church. 


Sequence Hymn: Canticle of Zachary G-561

The Gospel reading this week is another one of those with absolutely no hymns based on it whatsoever. Maybe someday someone will write a rousing hymn called, "The Sadducees asked a stupid question and Christ did call them on their nonsense," but until that happens, I'll have to improvise. I chose "Canticle of Zachary," mainly for the last verse (although the other two go fairly nicely with the Epistle passage). In the Gospel passage, Jesus says, "Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive." I was looking for hymns about death, or life after death, and stumbled across this hymn:

Now bless the God of Israel, Who comes in love and power
Who raises from the royal house delivrrance in this hour
Through holy prophets God has sworn to free us from alarm
To save us from the heavy hand of all who wish us harm

Remembering the covenant, God rescues us from fear
That we might serve in holiness and peace from year to year
And you, my child, shall go before to preach, to prophesy
That all may know the tender love, the grace of God most high

In tender mercy, God will send the dayspring from on high
Our rising sun, the light of life, for those who sit and sigh
God comes to guide our way to peace, that death shall reign no more
Sing praises to the Holy One! O worship and adore.



I think the last verse sings the sentiment of "Not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all of them are alive" quite nicely. The tune is "Forest Green" which you may know to other words. 


Communion Hymn: Table Song G-616

This beautiful song includes the phrase "We are the body of Christ, broken and poured out, promise of life from death." This continues along with the triumph over death theme from the Gospel passage.


Recessional: We Will Extol You H-404

I chose this hymn in connection with "Immortal, Invisible" - the hymns are similar both thematically and musically, and serve as "musical bookends" to the service. 

We will extol you, ever blessed Lord;
Your holy Name for ever be adored;
Each day we live our psalm to you we raise;
You, God and King, are worthy of all praise,
Great and unsearchable in all your ways.



I hope this adds to your worship experience - See you there!

Sunday, November 3rd - All Saints Sunday

(First time here? Read the Introduction for more info)

This week is All Saints' Sunday, which made my job of musical planning an easy one. "For All the Saints" is a given and aside from that, there are plenty others to choose from to fill out the service. I didn't grow up in a tradition that observed All Saints' so I wouldn't be the best person to explain it if you have questions about it, but here is a link to the Wikipedia article for your edification: All Saints.


Opening Hymn: For All the Saints H-287

I'm pretty sure a lot of churches around the world will be singing "For All the Saints" on Sunday. It's nice to feel connected not only to those who have gone before us but to other Christians around the world. That's the power of music - it can create a bridge between past, present, and future, across oceans, and even across cultures.


Sequence Hymn: Blest Are They G-469

The Gospel reading is the Beatitudes. Last week I had the choir sing the beautiful, "Blest are They" by David Haas so that it might be somewhat fresh in the congregations minds for this week. It is a musical setting of the Beatitudes and it's beautiful.


Offertory: Heaven's Choir

I've been wanting my choir to sing this for years now and decided to finally go for it this year. I think this song speaks for itself, so here is a recording and here are the lyrics:

When we lift our voices to heaven
When we sing alleluias to worship the Lord
We prepare for the day when we join all heaven's praise
With an audience of one we will sing to the Son

In heaven's choir, we'll join saints in glory
In heaven's choir, we'll worship the Lord

And when we bow before the throne

We'll sing "Holy, holy, holy, holy"
We'll praise the Lord on high in heaven's choir

In the church are many nations, different races, different songs
There are separate denominations who proclaim Christ as Lord

But there will be no more division when we reach our heavenly home

We will all sing as one in the presence of the Son

In heaven's choir, we'll join saints in glory
In heaven's choir, we'll worship the Lord

And when we bow before the throne

We'll sing "Holy, holy, holy, holy"
We'll praise the Lord on high in heaven's choir

We'll join saints in glory
In heaven's choir, we'll worship the Lord

And when we bow before the throne

We'll sing "Holy, holy, holy, holy"
We'll praise the Lord on high in heaven's choir

We'll join with the angels on high in heaven's choir

Communion Hymn: I am the Bread of Life H-335

When I first heard this hymn earlier in the year, I thought the words seemed a bit funeral-ish. Not in a depressing way (quite the opposite), but the refrain says, "And I will raise you up, and I will raise you up, and I will raise you up on the last day." So I logged it away in the back of my mind for All Saints' because it seemed so fitting. 

Recessional: I Sing a Song of the Saints of God H-293

Several people suggested "I Sing a Song of the Saints of God" for this Sunday and I had never previously heard it. I loved it immediately. It's fairly simple (but some of the best songs are) and has a great message. I think my favorite is the last verse:

They lived not only in ages past, there are hundreds of thousands still

The world is bright with the joyous saints who love to do Jesus' will

You can meet them in school or in lanes or at sea, in church or in trains or in shops or at tea

For the saints of God are just folk like me, and I mean to be one too.

I can't think of a better sentiment to sing as we leave church this Sunday. All the saints of God were just people, and I can be one too. Amen.

I hope this adds to your worship experience. If you are joining us on Sunday, please feel free to bring something to place on the altar to memorialize a loved one who has passed. See you there!

Sunday, October 27th

(First time here? Read the Introduction for more info)


Opening Hymn: O God, Our Help in Ages Past H-680

The Old Testament scriptures this week both mention God providing rain. I love this because we've gotten more rain this year than we have in a long time. It's nice to walk outside and see how green and alive everything is.

Speaking of bounty and restoration, the opening hymn is "O God, Our Help in Ages Past." This hymn always comes to my mind when I think of God's provision. 

"O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come
Our shelter from the stormy blast and our eternal home!"

Sequence Hymn: Lord Jesus, Think on Me H-641

At first glance (first listen?) this hymn seems like kind of a downer. It also seems somewhat Lent-esque. But the Gospel reading this week is the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector praying in the synagogue. The Pharisee turned his prayer into a show, giving thanks for not being a horrible sinner like the Tax Collector, but the Tax Collector's prayer was humble and contrite. Jesus ends his story by saying, "All who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted" (something he had said at least once before)

I wanted to go with a hymn that was either about prayer or prayer-like - something full of humility. Before looking for hymns for this Sunday, I had never heard "Lord Jesus, Think on Me" before but in preparation for this week, I've come to really love it. One of the things I like about it (apart from it being beautiful) is that it is a petition not for any kind of gain other than to be a servant of Christ.

"Lord Jesus, think on me, and purge away my sin
From harmful passions set me free and make me pure within.

Lord Jesus, think on me, with care and woe oppressed
Let me thy loving servant be and taste thy promised rest."

Offertory anthem: Blest Are They

This is where practicality comes in to play in what I do. This song will be the sequence hymn next week. By having the choir sing it this week, the congregation gets a chance to hear it and hopefully be ready to sing it in a week.

Recessional: O All Ye Works of God, Now Come H-428

I selected "O All Ye Works of God, Now Come" to bring the service full circle. The Old Testament passages this week talk of the Lord's provisions and things that the Lord has made, so what better way to end than to call all creation to praise the Lord? And the last verse says:

"O let his people bless the Lord like righteous souls of yore
Let those of holy, humble heart come praise him evermore."

This ties in to the Gospel passage about humility as well. 

I hope this adds to your worship experience on Sunday. See you there!