Praise Group Playlist 12-30-12

I decided to use music from the "New Irish Hymns - Incarnation" CD by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. Wonderful Christmas music that hasn't been played a zillion times.

Prelude:

Fullness of Grace (Getty/Townend)
Wexford Carol (traditional Irish carol - just lovely!)
Joy Has Dawned (Getty/Townend)

Quiet - nothing

In Christ Alone (Getty/Townend)
Meekness and Majesty (Grahamn Kendrick)

Offering - Silent Night - guitar solo by a young lady accompanied by the guitarist in our praise group. I loved the sound of 2 guitars.
Response - Doxology

By Faith We See the Hand of God (Getty)

#213 - What Child is This (sounded great with guitar, cello & flute)

Doxology - #218 - verse 5 of Angels We Have Heard on High

Postlude - Fullness of Grace

Praise Group Playlist 11-25-12

Since this was the Sunday after Thanksgiving, thankfulness was the obvious choice:

Prelude:
My heart is Filled with Thankfulness (Getty)
Thank You for Saving Me (Martin Smith)
Worthy is the Lamb (Darlene Zshech)

Quiet - nothing

Lamb of God (Twila Paris)
You are My All in All

Offering - O For a Closer Walk (534 Trinity Hymnal)
Response - Doxology

O My Soul, Arise & Bless Your Maker (Stuart Townend)

The Church's One Foundation (page 347 Trinity Hymnal)

Doxology - page 98 verse 3

Postlude: My Heart is Filled With Thankfulness

Praise Group Playlist - 10-28-12

In honor of Reformation Sunday, I tried to pick songs that depicted the solas of the Reformation: By grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone.  Hence:

Prelude - Marvelous Grace of our Loving Lord (Trinity Hymnal page 465)
My Faith Has found a Resting Place (Trinity Hymnal page 468)
Nothing But the Blood (Trinity Hymnal page 307)
To God Be The Glory (Trinity Hymnal page 55)

(Note: service music picked by the pastor)
Quiet time - How Sweet the Sound of Jesus (Trinity Hymnal page 647)

Holy, Holy, Holy (Trinity Hymnal page 100)
I Stand in Awe (Mark Altrogge)

Offering - Holy Spirit Living Breath of God (Getty/Townend)
Response - Doxology

My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness (Getty/Townend)

May the Mind of Christ My Savior (Trinity Hymnal #644)

Doxology - Trinity Hymnal #98 - third verse

Postlude:  My Faith Looks Up to Thee (Trinity Hymnal #528)

On this Sunday, our guitar player was not available, but we were joined by a young lady on flute, which was a wonderful addition to the group, which was a cellist and myself on piano.

Praise Group Play List 6-23-12

Prelude:

To Him Who Sits on the Throne (an oldie but goodie)
10,000 Reasons (A new goodie by Matt Redman - the sheet music was a free offering on either Kingsway Music or Worship Together)
Thine O Lord (another oldie but goodie)

#295 Trinity Hymnal - Crown Him
See, What a Morning (Getty)

Offering:

Trinity Hymnal #680 - Consider the Lilies (described by my pastor as "schmaltzy but the words are great"!)

Response - All Things Are Thine

Trinity Hymman #35 - My God How Wonderful Thou Art

Sermon Response - Jesus is Lord (Getty)

Doxology - May the Peace (Getty)

Postlude - Thine O Lord

The prelude/postlude choices were influenced by the pastor's service music, particularly "Crown Him".  The sermon and the music all pointed to Jesus as Lord - His position now in heaven.

Praise Group Play List 7-15-12

I thought it would be fun to post the playlists for the Praise Group at our church and maybe write a little about the songs. (Much more fun than mowing the lawn or reclaiming the garden during the mid-day heat in high summer!) I just went through my stack of lists & found that I have them back through January of 2011. They are on the back side of old page-a-day calendar sheets featuring cat cartoons. If I get really ambitious I'll post about some past lists.

Usually we are scheduled for the 4th Sunday of each month, but we're flexible, so this month it is tomorrow. Most of the time our group consists of myself on the piano and a guitarist and cellist. Sometimes we are joined by a violin or two, when they come home for a visit. Occasionally we also have a guest instrument. A while back our church got a new (to us) baby grand piano and set it in a different place than where the spinet was and I love the new arrangement.

Our pastor chooses the music we sing during the service. I think he does an amazing job of not only choosing music that fits with the sermon and the various parts of the worship service, but also working with the style of each service's pianist or organist.

I do most of the choosing for the prelude & postlude. (So if you don't like the music, now you know who to blame!) I like to make photocopies of everything and put them into a ring binder. It cuts down on bringing a stack of music books and also lessons the likelihood of the music blowing or falling off the piano.

Here's tomorrow's list:

Prelude:
Make us One - Twila Paris
How Great Are You Lord - Lynn DeShazo
I Will Glory in My Redeemer - Steve & Vikki Cook
There is a Hope - Stuart Townend

Service:
Beautiful Saviour - Stuart Townend
To See the King of Heaven Fall (Gethsenane) - Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart - Henry Smith
Jesus I Come (Out of My Bondage) - (Old hymn words with new RUF tune)
Faith of Our Fathers - #570 - Trinity Hymnal
Threefold Amen - #740 - Trinity Hymnal

Postlude:  Make Us One

Various things influence my choices. Tomorrow's over-arching theme is Key of C!!! (It is summer after all, when the living is supposed to be easy!)  I also really love Celtic music, so a lot of what I pick has a Celtic flavor. I'm also a hopeless Anglophile, so if it comes from the British Isles, my ears perk right up. I've also discovered that Kingsway Music UK and Worship Together Music offers free sound files, lead sheets and sheet music every week, so that has been a great source of new music. "Make Us One" by Twila Paris, for example, was the free-song Friday offering a few weeks ago on Worship Together.

So how about the rest of the songs?

How Great Are You Lord was done by Robin Mark on the Revival in Belfast album. I love Robin Mark! Each of his CD's is a mixture of his own compositions and those of others and I have used a lot of those songs in my playlists. I just wish we had a penny whistle player!

I Will Glory is from Sovereign Grace Music and was on Bob Kauflin's "Upward" hymns CD. Not only is a lot of their music appealing, but the lyrics are theologically sound, which makes them great candidates for congregational singing.

I first heard There is a Hope as I was using youtube as my radio and poking around listening to various British praise & worship music. The version on youtube has an extended uillean pipe solo that is totally gorgeous, but I also like the song's melody and message.  We have added it to our congregational repertoire.

Beautiful Saviour is one of the first Stuart Townend songs I heard and I'm not even sure  where I first heard it. It's been part of the congregational repertoire for quite a while now.

To See the King of Heaven Fall was one of the free song offerings on Kingsway and was so beautiful and moving that we incorporated it into our worship repertoire right away.

Give Thanks - it's an oldie but goodie copyrighted 1978. Just today I looked through "The Source" (a huge hymnal-style book of praise and worship music compiled by Graham Kendrick) and found a really nice arrangement of it to use tomorrow.  We are singing it during the offering.

Out of My Bondage is found in our Trinity Hymnal, but the version we are singing tomorrow is to a new tune by Reformed University Fellowship. Their mission is to take old hymns and introduce them to a new generation. I'm not crazy about all their efforts, but in this case, I think this tune is a huge improvement over the one in the hymnal - lyrical, singable, and nicely complementing the words, which are wonderful.

Faith of Our Fathers - some songs don't need modernizing and this is one of them. Each month we do at least one hymn that the praise group hasn't done before (not on purpose, just happens that way) so slowly but surely I am scanning the Trinity Hymnal into my computer and creating my piano player's version that fits into a ring binder.

Three-fold Amen - a lovely way to end the service!

The Unexpected Cross

I love songs that take a Bible story and then make a personal application with it. Southern Gospel music has a lot of great examples. Today's song, based on the story of Simon of Cyrene, is from a CD called "Wonderful Story" by the Greenes, copyright 1999.

The Unexpected Cross - Marcia Henry

Traveling through Jerusalem, Simon of Cyrene
Came upon the Crucifixion of the innocent Nazarene
The Soldiers shouted orders, gave Simon’s heart a chill
Then he took the cross for Jesus, carried it up the hill

[Chorus:]
The unexpected Cross, is always hard to bear
But there’s glory in the suffering, Triumph in despair
For Christ is our example, and the crown is worth the cost
Lord, help me to bear faithfully, the unexpected cross

Along the road to heaven, crosses lie unseen
A crisis for the moment, to keep the spirit keen
As Jesus gives the orders help to sacrifice the will
Take up the cross and follow, the victory on the hill

Of Weary Ways or Golden Days

I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.

But "I know Whom I have believed
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I've committed
Unto Him against that day."

Amen!

I Then Shall Live

I Then Shall Live
Lyrics
Words by Gloria Gaither
Music by Jean Sibelius
FINLANDIA

I then shall live as one who’s been forgiven;
I’ll walk with joy to know my debts are paid.
I know my name is clear before my Father;
I am His child, and I am not afraid.
So greatly pardoned, I’ll forgive my brother,
The law of love I gladly will obey.

I then shall live as one who’s learned compassion;
I’ve been so loved that I’ll risk loving too.
I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges;
I’ll dare to see another’s point of view.
And when relationship demand commitment,
Then I’ll be there to care and follow through.

Your kingdom come around and through and in me;
Your power and glory, let them shine through me;
Your Hallowed name, O may I bear with honor,
And may You living Kingdom come in me.
The Bread of Life, O may I share with honor,
And may You feed a hungry world through me.
Amen. Amen. Amen.

Text © 1981 Gaither Music Company. Music © Breitkopf & Hartel (Outside U.S.
only). All rights reserved.

Christ Be In My Waking

Christ Be In My Waking

As the sun is rising,

In my day of working,
With me every hour.
Christ be in my resting,
As the day is ending,
Calming and refreshing,
Watching through the night.

Christ be in my thinking,
And my understanding,
Guarding me from evil,
Walking in the light.
Christ be in my speaking,
Every word a blessing,
Pure and not deceiving,
Grace to all who hear.

Jesus, this is my devotion,
All my life to know You,
Every day to walk with You.
Saviour, You’re my deepest longing,
You’re the One I live for,
Teach me, Lord, to walk with You.

Christ be in my gladness
For the joy of living,
Thankful for the goodness
Of the Father's hand.
Christ be in my sorrow,
In my day of darkness,
Knowing that I follow
In the steps He trod.

Christ when hope has faded,
Nothing left to cling to,
Every pleasure jaded,
Every well is dry.
Christ the loving Shepherd
Draws me with His kindness,
Leads me from the desert
To the streams of life.

Stuart Townend & Simon Brading
Copyright © 2011 Thankyou Music

I Understand Now

A beautiful song - musically & lyrically - from Mary Kathryn.


I Understand Now

Remembering the former things
And thinking of today
I understand now
Looking back I see
How Your mercy covered me
I understand now

How You brought me through the darkness
Holding me close
We walked together
Untouched and yet so changed
I emerged to see the Light that was my guide
You saved my life

Remembering the former things
And thinking of today
I understand now
Looking back I see
How Your mercy covered me
I understand now

You protected me from harm
With Your great a mighty arm
A loving Father
So gallant and so brave
Like a soldier out to save the land he loves
Sent from above

Sweet Comforter
Holy One of God
Look at me
In Your eyes I see
Safe in Your love
Following the path
You made for me
Now I see . . . I see

Remembering the former things
And thinking of today
I understand now
Looking back I see
How Your mercy covered me
I understand now
I understand now

Words & Music by Mary Kathryn, © 1998 Elements of Praise, BMI

You can read and listen at her website: www.mary-kathryn.com

Antidote to Idiocy

If you are as tired and disgusted and sad as I am to hear about the stupid and lewd behavior of our supposed leaders, here are some suggestions:

1. Go to joniandfriends.org and read any (or all) of the articles. Joni's story is unfailingly inspirational (and usually convicting!) and the various outreach ministries are busy doing wonderful things.

2. Google Robin Mark and listen to any of his songs on youtube. They all glorify God.

3. Go to the Orthodox Presbyterian Church's main website (www.opc.org) and read about our missionaries in Sendai, Japan, who have survived the earthquake and tsunami and are now working tirelessly in the relief efforts.

4. For something completely different, check out the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee and get a big dose of cuteness. (The link is on the sidebar.)

5. Turn off the TV and the computer and go eat a BIG piece of chocolate!

God is at work in our sad old world, but most of the time, His workers are under the radar screen of celebrity and publicity. Of course, we are all sinners and all need grace and mercy and forgiveness. I'm certainly thankful that no one is following me around and plastering all the dumb things I do & say all over the news.

Just for a while, let's focus on something other than bad news.

Rise, My Soul, To Watch and Pray

This was one of the hymns we sang today. I thought it was interesting to see that it was written in 1697 by a German composer named Johann Freystein. Then in 1863 it was translated into English by Catherine Winkworth, who is responsible for many of hymns we enjoy today.

"Rise, My Soul, to Watch and Pray"
by Johann B. Freystein, 1671-1718
Translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878

1. Rise, my soul, to watch and pray,
From thy sleep awaken;
Be not by the evil day
Unawares o'ertaken.
For the Foe,
Well we know,
Oft his harvest reapeth
While the Christian sleepeth.

2. Watch against the devil's snares
Lest asleep he find thee;
For indeed no pains he spares
To deceive and blind thee.
Satan's prey
Oft are they
Who secure are sleeping
And no watch are keeping.

3. Watch! Let not the wicked world
With its pow'r defeat thee.
Watch lest with her pomp unfurled
She betray and cheat thee.
Watch and see
Lest there be
Faithless friends to charm thee,
Who but seek to harm thee.

4. Watch against thyself, my soul,
Lest with grace thou trifle;
Let not self thy tho'ts control
Nor God's mercy stifle.
Pride and sin
Lurk within
All thy hopes to scatter;
Heed not when they flatter.

5. But while watching, also pray
To the Lord unceasing.
He will free thee, be thy stay,
Strength and faith increasing.
O Lord, bless
In distress
And let nothing swerve me
From the will to serve Thee.

6. Therefore let us watch and pray,
Knowing He will hear us
As we see from day to day
Dangers ever near us,
And the end
Doth impend--
Our redemption neareth
When the Lord appeareth.

Hymn #567
The Trinity Hymnal
Text: Matthew 26:41
Author: Johann B. Freystein, 1697, cento
Translated by: Catherine Winkworth, 1863, alt.
Titled: "Mache dich, mein Geist, bereit"
Tune: "Straf mich nicht"
1st Published in: Hundert Arien
Town: Dresden, 1694

Indelible Grace!

We sang this in church today. What a marvelous message, and what wonderful imagery!


A Debtor to Mercy Alone by Augustus Toplady (author of Rock of Ages)

A debtor to mercy alone
Of covenant mercy I sing
I come with Your righteousness on
My humble offering to bring
The judgments of Your holy law
With me can have nothing to do
My Savior’s obedience and blood
Hide all my transgressions
From view

The work which Your goodness began
The arm of Your strength will complete
Your promise is yes and amen
And never was forfeited yet
The future or things that are now
No power below or above
Can make You Your purpose forego
Or sever my soul from Your love

My name from the palms of Your hands
Eternity will not erase
Impressed on Your heart it remains
In marks of indelible grace
Yes I, to the end will endure
Until I bow down at Your throne
Forever and always secure
A debtor to mercy alone

O Light That Knew No Dawn

In our worship service, we sometimes reflect on a hymn while it is played, before the call to worship. Today I was the pianist and the hymn below was today's choice. The author is Gregory of Nanzianzus, and I encourage you to google the name and read up on some fascinating Christian history. I also encourage you to google John Brownlie, who was a Scottish pastor in the late 1800's. He translated this and many other poems from the ancient Greek & Latin.

O Light That Knew No Dawn

O Light that knew no dawn,
That shines to endless day,
All things in earth and Heav’n
Are lustered by Thy ray;
No eye can to Thy throne ascend,
Nor mind Thy brightness comprehend.

Thy grace, O Father, give,
That I might serve in fear;
Above all boons, I pray,
Grant me Thy voice to hear;
From sin Thy child in mercy free,
And let me dwell in light with Thee.

That, cleansed from stain of sin,
I may meet homage give;
And pure in heart, behold
Thy beauty while I live;
Clean hands in holy worship raise,
And Thee, O Christ my Savior, praise.

In supplication meek
To Thee I bend the knee;
O Christ, when Thou shalt come,
In love remember me,
And in Thy kingdom, by Thy grace,
Grant me a humble servant’s place.

Thy grace, O Father, give,
I humbly Thee implore;
And let Thy mercy bless
Thy servant more and more.
All grace and glory be to Thee,
From age to age eternally.

Another Brian Houston song

I TOOK MY BURDEN TO THE CROSSROADS

I looked both ways down the ancient roads
I asked the Lord for the right way
To find redemption for my soul
And the sunlight streamed in through my window
Shone a ray of hope into my blackest hole
Took the book of Jeremiah to my bedside
Felt inspiration murmur soft and low

Hurricane keep a blowing
Send me something on the breeze
Sounds like hope and a future
Sounds like there might be some for me

When I wonder why I bother
When I feel like giving up on my life
When they’re selling all that You gave me freely
In the temple courts for a criminal price
Will You keep revealing to me all the mysteries?
And the ancient secrets so well hid
Like when mercy triumphs over judgement
Revealing more of You than the law ever did

Brian Houston
Copyright © 2001 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music/MC

Where You See Bones

I bought a couple of CD's on ebay a few weeks ago. This song was on one of them. I think the lyrics are amazing.

WHERE YOU SEE BONES

When the ones you love and trust hurt and destroy You
You may be discouraged, certainly don't think of giving up
When you are broken, when you are wounded
Forgive those who persecute you
For it's alright to be broken, and it is no shame to cry

But I do not want you to remain in that place of brokenness
Even though I am in that place with you
Still I do not want you to stay there

Where you see bones, I can see the army
When you see floods, I see the shore
Where you see dry winds blow, I see new life grow
Where you see clouds in your way, it is the Lord

Like I delivered Moses out from the desert place
So I will lead you through
You will see a fire in the night and a pillar of cloud in the day
I will go before you
And if you can forgive then when your soul is really mended
You will see that there is gold, pure gold
Real gold of great worth
You will see there is gold, pure gold
Real gold of great worth in your life

But I do not want you to remain in that place of brokenness
Even though I am in that place with you
Still I do not want you to remain there
No, no, no, no I do not want you to remain in the land of your affliction
No, no, no, no I do not want you to stay there in the land of your broken dreams

To know that I the Lord your God dwell within you
Live beside you and walk behind you
This the pure gold I am talking about
That cannot be consumed by fire or stolen away by human hands
This is the gold of ministry that you have longed for
That you have laid awake at night on your bed dreaming of

And you need to know that I have been wishing for you
Dreaming in you, hoping for you
For my dreams are so much greater for you than yours
And to know my hand in Your life
This is the greatest prize
So much better than recognition

And as you rise up in me, many will know
Many will see, many will hear
Because I am your God

This is the pure gold that I am refining in you
That will shine within your soul
And your cup will run over
And you will see the fruit of your labours
And you will not be disappointed forever
For your toils and your struggles are not in vain

© 2001 : Brian Houston
KingsWay's ThankYou Music/MCPS

There is a Hope

Stuart Townend is one of my favorite Christian songwriters, and this song of his is one of my favorites. There is a wonderful video of it on youtube. Someday maybe I'll master how to embed it in my blog. Until then, you'll have to google it. Anyhow, here are the lyrics - perfect for a rainy Monday morning in January!

There is a Hope by Stuart Townend and Mark Edwards - 2007

There is a hope that burns within my heart,
that gives me strength for every passing day;
a glimpse of glory now revealed in meagre part,
yet drives all doubt away:
I stand with Christ, with sins forgiven;
and Christ in me, the hope of heaven!
My highest calling and my deepest joy -
to make His will my home.

There is a hope that lifts my weary head,
a consolation strong against despair,
that when the world has plunged me in its deepest pit,
I find the Saviour there!
Through present sufferings, future's fear,
He whispers "courage" in my ear.
For I am safe in everlasting arms,
and they will lead me home.

There is a hope that stands the test of time,
that lifts my eyes beyond the beckoning grave,
to see the matchless bueaty of a day divine
when I behold His face!
When sufferings cease and sorrows die,
and every longing satisfied.
Then joy unspeakable will flood my soul,
for I am truly home.

Christmas Music

The other day I created a station on Pandora using Mannheim Steamroller (holiday). The resulting song list is wonderful - great songs to work to. I also made stations using Hillsong (holiday) and Kathy Mattea (holiday) and they are equally enjoyable.

Today's Tidbit

Today I created a new radio station on Pandora called "Dennis Jernigan". The resulting songs were wonderful! I would call them vintage worship songs - a lot of Heritage Singers, Maranatha Singers, and some quiet, contemplative songs from more contemporary artists.

Another reason to love the internet

Acting on a tip from my brothers-in-law (2 separate occasions), I checked out www.pandora.com. It is TOO COOL for words. It is a music site that customizes your radio to your personal preferences. They have analyzed zillions of songs for all sorts of characteristics that you would never even think of (like excessive vamping, which I apparently like since it shows up a lot in the songs they choose for me). You choose an artist or a song and they start offerings possibilities. You can vote yes or no or not at all. If you choose no they delete the song from the playlist. I'm not sure what doing nothing does, but a yes vote hones their choices.

Just for fun, I tried an experiment. I love the song All My Tears by Julie Miller. It has been recorded by her, as well as by Jars of Clay, Selah, and Emmy Lou Harris. I haven't done the Emmy Lou version yet, but I created stations based on each of the other versions. It's very interesting to see how the different versions give rise to different playlists. I spent the most time with the Julie Miller version. She has a spare, Appalachian sound with folk instruments. Some of the subsequent offerings were Allison Krause, the main song from O Brother Where Art Thou, and many artists and groups I had never heard of.

What a great way to explore music. And - it's free! I don't know how they do it, except they have links for every song so you can buy the song or the album, which must generate some kind of revenue. According to their FAQ's, they add about 15,000 songs per month. They take suggestions (so I suggested Lianna Klassen and Damaris Carbaugh) and submissions if you are an aspiring musician.