Song Choices to Accompany Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is documented in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5:1-47. It begins with the beautiful Beatitudes in verses 1-12. This section of scripture comes up in our Lectionary during the season of Epiphany on 1/30/11 (Mt 5:1-12), 2/6/11 (Mt 5:13-20) and 2/13 (Mt 5:21-37). The following are my favorite songs to [...]

Unction & Chrism

That’s one of the great things about hymns – unction & chrism. I say this because our choir practiced a new hymn from the hymnal supplement the other night titled: “Holy Spirit, the Dove Sent from Heaven” (CWS 732).  After singing our way through the song, we all kind of had a quizzical look on [...]

Who is this Keith Getty guy who appears in our new Hymnal Supplement?

I’ve written about Keith Getty’s music in the past, particularly those new songs that have been included in our new Hymnal Supplement, most notably “In Christ Alone”.  Keith and his wife Kristyn were interviewed recently.   You readers just have to read this interview.  Copyright laws prohibit me to reproduce it in its entirety so I [...]

When Peace Like a River … It is Well!

In February, we will be introducing a new hymn to our congregation from the ”Lutheran Worship” Hymnal Supplement.  The hymn is entitled “When Peace Like a River” although the rest of the Christian world knows this hymn as “It is Well.”  By way of introduction, we will be using a “Bluefishtv” video that describes the [...]

Now Thank We All Our God – Song Intro

Now Thank We All Our God   “Now Thank We All Our God” was written by a Lutheran Pastor named Martin Rinkart, in Eilenburg, Saxony in the early 17th century.  He lived during a time of great political strife.  During the Thirty Years War his city was under siege by Swedish and Austrian armies.  In [...]

A modern day hymn?

A supplement to our Hymnal (Christian Worship) was introduced at the recent “National Conference on Worship, Music and the Arts” in July 2008.  Included in the Hymnal Supplement will be several contemporary songs by the songwriting duo of Keith Getty and Stuart Townend.   Keith Getty and Staurt Townend are modern day hymn writers living [...]