Contemporary Music for the Advent Season

Finding good contemporary Advent music is not easy.  For some reason it is not a popular topic for today’s song writers.  These are a few songs that I have found and used in the past. Contemporary Advent Songs Song Title Writer A Baby Will Come Bill Wolf All to Us Chris Tomlin Behold the Lamb [...]

A Pastoral Use for Youtube

The following is an excerpt from a Pastor’s electronic newsletter to his congregation: This Sunday our musicians will be introducing a new song by Chris Tomlin called “All the Way My Savior Leads Me.”  This song is rich in content as well as musicality. Please preview and enjoy this song before Sunday by clicking here to [...]

Sing praise …

Emphasize the phrase “sing praise” in this responsive reading: Pastor:            Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. – 1 Chronicles 16:8-10 All:  O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God. – Psalm 59:17 Pastor:            All the earth bows down to [...]

A responsive reading based on the Psalm passage “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good”

P:  Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them; that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones.  (Ps 106:4,5a) C:  O Give thanks to the LORD, for He is Good and His steadfast love endures forever.  (Ps 106:1)   P: for He [...]

Installation Service

On March 8, 2009 at 4:00 PM, we will be installing our new Pastor – Timothy Ehlers, who comes to us in CT from Oakley, MI.  It will be a traditional service with Lutheran hymns appropriate for the occasion.  However, it’s important to us at Messiah Lutheran Church to inject a little of our own [...]

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross (Isaac Watts meets Chris Tomlin)

BACKGROUND OF ISAAC WATTS & “WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS” Isaac Watts was born in 1674 in Southampton England.  “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” is thought, by many, to be the greatest hymn ever written.  The eldest of nine children, he was the son of an educated deacon in a dissenting Congregational church.  [...]

Take My Life and Let it Be!!!

Take my Life and Let it Be!   That’s not what I’d call a good title for a hymn.  However, the very next line puts everything into context:  “Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.”  Ahh… Now it makes sense.  In fact the entire song is about surrender, commitment & offering. [...]

an Artist, a Song, Nehemiah 8:10 and a Poem

I was listening to Chris Tomlin’s song “Holy is the Lord” recently.   I just love the verse derived from Nehemiah 8:10:    We stand and lift up our hands, For the joy of the Lord is our strength. We bow down and worship Him now. How great, how awesome is He. And together we sing, [...]