Hymns for the Ascension

Posted on May 22, 2012 by

Download the Album & Songbook – HERE

Download Michael Farley’s Article on the Ascension – HERE

Blog post with more resources and songs for the Ascension – HERE

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List of Artists and Churches that Contributed:

Zac Hicks - zachicks.com
Cherry Creek Pres, Denver CO

Brett Harris – Music from the Gathering Church
Gathering Church – Durham NC

Jonathan Green – JG HYMNS
Edinburgh, Scotland

Greg Scheer – Gregscheer.com
Church of the Servant, Grand Rapids, MI

David Lutes – All Saints Hymns
All Saints PCA – Austin, TX

Aaron Slaten – Mission Athens Music
Christ Community, Athens GA

Wen Reagan – wenreagan.com
Christ Community – Chapel Hill, NC

Bobby Krier & Justin Ruddy – Castle Island Hymns
City Life Pres, Boston

Wes Crawford – church
Redeemer Fellowship, Kansas City

Sarah & Phil Majorins – GloriaNote Music
City Church – Davis, CA

Brian T Murphy & Clint Wells – Red Mountain Music
New York, NY & Nashville, TN

Karl Digerness – City Hymns
City Church, San Francisco

Jered McKenna – bio
Mitchell Road Pres, Greenville SC

Jess Alldredge – bio
Grace Seattle Pres, Seattle WA

Michael Van Patter -  Hymns
Hope Chapel – Greensboro, NC

Wendell Kimbrough – Church Music
Church of the Advent, Washington DC

Rebekah Osborn – music
Redeemer Pres – Indianapolis, IN

Posted in Church Year | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Celebrating and Singing the Ascension of Jesus Christ

Posted on May 22, 2012 by

This past Sunday the church celebrated as “Ascension Sunday.”  The Sunday remembers that 40 days after the Resurrection Jesus gathered before his disciples and in their sight ascended up to heaven. (Acts 1: 6-11) “And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.”  Zac Hicks reminds us in his recent post on the Ascension that Luke makes a point to both end and begin his two great letters with accounts of the ascension (so we should take note).  The ascension, however, doesn’t get a lot of attention…especially in our worship as sojourn pastor Daniel Montgomery states so succinctly in a recent post.  Yet it is utterly essential…if not inscrutable! Without the ascension there is no pentecost, there is no church, there is no application to our lives of the victorious work of the cross and resurrection!  The Ascension means that Jesus is now reigning, ruling, interceding for us, preparing a place for us, and ultimately planning his return for us.  Under the ascension we can live with hope that Christ will come again.

Continuing on with our series of compilations exploring under-served themes in worship music we have collected texts from various corners of church hymnody and recast them in recent musical garb…many written in the last month!

You can download the album for free at BandCamp (all donations will be given to Jobs for Life).  Included in the download is a PDF songbook of chords and leadsheets.

We also asked theologian Mike Farley to write an ARTICLE for us about the Ascension.  As you are listening to these new songs take a moment to read the article.  With these compilations we are trying to provide robust resources for worship leaders, churches, and all Christians by incorporating visual, musical, and theological perspectives.

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Recent Posts on the Importance of Ascension:

Michael Farley – Jesus’ Ascension and Christian Worship
Sojourn Pastor Daniel Montgomery – Recent Post
Worship Leader Zac Hicks – Recent Post
Article by Ron Mann -  “On the Neglected Ascension“
Paxson Jeancake – Rediscovering the Ascended Life of Jesus (Gospel Coalition Blog)
Malcolm Guite – A Sonnet for Ascension Day

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More Songs meditating on the Ascension

Right Hand of the Father (Paxson Jeancake)
mp3 | leadsheet | Album – Wide Awake

Hail the Day that Sees Him Rise
Leadsheet | Wesley text to tune of Christ the Lord is Risen

Church of God, Behold Your Savior (Josh Eby Text)
Leadsheet

Come Heaven Down (Bruce Benedict)
chords | demo | blog post

Lord, Enthroned in Heavenly Splendor (Evan Mazunik arr)
mp3 | leadsheet | Ascension hymn for communion

Christ Whose Glories Fill the Skies (Luke Morton arr)
MP3 | Chart

Posted in Church Year | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Songs for Baptism

Posted on May 9, 2012 by

Here is a collection of songs and texts that meditate on various themes related to baptism.  However you practice this sacrament it is a time for congregational celebration.  In the various churches that I’ve served we have always sung a song of praise during or after the baptism that unites the congregation in both proclaiming and remembering the significance of baptism for our life in Christ.

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Arise, My Soul, Arise (multiple)
Igrace – mp3 | leadsheet | Chords | purchase
Sov Grace – mp3 | charts | purchase

Baptized in Water (traditional tune/new text)
leadsheet | Text | publishing info

God Be In My Head (Gathering Church arr.)
mp3 | leadsheet | Chords | purchase

I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (Kevin Twit arr)
Demo and Charts | hymnary

Isaiah 43 (RuF Hymnbook)
Demo and Charts | info

Let us Love and Sing and Wonder (Newton – RUF Arr.)
Demo and Charts | info

Power in the Blood (Nothing But the Blood of Jesus)
mp3 | leadsheet 1 | leadsheet 2

Take My Life and Let it Be (F. Havergal)
mp3 | leadsheet | Chords | info

The Church’s One Foundation (Brian Moss arr)
mp3 | leadsheet | Chords | info

There is a Fountain Filled with Blood (multiple)
The Welcome Wagon – mp3 | leadsheet | buy
Karl Digerness (City Hymns) – mp3 | leadsheet | chord chart | Youtube
Indelible Grace – mp3 | leadsheet | chord chart | info
Traditional (Sojourn arr.) – mp3 | leadsheet

You have Redeemed My Soul (Waterdeep)
mp3 | leadsheet | purchase

Jesus Loves Me (Cardiphonia arr for Infant Baptism)
MP3 | Leadsheet

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A Few of Our Favorite Baptism Resources:

See this post from Luke Brodine on ‘Singing Your Baptism‘

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“At Your Baptism” by Carrie Sttenwyk and John Witvliet

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Posted in Music | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

David Taylor – The Visual Arts and Worship

Posted on April 30, 2012 by

Christianity Today has just published an article by our friend David Taylor entitled “Discipling the Eyes Through Art in Worship.”  This is a really important discussion for many of us who are interested in supporting the arts in christian worship, loving on artists, using arts as part of our liturgical landscape, etc.  You can read the full article at the link above. After you have finished reading the article please check out two follow up posts from David here and here.

Here is a brief excerpt which features my old church Redeemer Presbyterian in Indianapolis.

Didactically. At other times the visual arts instruct us in the teachings of Christian faith. In Indianapolis, Redeemer Presbyterian Church recently created an art installation whose intention was to accompany a sermon series during Advent. A key idea was that life springs forth from the Word of Light. Stacks of Bibles, paper-collage banners embedded with live plants, jasmine set in the windows, tall glass candles, pink lanterns, and encaustic (painted with hot wax) paper hovering fantastically over the stage communicated a visual dimension of this idea. The installation also contributed aesthetic beauty to the space—a delight in line, color, smell, and texture.

Here is an appendix written by David Taylor that includes a list of books, articles, and organizations that you can pursue for further reading, reflection, and sharing!

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New Music for Spring 2012

Posted on April 24, 2012 by

Lots of great new stuff flowing down the pipeline this spring.  Here are some of our favorites.

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Kristin and Bobby Gilles from Sojourn Music have just released a new album of songs called “The Whole Big Story” specifically written to provide a meta-narrative of the Gospel message.  Here is what they have to say about the new album.

Taken together, these songs tell God’s story from creation to the Second Coming. We believe they cover themes and Bible stories that aren’t conveyed in many songs for the Church (read the scriptures that inspired each of these songs here), yet each song centers on the cross.

  • These songs teach that Christ’s sacrifice wasn’t simply akin to throwing himself in front of a bullet for us (as brave and noble as that would be), but rather that He is the Lord of all Creation who willingly died on His own tree, having known and determined to do so before creation’s dawn.
  • These songs teach a crucial, blessed difference between Old Testament worship and our reality — that we don’t have to wait once a year for an appointed priest to pray and offer sacrifice for our sins, but that we can boldly go before God’s throne all the time. Christ’s sacrifice has “torn the veil.”
  • These songs show that Jesus defeated Satan by the cross, that the Holy Spirit is sweeping through the earth, that Christ is adding to His Church, and that He will come again, bringing His people back to set up a kingdom wherein “love will cover all the earth, in the kingdom without end.

You can download the album at noisetrade.  Your download includes the chord charts.
You can also purchase the album at bandcamp

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Big Stories for Little Ones:
Rain for Roots

Lyrics by Sally Lloyd Jones
Music by Sandra McCracken, Flo Paris, Katy Bowser, and Ellie Holcomb.

yes please!

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Two other new worship CD’s that I have enjoyed this month.


Young Oceans: Young Oceans

I enjoyed that Jamie Smith referred to these guys as indie worship music for the Asthmatic Kitty crowd.  Working on getting chord charts for their album. stay tuned.

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Daniel Zott – HYMNS

A recommendation from my brother in law from the detroit hinterlands.  Some classic hymns texts with a  groovy electro/indie mix.  Daniel also plays in the band Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.

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Posted in Music, News | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Palm Sunday Weekend with Reggie Kidd

Posted on April 9, 2012 by

Melchizedek brings to Abram bread and wine. (Gen 14:18)

For Palm Sunday we invited Reggie Kidd to visit our church to speak on the future-looking aspects of the Lord’s Supper (as part of our Calvin Worship Grant).  He spoke with our leadership team on Saturday night, and twice on Sunday morning (Sunday School and Sermon).

During our leadership team dinner we talked about how the Lord’s Supper is a means of grace, and how at the table we become the realized body of Christ and that through this we can encourage and lift those up struggling in their faith.

During the Sunday School time Reggie focused on the Lord’s Supper through Exodus 24, Lev 23, and Revelation 19.  Noticing how this chapter and the Psalms share the penultimate biblical phrase of praise “Hallelujah”.

[download talk here]

During the sermon he drew out the connections between Genesis 14 and Hebrews 6 & 13 showing how Christ is our high priest that eternally makes intercessions for us so that we can come to the table and be fed by God. He worship both in the midst of us and over us as His people.

[download sermon here]

Palm Sunday Worship Guide

Songs:

Prelude – Blessed be the Name (Redmans)

All Glory, Laud and Honor (Redeemer-Knoxville arr)
The Lord is King (Nathan Partain arr)
At the Name of Jesus (Jon Gilley arr)
Before the Throne of God (Vicky Cook arr)
What Wondrous Love is This (Sacred Harp Arr with choir)
There is a Redeemer (Keith Green)

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His sermon was based in a recent article “Jesus Christ, Our Worship Leader”.

PDF version here - PDF

Web version here – Jesus Christ, Our Worship Leader (Worship Leader, Mar/Apr ’11)

 

Posted in Anamnesis Grant, Christ the King | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Seder Supper at Christ the King

Posted on April 9, 2012 by

CTK working hard to Haggadah together!

Christ the King celebrated our first Seder Supper last week as part of our community participating in Holy Week.  This was inspired by our Worship Renewal Grant from Calvin Institute of Christian Worship where we are exploring what it means to grow in our observance of the Lord’s Supper this year.  The Seder Supper is an exploration of the passover meal, and gives people an experiential look into the last supper that Jesus had with his disciples.  Along with recounting the passover story we also sang through a portion of the “Hallel” Psalms (113-118) that most scholars attribute as the ‘hymn’ that Jesus sang with this disciples (Matt 26:30).  It was great to have the help of the new Psalms for All Seasons with this!

Above you can see a few pictures.  Many thanks to Hillyer Christian for letting us use their fellowship hall for free! Thanks as well to our crack leadership team for pulling this whole evening off in fine form (Ellen Beaver, Sarah Lilley, Paul Kilpatrick, Pj Benedict)

Here is our Liturgy and Songs – pdf

Here is our menu for the meal portion – pdf

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Here are a few other Seder’s we enjoyed looking at as we planned ours.

Harbor Pres, San Diego
Liberti Church, Philly

This site [http://www.crivoice.org/seder.html] is an exhaustive resource for all things Seder.

Posted in Anamnesis Grant, Christ the King | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment