Music for 032512

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
Come and fill our hearts (STF 2157)
Change my heart O God (STF 2152)

Opening Song
I give you my heart

Confession
Leon Roberts, Lord have mercy

Scripture/Proclamation
Speak, O Lord

Offertory
Ancient words

Doxology
Give thanks (STF 2036)

Closing Song
Bitter was the night


11 AM
Hymns
469, Morning has broken (BUNESSAN)
Bitter was the night (BITTER)
302, I danced in the morning (SIMPLE GIFTS)

Confession
Leon Roberts, Lord have mercy

Anthem
Rosephanye Powell, The Word was God
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. The same was in the beginning with God. By him all things were made,
that have been made; nothing was made he has not made.

Doxology
All things come of thee, O Lord

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude: Arr. Paul Manz, Voluntary on Bunessan
Offertory: JS Bach, The Son of God goes forth
Postlude: JS Bach, Prelude in A Minor

I became familiar with the 11AM choir anthem several years ago but never performed it; the piece was suggested to me a couple of years ago here in Black Mountain by a former chorister. We weren't ready to attempt it then, but have grown in our choral abilities and finesse since then. The composer is an African-American woman of growing renown. Her name is pronounced like the name "Stephanie" without the "t" and with the addition of "ro" to the beginning. Sidney Carter wrote two of the hymns we will sing at 11AM this week. I have not ever before included two songs by the same person in a single service. But I wanted to pair the more obscure song, "Bitter was the night," with a hymn for which Carter is rightly famous, "I danced in the morning." Carter, an English poet, songwriter and folk musician was born in 1915 and died in 2004.