Music for All Saints Sunday

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
My roots go down

Opening Song   
Better is one day

Confession
There’s a wideness

Offertory
Come as you are

Communion
Distribution: Promised land

Closing Song   
Leaning on the everlasting arms

11 AM
Hymns
321, The church’s one foundation (AURELIA)
326, For all the saints (SINE NOMINE)

Confession
581, Glory be to the Father (GREATOREX)

Doxology OLD HUNDREDTH

Communion
Responses: Oliver in D minor
Distribution: How can I keep from singing; When peace like a river

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude:  Francois Couperin, Recit de Cromhorne
Offertory: Neil Harmon, The Lord is my shepherd
Postlude: Joseph Jongen, Chorale

Music for Reformation Sunday 2016

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
Open our eyes, Lord
Forever

Opening Song
Your grace is enough 

Confession
Your mercy flows

Offertory
Whenever God shines his light

Closing Song   
Jesus, name above all names

11 AM
Hymns
275, A mighty fortress is our God (EIN FESTE BURG)
451, Open my eyes that I may see (OPEN MY EYES)
826, Lift high the cross (CRUCIFER)

Confession
394.4 Laud and honor to the Father (WESTMINSTER ABBEY)

Prayer for Illumination
455, Listen to the word that God is speaking (LISTEN TO THE WORD)

Doxology OLD HUNDREDTH

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude:  Johann Gottfried Walther (1684-1748), Ein Feste Burg
Offertory: Jan Zwart (1877-1937), Ein Feste Burg
Postlude: Max Reger (1873-1916), Ein Feste Burg

Music for 10/9

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
Let the river flow (in E)

Opening Song  
Shout to the Lord (in A)

Confession
The steadfast love of the Lord (E-flat, GTG 59)

Offertory
The potter’s hand (in G)

Closing Song   
Give thanks (F, STF 2026)

11 AM
Hymns
41, O worship the King (LYONS)
351, All who love and serve your city (CHARLESTOWN)
377, I want to walk as a child of the light (HOUSTON)

Confession
59.R, The steadfast love of the Lord (STEADFAST LOVE)

Doxology PLEADING SAVIOR

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude:  André Crouch, My Tribute (To God be the glory)
Offertory: John Leavitt, River in Judea
Postlude: Douglas E. Wagner, Toccata for the 150th Psalm

Music for 2016.10.02

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
Tuya es la Gloria

Opening Song   
Glorify thy name

Peace
Salaam

Offertory
For the Lord our God reigns

Communion
Invocation

Closing Song   
O sing to the Lord

11 AM
Hymns
310, I love thy kingdom, Lord (ST THOMAS)
838, Standing on the promises (PROMISES)

Confession
581, Glory be to the Father (GREATOREX)

Doxology OLD HUNDREDTH

Communion
Responses: Eslinger, in C
Distribution: GtG 292 and 324

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude:  Improvisation on Nyland
Offertory: Carol Jennings, Climb to the top of the highest mountain
A setting of text from Isaiah 40
Justin Lance, music scholar
Postlude: Arr. John Behnke, Toccata on Kum Ba Yah

None but the most astute, who happen to attend both services, will notice the connection between the music at the distribution at FL and the postlude at 11am. But I'll know it's there!

Music for 9//18/2016

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
Cherokee morning song

Opening Song   
Lord reign in me

Confession
Lord, listen to your children praying

Offertory
Balm in Gilead

Closing Song   
Come and find the quiet center (STF 2128, BEACH SPRING)


11 AM
Hymns
409, God is here (ABBOTS LEIGH)
2128, Come and find the quiet center (BEACH SPRING)
295, Go to the world (SINE NOMINE)

Confession
469, Lord, listen to your children

Doxology FOREST GREEN

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude: Alec Rowley, Benediction
Offertory: Richard Smallwood, I love the Lord, who heard my cry
Postlude: GF Handel, Hornpipe, from Water Music

Music for 9/11/2016

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
I will trust in the Lord

Opening Song   
Shout to the north

Confession
Surely it is God who saves me (STF 2030)

Offertory
Nothing ever (can separate us)

Closing Song   
The summons

11 AM
Hymns
620, Praise my soul the King of heaven (LAUDA ANIMA)
803, My shepherd will supply my need (RESIGNATION)
726, Will you come and follow me (KELVINGROVE)

Confession
71, Surely it is God who saves me (FIRST SONG)

Doxology FOREST GREEN

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude: John Stanley, Voluntary Number 1, Adagio and Echo Tune
Offertory: Arr. Alice Parker, Be thou my vision
Postlude: John Stanley, Trumpet Voluntary

Music for 9/4/2016

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
How great is our God

Opening Song   
God of the sparrow, God of the whale

Confession
Rain down

Offertory
All creatures of our God and King

Closing Song   
The trees of the field (STF 2279)

11 AM
Hymns
15, All creatures of our God and King (LASST UNS ERFREUEN)
22, God of the sparrow, God of the whale (ROEDER)
80, The trees of the field (TREES OF THE FIELD)

Confession
48, Rain down (RAIN DOWN)

Doxology FOREST GREEN

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude: James Woodward, All of tender heart
Variation on LASST UNS ERFREUEN
Offertory: Allen Pote, Psalm 139
Postlude: Johann Pachelbel, Toccata in C

Worship music 2016.08.28

A former pastor of our congregation is now a missionary serving in Taiwan. He and a group of indigenous pastors from Guatemala and Taiwan are in town for an education/renewal event for a couple of weeks. They will be with us in worship Sunday, giving us a chance to share a smorgasbord of ethnic music.

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
Pastor musicians

Opening Song   
Alabare

Prayer for Illumination
Open your ears, O faithful people

Prayers
Search me O God (GtG 426)

Offertory
Holy ground (D Major)

Closing Song   
Here I am, Lord

11 AM
Hymns
49, The God of Abraham praise (LEONI)
405, Praise God for this holy ground (HEYMONYSTRAAT)
741, Guide my feet (GUIDE MY FEET)

Prayer for Illumination
453, Open your ears, O faithful people (YISRAEL V’ORAITA)

Prayers
426, Search me, O God (KAM CHHAT)

Doxology  OLD HUNDREDTH

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude: Pastor musicians
Offertory: Brian Wren/William Rowan, God of many names
Postlude: William Farley Smith, Let’s sing unto the Lord

Worship Music 8/14/2016

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
Turn my heart

Opening Song   
Come all you people (Uyaimose)
Praise to the Lord the almighty

Confession
Take, O take me as I am

Prayers
Cambodian Lord’s prayer

Offertory
One thing remains

Closing Song   
Just a closer walk with thee

11 AM
Hymns
664, Morning has broken (BUNESSAN)
795, Healer of our every ill (HEALER)
301, Let us build a house (TWO OAKS)

Confession
698, Take, O take me as I am (TAKE ME AS I AM)

Prayers
Cambodian Lord’s prayer

Doxology  FOREST GREEN
In gratitude and humble trust we bring our best today,

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude: Samuel Whitney, Trio
Offertory: Arr. Jack Schrader, Precious Lord, take my hand
Men’s Ensemble
Postlude: Eugene Thayer, Festive Postlude in G

Music for 7/31/2016

First Light

Gathering Song(s)

You are my King (Amazing love)

Opening Song

You are holy (Prince of peace)

Confession

Jubilate, everybody

Offertory

My hope is built

Closing Song    

I give you my heart

11AM

Hymns

687, Our God our help in ages past (ST ANNE)

766, The church of Christ cannot be bound (MCKEE)

757, Today we all are called to be disciples (KINGSFOLD)

Confession

394.4, Laud and honor to the Father (WESTMINSTER ABBEY)

Doxology  PLEADING SAVIOR

For the life that you have given, for the love in Christ made known,

With these fruits of time and labor, with these gifts that are your own:

Here we offer, Lord, our praises; heart and mind and strength we bring;

Give us grace to love and serve you, living what we pray and sing.

Instrumental/Organ Music

            Prelude: Felix Mendelssohn, Andante from Sonata in A

Offertory: Felix Mendelssohn, Lift thine eyes, from Elijah

BMPC Women’s Ensemble

Postlude: Felix Mendelssohn, Fugue in G

Music for 2016.05.22

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
Made me glad

Opening Song
Blessed be your name

Confession
Bless the Lord, my soul (Taize, STF 2013)

Offertory
Blessed assurance (in 9/8)

Closing Song    
I love to tell the story

11 AM
Hymns
2, Come, Thou Almighty King (ITALIAN HYMN)
462, I love to tell the Story (HANKEY)
749, Come! Live in the Light! (WE ARE CALLED)

Confession
2013, Bless the Lord, my soul (BLESS THE LORD, TAIZE)

Doxology OLD HUNDREDTH

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude: Arr. Robert Hobby, I love to tell the story
Offertory:  Louis Couperin, Dialogue, from Convent Mass
Postlude: Nicolas Jacques Lemmens, Fanfare

Music for 2016.05.01

FirstLight
Gathering
More love, more power

Opening
Forever

Confession
Halle, halle, hallelujah (CARIBBEAN HALLELUJA)

Offertory
Hungry

Communion
Responses: Leon Roberts
Distribution: Jesus Messiah

Closing
Love the Lord

11AM
Hymns
401, Gather us in (GATHER US IN)
693, Though I may speak (O WALY WALY)

Confession/Praise Response
2026, Halle, halle, hallelujah (CARIBBEAN HALLELUJA)

Doxology LASS UNS ERFREUEN
Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Communion
Responses: Eslinger
Distribution: 769, For everyone born (FOR EVERYONE BORN)

Instrumental Music
Prelude:  Douglas Wagner, Arioso
Psalm 144.15: Happy are the people whose God is the Lord
Offertory: Douglas Wagner, Sanctus
Postlude: Douglas Wagner, Fanfare

Music for 4/24/16

FirstLight
Gathering
God is here today

Opening
Alabare

Confession
Halle, halle, hallelujah

Offertory
Resucito

Closing
Mighty to save

11AM
Hymns
15, All creatures of our God and King (LASST UNS ERFREUEN)
826, Life high the cross (CRUCIFER)

Confession/Praise Response
2026, Halle, halle, hallelujah (CARIBBEAN HALLELUJA)

Doxology LASS UNS ERFREUEN
Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Instrumental Music
Prelude:  John Herron, Voluntary in G
Offertory: Claude Bass, Jesus, thou joy of loving hearts
Postlude: John Stanley, Trumpet Voluntary

Floral arts at Lent and Easter 2016

This was the second year we did a slightly different take on floral arts during Lent. The concept was a progression for "poverty" to "abundance." The flowers in our two worship spaces began the season very starkly and evolved over the season to a glorious display for Easter Day. This year Ash Wednesday for us was a joint service with another congregation, so we didn't provide an arrangement. If we had, the plan would have been to drape the wooden urn in black fabric. We opted to use two separate arrangements for our two worship spaces, except on Easter Day. Fellowship hall had a brass urn and the sanctuary a wooden urn. Here is how the program developed:

The first Sunday of Lent was simply canes and twigs with moss, in unadorned urns.

For the second Sunday of Lent the floral arts team simply added eucalyptus branches, while retaining most of the material from the previous week.

We added alstroemeria to both arrangements for the 3rd Sunday.

Forsythia and other flowers added for the 4th week gave a hint at what was to come...This arrangement was striking simply for the height provided by some of the branches.

Palm-Passion Sunday saw the forsythia in full bloom, now with some white flowers and palm branches.

Sorry the light was bad for the Easter arrangement, but it was glorious. Lots of flowers in a trumpet-shaped glass vase.

We concluded the series on Easter Day with a reprise of our indoor Easter garden. It included a flowered cross. Individuals purchased plants in memory of or in honor persons, and were able to take their plants home after worship.

Good Friday Stations, part 1

In spring of 2015 the local paper ran an article about an artist with an exhibition taking place around Easter time. Without going back to re-read and get the details, what I recall was that the artist had a series of works that invited the viewer to consider the Easter story and the renewal of creation as individuals walked through the installation. I never even got around to see the exhibit, but something about the article struck me and stuck. A month later I was talking with our worship committee about an idea for an interactive Good Friday experience that relied on art to let/help persons recall and meditate on the Good Friday story. I wanted an experience that would be meaningful for adults, but 100% approachable by children. Our committee worked on the concept all year.

What evolved was an evening-long experience in which persons could drop-in, participate and leave on their own, much like those horrid drop-in communion services we've all heard of! We wanted a series of "stations" purposefully recalling the "stations of the cross" model of Good Friday worship. Each station would be an art project, based on a Bible verse which persons could complete quickly and either take home of leave for others to view. We wanted to provide food, as we anticipated that we would run the event throughout the dinner hour. We wanted older, traditionally-minded folks, to feel like they had experienced something substantive when they were done; and we wanted children to feel like they had encountered the Bible story in a mode they could comprehend. We knew we would need the help of committees apart from our own to bring it off.

The event was last night. Upcoming posts will deal with it in some detail. We feel it was a success, though we are waiting to hear more from those who participated. It's the nature of the event and how it was billed that we didn't do much debriefing as folks departed.

Music for 4/17/2016

FirstLight
Gathering
Give thanks with a grateful heart

Opening
Hallelujah, your love is amazing

Confession
Halle, halle, halleluja

Offertory
One thing remains

Closing
Canticle of the turning

11AM
Hymns
236, The strife is o’ver (VICTORY)
100, My soul cries out (CANTICLE OF THE TURNING)
546, Lord dismiss us with your blessing (SICILIAN MARINERS)

Confession/Praise Response
2026, Halle, halle, hallelujah (CARIBBEAN HALLELUJA)

Doxology LASS UNS ERFREUEN
Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Instrumental Music
Prelude:  Max Reger (1873-1916), God of heaven and God of earth
Offertory: Mark A. Miller, I believe
Postlude: Gordon Young, Prelude in Classic Style

Music for 2016.03.20 Palm-Passion

FirstLight
Gathering
Palm Procession (narthex)

Opening
All glory, laud, and honor (4/4 time, B-flat Major, drumming)

Confession
Give me a clean heart
Take, O take me as I am

Offertory
Revelation song

Closing
To my precious Lord (GTG 704)

11AM
Hymns
196, All glory, laud, and honor (VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN)
Hymn setting by Trenton Durham,
written for his marriage to Brooke Alexander, 3 April 2016
704, To my precious savior (TO MY PRECIOUS SAVIOR)
197, Hosanna, loud hosanna (ELLACOMBE)

Confession/Praise Response
Call to confession: Give me a clean heart
Response after confession: 698, Take, O take me as I am

Doxology HATTON
Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Instrumental/Choral Music
Prelude:  JS Bach, Prelude in F Minor
Offertory: Edwin T Childs, My song is love unknown
A setting of a poem by Samuel Crossman (1664); follow the text at GTG 209
Postlude: JS Bach, Fugue in F Minor

Music for 2/28/2016

FirstLight
Gathering
Turn my heart

Opening
Made me glad

Confession
Give me a clean heart
Take, O take me as I am

Prayers
There is a balm in Gilead

Offertory
Arms open wide

Closing
There is a longing in our hearts

11AM
Hymns
307, God of Grace and God of Glory (CWM RHONDDA)
847, Our Hope, Our Life (O WALY WALY)
372, O For a World (AZMON)

Confession/Praise Response
Give me a clean heart
698, Take, O take me as I am

Prayers
792, There is a balm in Gilead (THERE IS A BALM)

Doxology HATTON
Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Instrumental Music
Prelude:  Gilbert Martin, There is a balm
Offertory:  Craig Curry, I heard the voice of Jesus say
Postlude: John Stanley, Voluntary in D Minor

Worship Symposium (Calvin Institute)

I went to the Calvin Institute’s worship symposium last week as part of my continuing education this year. It was a very good event and I found much to think about and felt gratified about what we have going on at BMPCNC while also perceiving areas we can grow.  Here’s a very brief summary and review

Thursday

Morning worship Reggie Smith preaching, music by Hope College musicians (band with a young organist on the hall’s pipe organ added to the mix! Awesome! All hail Christ was probably my favorite song from the event)

Seminar: Wisdom for leading through changes in worship in diverse communities (experiences with Calvin Institute grants)

Seminar: Worship in times of tension (panel discussion)

Vesper Service: Were you there (Biblical drama led by students from Northwestern College under the direction of Jeff Barker (Donna Marie Todd, a Biblical story-teller who worships with us, knows Jeff.)

Evening worship: Mary Hulst (chaplain at Calvin College) preaching and students from Calvin College's LOFT team (the bass player was my hero for the hour, giving everything he had in his performance)

Friday

Morning worship: Frank A Thomas, preaching, Rawn Harbor and Michael Burkhardt accompanying

Plenary Session: Barbara J. Newman Universal design for worship: shaping worship for people of all abilities (a video from First Church Dyer, Indiana which we saw Thursday morning was used again in this session, it consists of various members of their congregation of all ages and abilities saying the Apostles' Creed: very moving)

Seminar: Psalms from the Soul: Rawn Harbor used the group to sing through brand new settings of the psalms to get an idea of how well they “worked” in real life. He also spoke about his experience writing psalm-settings within the context of the Roman Catholic church

Seminar: Ron and Debra Rienstra. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue (drawing on various resources, old, new, global, indigenous to create authentic worship)

Seminar: Marking Time; dressing the church for the liturgical year (Deborah Sokolove, on the faculty of my alma mater, Westley Theological Seminary) I presented our model for the Advent Wreath at our FirstLight services in 2015 and 2014, which seemed well-received by the participants.

Vespers: Sandra McCracken and students from Hope College

Festival of Song and Scripture (gospel music from a variety of musicians and churches)

Saturday

Morning worship: Richard Mouw preaching musicians from East End Fellowship, Richmond, VA

Plenary session: L Gregory Jones on “traditioned innovation,” co-presented with an ad hoc jazz ensemble exploring vividly the notion of spontaneously generated expressions of faith and theology unique but grounded in our rich theological heritage

Seminar: Projection practices Becky Steel Halstead creative and tasteful methods for developing the Sunday worship projection

Seminar: From the inside out: guiding adolescents in worship leadership Eric Mathis (we do this a lot already and I wanted to see if we were doing it according to anyone else's model) I felt like what we do with youth leadership held its own in the critical light of “best practices”

Seminar: Revitalized worship spaces: architecture of renewal (we did nothing but look at pictures of some very creative spatial reconfigurations around the country) It was wonderful!

Closing Worship: Anne Zaki preaching. The end of the service and the blessing rite, in many languages and including a simple sending song from China was quite stirring.

Music for 02072016

FirstLight

Gathering

            Come into God’s presence (unaccompanied)

            Come, now is the time to worship

Opening

            Come and rejoice

Confession

            Jubilate, everybody

Offertory

            Praise his holy name

Closing

            You are holy, you are whole

 

This Sunday we are excited to welcome the Asheville Youth Choir to sing with us at the 11am service.

11AM

Hymns

            267, Come, Christians, join to sing (SPANISH HYMN)

            no middle hymn

            274, You, Lord, are both lamb and shepherd (PICARDY)

Confession/Praise Response WESTMINSTER ABBEY

Laud and honor to the Father,

Laud and honor to the Son,

Laud and honor to the Spirit,

Ever three and ever one:

One in might and one in glory, while unending ages run.

Anthem (at the readings)

            Cesar Franck, Psalm 150

Doxology LASST UNS ERFREUEN

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God all creatures here below;

Alleluia, alleluia!

Praise God above ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia!

Benediction Response

            John Rutter, For the beauty of the earth

Instrumental Music

            Prelude:  Arr. Koerts, Creation Sings

            Offertory:  Arr. Aspass, Oba Se Je (Here comes the King)

            Postlude: Theodore Dubois, Toccata

 

The Asheville Youth Choir is a community choir offering the opportunity for

teenagers to come together to enjoy the challenge and friendship of creating

beautiful music, thereby making a positive impact in our community and

beyond. It is sponsored by the Academy for the Arts (AFTA )at First Baptist

Church and is directed by Clark Sorrells, AFTA faculty member and Robert

Waller, Arts Education Coordinator for Buncombe County Schools.