Confirmation 2010

We welcomed six young people into our membership yesterday. They have been engaged in study throughout the winter and spring. They endured their meeting with the Session last week and were formally welcomed at FirstLight worship; they helped lead worship again at 11AM. I am pleased to say that four of them are active musicians: Dow (sax) Thomas (trumpet) and Caleb (baritone horn) all play in middle school band; Madison sings in school chorus and with the Prophets. Cheers!

Prophets' retreat

Yesterday the Prophets spent a day apart in retreat. We had a great group that included our musicians and our tech team. We took time giving warm-fuzzies to everyone in our group. We also tried playing one another's instruments! Andy G. (our facilitator) asked us to take an instrument other than our usual one and using that instrument play a song (together). It wasn't quite as bad as one might expect; we joked that it would be fun to demonstrate that to the congregation some time (with a little more practice!!).

We also reflected on the joys and concerns that we are experiencing in our ministry as worship music leaders for FirstLight. Some will be easy to address, some will take some imagination and some will take some real effort to address. But our list of joys was by far the longer of the two lists. We took time talking about the history of FirstLight as well as our development as a music ensemble, and some of the folks who have helped us get where we are. We also shared with one another musical selections that were especially meaningful to each of us. All the music was great, but Melissa C. tipped the scales by singing a song she herself had written. It was a whole new side of her we had not known before!

After a great lunch we continued our sharing and near the end heard from Karen Haak about her hopes and plans for FirstLight worship. We closed by sharing ways to tweak this retreat event if (and when) we do it again. You can look at a typed version of our post-its here. We were thankful to the Montreat Conference Center (thanks Judy S. and Mike M.!) for hosting us (for free) and our own Andy who was back in his pre-retirement role as group facilitator. We will do it again for sure. Be sure and ask Caroline P. what color her toes were; she'll blush and have to explain herself!

Worship music November 18

The week in worship we will be welcoming Harry and Debbie Horne, PC(USA) missionaries in Peru. First appointed as missionaries in Grand Cayman Island and Guatemala, the Hornes have been in Peru since 2004, teaching at the Lima college of the Universidad Biblica Latinoamericana (UBL). Here is a bit of bio on them.

Congregational song at FirstLight this week will feature a couple of oldies-but-goodies: “Be still for the presence of the Lord,” and Michael W. Smith’s “How majestic is your name" (is that song really 26 years old!?!?). Also in the opening set we will sing two currently popular songs, “We fall down” (ask Caroline P. what the rest of the title is!!) and “That’s why we praise him.” Other music will include the Caribbean “Halle, halle,” Harry Smith’s classic “Give Thanks,” and Richard Gillard’s “The Servant Song.” The Prophets will be introducing us to a fantastic new song, “With all of my heart.” The song itself has been around a while, but it’s new to us; with a cool beat, we are certain you will enjoy it, and want to turn it quickly into a congregational song!

Hymns at 11 AM will include “Rejoice ye pure in heart” (Marion), “As those of old their firstfruits brought” (Forest Green) and “We give thee but thine own” (Schumann). The choir will lead us with the Cameroon worship song, “Praise the Lord;” (try and listen without tapping or shaking something, or without singing along!) the standard Greatorex “Gloria Patri,” and the familiar two-fold Dresden “Amen.” The anthem will be Jack Noble White’s “First Song of Isaiah,” written about here. Caroline P. and others of the Prophets of Praise and a couple of bell ringers will accompany the choir. Instrumental music for worship will include the Adult Handbell ensemble ringing Tim Waugh’s “Come Thankful People,” a medley of Thanksgiving tunes, and at the organ a bit of French baroque music at the offering and Sigfried Karg-Elert’s timeless setting of “Now Thank We All Our God.” Here’s a clip on the organ at Trinity Church, Boston, a nice, large instrument in a wonderful acoustical setting; wish the poster had given us the performers name!

Music for Sunday 9/23

Congregational song at FirstLight will begin with Laurie Klein's passionate chorus, "I Love, You, Lord," followed by "I Give You My All," "Reign In Me," and "Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord." The third song will be new to some, but is easily learned. The concluding song will be Dan Schutte's hymn of call and commitment, "Here I Am, Lord." The Prophets will be singing a Brazilian worship song, "Cantad al Senor" at the offering. Perrin Todd has been working overtime, brushing up his Hispanic-style playing skills!

The Chancel Choir will sing John Rutter's "Te Deum" at 11 AM. Accompanied by organ (our own Carla Sperry) and brass, this will be a thrilling musical element in our worship this week. Brass players contracted for this presentation include Julie Howard, David Pressley, our own Anna McClintock, Peter Schlecht, Todd Sessoms, Dave Oakley and Will Talley. We welcome these players as part of this special music presentation. Hymns for worship will be "Ye Servants of God" (Hanover), "God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending" (Beach Spring), and "My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less" (Solid Rock). Organ music by Flor Peeters, Max Reger, and John Heron is also part of the musical lineup.

Music for Worship this Sunday

Congregational songs at FirstLight will include Reuben Morgan's "I Give You My All," "God of Wonders," and Chris Tomlin's and Louis Giglio's "Holy is the Lord." Our opening songs will conclude with the Iona Community song "Come, All You People." We'll continue the ethnic feel in the music with the Caribbean-sounding "Halle, Halle." The Prophets of Praise will sing a setting of "Refiner's Fire" at the offering. Our closing song (and the last hymn at 11 AM) will be "Lord Whose Love Through Humble Service," to the Sacred Harp tune Beach Spring.

The multi-cultural music carries over to the 11 AM service this week. The choir will be singing "God is here today," a song from Mexican worship traditions arranged by C. Michael Hawn. Any time I have a question about global worship and music, Mike Hawn is my go-to man; thanks bro'! The choir will also sing the jaunty "Halle, Halle." To conclude the service, the choir will sing John Stainer's beloved "Seven-Fold Amen." In lieu of a choral anthem Ken Scott, Jr. will be singing a setting of text from Amos by Michael Barker. "The Lord Was Standing" (Amos 7.7-9) is from a set of four songs for bass soloist with piano accompaniment written in 2001 employing various passages from Amos. The music has a distinct modern quality while remaining definitely tonal. Organ music at this service is also by Michael Barker, his Psalm Suite for Organ: four shorter pieces which reflect on passages from the Psalms. These pieces are all heavily influenced by the music of Carl Orff. This will be the first public performance of all these pieces. The hymns for worship this Sunday will be "Praise ye the Lord the Almighty" (Lobe den herren), "Dear Lord and Father of Mankind" (Rest), and "Lord Whose Love..." mentioned above.

Music for worship this Sunday

The chancel choir will be singing an anthem by Lloyd Pfautsch, "Seek to Serve." Based on ancient chant melodies, this is a strikingly simple and haunting anthem. The text is a powerful prayer of commitment to mission and service. The choir will also be singing "Jesus Calls Us" to the tune Pleading Savior at the Introit. Mike Barker will be performing a hymn arrangement by Richard Elliot, "Lord Teach Me to Walk in the Light," at the prelude, an offertory by Dom Paul Benoit, and a weighty postlude by American composer James Hotchkiss Rogers. Global worship music will be a feature at both services this week, with a prayer song from Tanzania and a sung Prayer for Illumination which has a strong Middle Eastern tone. Congregational songs at Firstlight will include the classics "You Are My Hiding Place" and "We Will Glorify the King of Kings" plus "Made Me Glad" and "That's Why We Praise Him." The Prophets of Praise will be singing the hymn "Come ye Sinners" by Joseph Hart (1712-1768) in a new setting by Matthew S. Smith at Indelible Grace Music. Here is a video of the band at Blacknall Memorial Presbyterian in Durham, NC performing the song for their worship. Congregational hymns at 11 AM will include "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah" (Cwm Rhondda), "If Thou But Trust in God to Guide Thee" (Wer nur den lieben Gott), and "How Firm a Foundation" (Foundation).