Music for 04/19/15

FirstLight

Gathering Song(s)

          He has made me glad

Opening Song

Fairest (Fairest Lord Jesus)

Response to Forgiveness

          Jubilate, everybody

Prayer for Illumination

          Thy word   

Offertory

          Nothing ever

Closing Song

          This is our God

 

 

11AM

Hymns

          234, Come, ye faithful raise the strain (ST KEVIN)

          494, Jesus, thou joy of loving hearts (QUEBEC)

          14, For the beauty of the earth (DIX)

Response to Forgiveness

          Halle, halle, hallelujah

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow (LASST UNS ERFREUEN)

Instrumental/Organ Music

Prelude: Lois R. Hill, Voluntary on St Kevin

          (a setting of the tune for our first hymn)

Offertory: Samuel Wesley, Lead me, Lord

          (text from Psalm 5.8 and Psalm 4.8)

Postlude: Stephen H. Best (2003), Celebration Fanfare

Music for 02-15-2015

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
Here I am to worship

Opening Song
Arise my soul, arise

Response to Forgiveness
Shalom chaverim

Offertory
Famous One

Closing Song
Salt and light

11AM
Hymns
265, Jesus shall reign (DUKE STREET)
450, Be thou my vision (SLANE)
744, Arise, your light has come (FESTIAL SONG)

Response to Forgiveness
Laud and honor to the Father (WESTMINSTER ABBEY)

Doxology
In Gratitude and Humble Trust (FOREST GREEN)
In gratitude and humble trust, we bring our best today,
To serve your cause and share your love with all along life’s way.
O God who gave yourself to us in Jesus Christ your Son,
Help us to give ourselves each day until life’s work is done.

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude: JS Bach, Christ thou art the brightest day
Offertory: Kenney Potter, I will sing unto the Lord
Chancel Choir, Nick Murphy accompanist, Randy Shaffer, trumpet
Text adapted from Psalm 30 and I Corinthians 15
“…you turned my wailing to dancing; you clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing to you and not be silent…”
Postlude: JS Bach, Fugue in C

Music for 020815

FirstLight

Gathering Song(s)

Holy, holy, holy (Santo)

All hail the power of Jesus’ name

Opening Song

Holy is the Lord

Peace

Leaning on the everlasting arms

Psalmody/Canticle

Psalm 150: Praise ye the Lord

Prayers

Cambodian Lord’s Prayer

Offertory

With all of my heart

Closing Song

Better is one day

11AM

Hymns

263, All hail the power of Jesus’ name (DIADEM) 
694, Great God of every blessing (AURELIA) 
39, Great is thy faithfulness (FAITHFULNESS)

Peace

837, What a fellowship, what a joy divine (SHOWALTER)

Psalmody/Canticle

Psalm 150: GtG 633, Praise ye the Lord (CLEVELAND)

Prayers

Cambodian Lord’s Prayer

Doxology

In Gratitude and Humble Trust (FOREST GREEN)

Instrumental/Organ Music

Prelude: Vincent Lubeck, Prelude in E

Offertory: John Rutter, Gaelic Blessing

Postlude: Vincent Lubeck, Fugue in E

Music for 020115

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
Jikelele

Opening Song
I could sing of your love forever

Prayer of Confession Response
Jubilate, everybody

Psalmody
Psalm 111: Our God is an awesome God

Offertory
Hallelujah, your love is amazing

Closing Song
There is a balm in Gilead



            
11AM
Hymns
662, Christ whose glory fills the sky (RATISBON)
180, Silence! Frenzied, unclean spirit (AUTHORITY)
792, There is a balm in Gilead (THERE IS A BALM)

Response to Forgiveness
Jubilate, everybody

Psalmody
Psalm 111: GtG 652, A grateful heart (ROCKINGHAM)

Doxology (FOREST GREEN)
In gratitude and humble trust we bring our best today,
To serve your cause and share your love with all along life’s way.
O God who gave yourself to us in Jesus Christ your Son,
Help us to give ourselves each day until life’s work is done.

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude: singing: Jikelele
Offertory:  Donald Busarow, He comes to us
Postlude:  TBA Organ

How my mind works (when planning music)

Today's (1/18/2015) gospel reading was John's telling of Jesus gathering the first disciples, and it was the Sunday before the MLK, Jr. holiday. So thematically we had the whole call/follow thing and the social justice thing. I wanted to sing a South African prayer song, from the anti-apartheid era (Thuma mina) mostly because it's been a few weeks since we sang at the prayers. The liturgy (compiled by the preacher for the day) included a collection of statements from MLK Jr that were crafted into a brief statement of faith. From the prayer song I took a step back to another South African song, "Come with me for the journey is long." With the gospel lection, I opted for a new (2004) hymn by Mel Bringle ("From the nets of our labors/We will rise up and follow") which also included a social justice theme. From that wonderfully Hispanic-sounding song (music by John Kleinheksel) I leaped to William Farley Smith's exuberant setting of "Cantemos al Senor." I heard Smith play the piece with its downright wicked chromaticism and parallel octaves at a Lake Junaluska conference some years ago before his untimely death. He was ebullient an African-American man whose musicological hand hovers over the current UM hymnal. The appointed psalm was 139, which made an appearance in our spoken call to worship, confession rite, and as the choir anthem at the offering (setting by Allen Pote). So many themes, so much music! Wow!

Advent II visuals, 2014

 

The Martin family created our Advent visual this week. They focused on the Isaiah passage and explored themes of making straight, comfort and sheep. They included their own nativity set from home as part of their installation. Here are some pictures.

Advent Wreath and Visuals 2014

Spring-boarding off something I saw in a workshop setting this fall, our Advent wreath at FirstLight this year is a "found art" installation. Families have been given the readings for a specific Sunday, and have been asked to read together and mark concepts and images that could be conveyed visually using items found around their homes. One item specifically each week is a candle. The display changes weekly, though each candle will stay. Here are some images from the first week. Key words the Lindsey family used are: star, leaves, potter, clay, word of God, and mountains. Here are some pics. We're off to a good start!