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Why is Lament so Hard for Worship Leaders (and their Congregations)?

Author – Adam Perez is a doctoral student in liturgical studies at Duke Divinity School.

 

Pandemic and Grief

It goes without saying that the past year has had a lot to lament. The pandemic and personal grief attend to every congregation. Social isolation and financial burdens can be found near and far. And yet, Sunday morning worship around the world is marked by seemingly careless songs of praise that resound from tall steeples, mega-campuses, small storefronts, or on the livestream at home.

Is the music of our worship services numb to the cry of the needy? Or is there something else at work in why many congregations are deeply invested in the project of praise?

There is certainly something to be commended here. There’s a testimony to praising God’s faithfulness regardless of our circumstances. There’s a witness to offering ourselves and our lives and our world to God no. matter. what.

 

Reconsidering History

But there’s also something to be reconsidered. We should recognize and remember the history of how we got here. It wasn’t by chance or by virtue alone that worship leaders have quietly adopted a lament-avoidance. The high pedestal of praise has a theological past to be remembered. It is part of the story of who contemporary/modern worship leaders are today and what they are expected to do. Answering the question in the title of this article requires a short jaunt into the recent history of contemporary praise and worship.

In the early 1950s, a theological revolution began that took Psalm 22:3 as a promise: God will be present when we praise God. It was the seed of a biblical theology of worship that is dominant today. Though its initial teacher, Reg Layzell, focused on simple spoken or shouts of praise, the primacy of praise came to be highly musical by the late 1970s. If your congregation wanted to experience God’s presence, it had to sing praise. Psalm 100:4 was a model for organizing the music of a service: thanksgiving, praise, and worship. King David is a chief “praise-er” and the Psalms are the primary source for praise songs. You can find the marks of this tradition all over worship services today, regardless of denomination. In some ways, this was embedded in the so-called worship wars just under the veneer of conflict over musical “style.”

This model for worship spread like wildfire through powerful events and eventually through recorded music. Perhaps you, like me, imbibed deeply of one source that helped spread the message of praise: Integrity’s Hosanna! Music tapes that were everywhere in the late 1980s through the 1990s. Or perhaps the growing influence of CCLI impacted your repertory choices because of the way it initially catalogued and made available praise and worship songs for congregational use.

While the progenitors of praise and worship were giving voice to the deep, personal involvement that God wants to have with humans in worship—not unlike what the Liturgical Renewal movement was aiming for in the 60s and 70s too—they overlooked the ministry of lament. Some even spurned it. When I watch videos of pastors and teachers speaking on praise and worship in the 80s and 90s, they highlight again and again how it “changes your perspective; how praise helps you overcome your personal and emotional challenges. Many talk about praise as the cure for seasons of depression and grief in their own lives—even to cure diseases that they argue are psychosomatic. Indeed, they recommend praise precisely because it can transform our grief and because it celebrates our victory over it. The closest they often get to acknowledging it as part of worship is through settings of Psalm 30:11: “You’ve turned my mourning into dancing” (for Easter, check out Ron Kenoly’s version on his 1992 album “Lift Him Up”).

 

The Suffering Christ

During this season of Lent the worship leader should also remember that “Christ walks with us in our grief” and that the presence of the Christ who suffered is with us in our suffering. Worship leaders can follow King David’s example by not only praising but also giving voice to lament, both personal and communal. The Psalms offer us the words for more than praise and congregational songwriters have been bringing them to life for millenia.

Sometimes it is hard—nearly impossible!—to see the water in which we swim as worship leaders. I worry it’s marked by an attention to praise that can be overly harsh. The culture of worship leading can be co-opted into an image of Church that doesn’t recognize the deep suffering of those who gather. Its repertoire can mute our awareness to the presence of a Christ who still abides in a minor key.

Let’s take a note from the pages of praise and worship history and from the model of the Psalms. The storm is not yet passed. On this Lenten journey—and in all of life–there’s still time for songs that grieve and gather up our suffering and offer it to God until Christ comes again in glory.

 

Recommending reading: Lovin’ on Jesus (Lester Ruth and Lim Swee Hong), The Worship Pastor (Zac Hicks), The Psalms as a Guide to Life (David Taylor).

 

Blogger David Bjorlin is a worship pastor at Resurrection Covenant Church (Chicago), a lecturer in worship at North Park Theological Seminary (Chicago), and a published hymnwriter.

 

If you’re a worship leader or planner, entering into a new season of the Church Year may find you feeling exhilaration and exhaustion. At least, I know that’s true for me. It’s exciting to enter a familiar story and have a solid frame around which to build the service, but it can also feel like you used up all your creative ideas and favorite songs last year—or maybe those were even leftovers from the year before! It can seem easier to simply trot out the tried and true war horses that you know will get the job done than find new songs. 

There is nothing wrong with using the familiar classics; in fact, I would argue that especially in these times of social and political upheaval, we should be using well-known songs that help ground our congregations when they do not have the support of an embodied congregation around them. Yet, there is also something pastoral about helping people encounter newness even in seasons of change, reminding them that adaptation and adjustment are also part of a healthy spirituality. 

 

Buried Treasures

So, as we enter the season of Lent this year, I want to give you some of my Lenten buried treasures that you might find helpful as we begin our journey to the cross and empty tomb.

 

“O Love That Will Not Let Me Go”

I know calling this George Matheson hymn a “buried treasure” might be a stretch, but the more obscure hymn tune has often left this beautiful text unsung. Yet, as we begin this season of repentance and introspection, I believe it is important to be reminded that we do so accompanied by a God whose love will not let us go, whose light will follow us wherever we go, whose joy will seek us even in our pain, and whose cross will lift up our heads. For those like me who find the original tune difficult for a congregation to sing, there are two excellent alternatives written by Indelible Grace’s Chris Miner (video left) and composer Ben Brody (PDF right).

Tune by Ben Brody

 

 

 

“Lay Me Low”

This traditional Shaker hymn’s message may at first appear counterintuitive or even unnecessarily negative:
Lay me low, where the Lord can find me.
Lay me low, where the Lord can hold me.
Lay me low, where the Lord can bless me.
Lay me low, oh, lay me low.

Rather than seeing this as asking God to do us harm or kick our legs out from under us, singing this song during Lent can be a prayer to slow down, to embrace the rhythms of nature and live closer to the earth where God is always at work when we take the time to notice. When I introduce this song, I often give this disclaimer to help place it into a healthier spiritual context. The tune I like to use was composed by Daniel Schwandt and is taught here by Music That Makes Community’s Executive Director Paul Vasile.

 

“Kyrie Eleison” (Kim/Rethmeier)

During the season of Lent, our community often uses a sung kyrie during our time of confession. After about five years of doing this, I realized I needed to start expanding our kyrie canon. While I did not expect to find too many kyries in more contemporary praise and worship styles, I was pleasantly surprised to find two that our community has embraced. The first, written by the Vineyard’s Ted Kim and Cindy Rethmeier, uses both traditional confessional language (“For the things we’ve done and left undone”) and a more contemporary language (“For the ways we’ve wandered from your heart”) and musical style to sing a corporate confession. Both a recording and chord chart can be found here.



“Kyrie Eleison” (Mejias)

The second, by High Street Hymn’s Alex Mejias, uses a simpler cyclical structure with only the traditional words of the kyrie (Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy) and a potent key change to compose an eminently singable song.

 

“Come All You Vagabonds” (Townend)

Those who only know Stuart Townend from his collaboration with the Gettys are perhaps in for a surprise with this lilting Irish-inspired song. Like the Jesus we read about during Lent—the one who gets in trouble for who he eats with and who he identifies with—Townend sings about God’s feast where people “of every station and orientation” are welcome and there is room enough for all. The chord chart can be found on CCLI’s Song Select, and you can also listen to the song here. (Though I usually skip the verse about welcoming abusers, not because I believe they are left outside of God’s call, but because in a context that will include those who have experienced abuse, there is not enough space in a worship song to explain how confession, reparation, and reconciliation are also part of that welcome.)

 

“In Labor All Creation Groans” (Dufner)

Lent is also an appropriate season to corporately lament the many things in our world that should not be. Sister Delores Dufner’s “In Labor All Creation Groans” helps congregations lament these many tragedies—hatred, prejudice, sexual violence, divison—and pray for Christ’s peace. The song can be sung to the traditional hymn tune DETROIT or a more contemporary take on DETROIT with an added refrain by Bifrost Arts.


“When the Lord Redeems the Very Least” (Dunstan)

Very few songs are as fun to sing or as theologically problematic as the Albert Brumley hymn “I’ll Fly Away.” Luckily, hymn writer Sylvia Dunstan took this down-home tune and wrote lyrics that locate the saving work of God not in some disembodied heaven in the sky, but in the coming of God’s reign on earth, when the Lord will feed the hungry, heal the sick, and revive the world. While perhaps more obviously an Advent song, it also reminds us of the Lenten call to take on acts of mercy and justice as part of the life of discipleship. The sheet music can be found here.

Hopefully, this list will help spark your imagination for how we can sing our confessions, laments, and praises to God during Lent. What are the Lenten buried treasures that you’ve found? Please don’t hesitate to share them in the comments!

 

 

Introduction

We know that planning worship during the global pandemic has not been easy. With all of the added stress, new skills (audio/video editing!!!), and constant curveballs, we know that you’re probably tired. With Easter just around the corner and plans being made, we hope that these accompaniment tracks will ease your burden a bit, giving you time and energy to focus on other projects and congregational needs on the horizon.

In total there are 15 hymns with the majority of those being recorded in two different styles. With the exception of the acapella selections (which necessitate vocals), these are provided without vocals so that you, your cantor, choir, or congregation can add their own voices to the track. Hymn suggestions are based on the Revised Common Lectionary readings.

All of these are public domain hymns, are free to download, and should be considered “creative commons,” meaning you can use them in any way you would like as long as credit is given to The Center for Congregational Song.

 

Downloads are available at the bottom of this page in our SoundCloud player, or by going to our SoundCloud account here.

 

Song List

1st Sunday – Feb 21st – A CAPPELLA SUNDAY

Jesus, Lover of My Soul [ABERYSTWYTH] – A Cappella with vocal percussion loops

My Hope is Built on Nothing Less [SOLID ROCK] – 1. A Cappella with soprano on melody  2. A Cappella with no melody

 

2nd Sunday – Feb 28th

Be Thou My Vision [SLANE] – 1. Piano & Violin    2. Full Band

The God of Abraham Praise [LEONI] – 1. Organ   2. Hard Rock

Fairest Lord Jesus, Lord of all creation [CRUSADERS’ HYMN] – 1. Organ  2. Band

 

3rd Sunday – March 7th

I Want Jesus to Walk with Me [WALK WITH ME] – 1. Simple Piano      2. Funk-Inspired

 

4th Sunday – March 14th

Of the Father’s Love Begotten [DIVINUM MYSTERIUM] – 1. Organ      2. Synth

Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us [BRADBURY] – 1. Piano & Flute       2. Wind Ensemble

 

5th Sunday – March 21st

Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended [HERZLIEBSTER JESU] – 1. Organ     2. Guitar Ensemble

Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy [RESTORATION] – 1. Funky Band

 

Palm/Passion Sunday – March 28th

All Glory, Laud and Honor [VALET WILL ICH DIR GEBEN] – 1. Organ & Brass        2. Hard Rock

What Wondrous Love Is This [WONDROUS LOVE] – 1. Synth & Violin

Praise, Praise, Praise the Lord (Cameroon) [LOUEZ LE SEIGNEUR] – 1. Percussion & “oo” Choir      2. Percussion Only

Sanna, Sannanina (South Africa) [SANNANINA] – 1. Percussion & “oo” Choir      2. Percussion Only

O Sacred Head Now Wounded [PASSION CHORALE] – 1. Organ & Cello     2. Strings

 

Playlist & Downloads

Download by clicking a track and then look for the “download” button on the top right hand corner of the soundcloud player. You can also go directly to our SoundCloud album here.

 

Author – Ginny Chilton Maxwell is Music Minister at Church of the Ascension in Norfolk, Virginia, where she serves as organist, choirmaster, and elementary music teacher.

I’m back! I started a new position in August of last year and, while I didn’t plan to take a 6-month hiatus from blogging here at the Center for Congregational Song, that is in effect what happened. 

Now that the frenzy of starting a new job is starting to subside, I am finally able to take a broader look at the congregation I am now serving and express to them my main observation about who they are right now. It applies to my congregation, and perhaps it applies to your congregation as well. I also think it applies, more broadly, to the church in general:

 

We are a people in transition

The congregation I am serving has been searching for a new pastor for longer than expected, and we are feeling understandably impatient. We are deep, deep in the uncertainty of the interim period. When will the new pastor be called? Will we like her? What will he want to change? What will she think of us? We are a little like the kids in the back of the car on a family vacation. “God, are we there yet??”

Lent is about to begin, and the lectionary readings for this season are full of stories of people wandering through a period of change and vagueness in their lives, and their community’s life. As I read the Bible passages prescribed for Lent, planning and playing through music to fit each Sunday, I realize how many of our congregations are like the Israelites in the wilderness, wondering when God will finally lead them to the Promised Land. “Any day now, right, God?- We’d kind of like to get on with our lives!” Jesus, too, was sent by God into the desert to fast and pray for forty days, hence why Lent is forty days. Jesus did far less complaining about his situation than the Israelites did, but his journey was still painful. No one wants to spend several weeks alone, harassed by the devil and on the edge of starvation.

 

The Interim

The sense of impatience and ambiguity that comes through in these Lenten readings resonates with many of us who are involved with churches and congregational song. Here in the United States and many other western nations, the cultural landscape has changed dramatically since the days when families filed dutifully into church on Sunday mornings. Those of us in church leadership positions have, for some time now, been searching for new ways of being church. And, for those of us who remember the days of booming choirs and filled pews, we miss that sense of security. We long for things to feel relaxed and “normal” again.

As much as I, too, would love to hurry up and find a new normal, God was firm with the Israelites that their “interim period” in the wilderness was not something they could skip. God was not going to let them out of that desert until God knew they were ready. Many of us have stories from our own individual lives, when we were waiting and waiting for something, and as painful as that waiting might have been , it gave us time to mature, to lean on others, and to let go of the things that were not actually important. Most importantly, that period of waiting hopefully gave us a chance to lean more on God and less on our own abilities.

 

Imagine

So, this period of waiting, longing, experimenting, and even failing, is actually an invitation  given to us by God. It is an opportunity that calls especially for those with imagination, for leaders with creativity and a spark of hope. The arts are particularly suited for carrying groups of people through difficult times. As people who love and lead music, it is our unique job to guide people into an experience of worship where we can  imagine the wonderful things God has planned for us. Music, and the arts in general, help us get out of our own heads and take a leap of faith into what might be.

The adult choir at my church sang an anthem a few weeks ago that embodies what I’m trying to say here about transitions, interims, and imagination. You may know it: “Imagine the People of God,” by Mark Miller.

 

 

Imagine, Imagine the people of God

Imagine the people of God  

Believing, receiving, becoming God’s love

Imagine the people of God

 

Imagine, Imagine the people of God

Imagine the people of God  

Caring, sharing God’s love in the world

Imagine the people of God

 

Seeking the way of Jesus Christ

Trusting the courage to change

Being God’s love with neighbors and friends

Imagine the people of God

 

Imagine, Imagine the people of God

Imagine the people of God  

Believing, receiving, becoming God’s love

We are your people, O God

– Mark Miller, 2015 All Rights Reserved

Accept The Wandering

This Lent as we wander with the Israelites in the wilderness, and as we walk with Jesus in his forty days in the desert, I hope we can accept that wandering as the gift that it is. Easter Sunday will be that much sweeter if we embrace all that Lent has to offer. The next phase of “church,” whatever that is, will be more beautiful, too, for the sweat and tears we put in during this period of change. God is with us all the way!

 

 

Blogger Ginny Chilton Maxwell is Music Minister at Church of the Ascension in Norfolk, Virginia, where she serves as organist, choirmaster, and elementary music teacher.

 

Right now we are in the middle of Lent, the season when we take a closer look at our hearts and ask what we need to change to be closer to God. One of the many enjoyable parts of my job as a church musician is being able to sit and read (a re-read, and re-re-read) the words of the songs we sing. I get to savor the beautiful poetry in a way that you can’t while you’re singing it in worship. After reading David Bjorlin’s recent blog on songs and contexts, I became aware of several instances where the hymn I selected clashed with the context in ways I had not anticipated. Below are a few examples involving songs I love, in contexts where they served to divide– either by race, age, or sex– rather than unite us. My hope is that these stories will jog your own memory, get a conversation going, and maybe, in this Lenten season, get us closer to the beloved community God intends for us.

 

Dividing by Race

Last month my church’s adult Sunday School class was blessed to have a guest speaker come tell us about her experience in the 1950s, being one of only a few black children to integrate one of the local public high schools. Dr. Patricia Turner (video below) is in her 70s now, and she recalled for us walking alone each morning to school, where she was taunted, spat on, and pushed down the stairs by her white classmates. Some teachers even joined in calling her disparaging nicknames. Despite all this she did quite well in school, eventually earning her doctorate and having a successful career in education. The images from her testimony were still bouncing around in my brain when we began the opening hymn at worship: “Christ is the world’s true light,” with words by George W. Briggs (1875-1959). The second stanza begins this way:

In Christ all races meet, their ancient feuds forgetting.

On the one hand, this is a wonderful sentiment to follow up a Sunday School class on the evils of racism, that there is indeed a shining day when we can give and receive forgiveness for the hurt we have caused. The church where I work, however, is predominantly white, so singing these words after a presentation like that made me think how easy it is for white folks to proclaim we can let go of the past, when we were not the ones pushed down and spat upon. Dr. Turner wasn’t present in worship, but I wonder, how would the hymn have struck her?

 

Dividing by Age

In January, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., day, I taught the children in my weekday music classes the song “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round,” (video below) a favorite of Dr. King and his friends during the freedom marches of the 1950s and 60s. It’s a rousing song that I love to crank up and sing at the top of my lungs at home when I’m feeling depressed by the headlines of the day. Ain’t gonna let no hatred turn me ‘round! No lying! I launched into it with gusto for the children in my three- to five-year-old class, and I instantly thought to myself how different it feels to sing it with a group this age. “Ms. Ginny, what is hatred?” I imagined them asking. It’s hard to answer that question, since they’re so young. What does a song about hatred and bad people mean to a child? In what way are we shaping their understanding of hatred and our response to it, when we teach them a song like this?

 

Dividing by Gender

I am a part-time music minister and part-time stay-at-home mother, and I find these two jobs often overlap, since I am keen to bring up my own children to follow Jesus (and be surrounded by music!). In doing some online research recently on how much screen time is appropriate (such a huge topic for parents these days), I came across an article on television consumption and self esteem in children. The study, involving 396 children, concluded that “[T]elevision exposure predicted a decrease in self-esteem for White and Black girls and Black boys, and an increase in self-esteem among White boys.” I can’t say as this was a huge surprise to me, but I guess somewhere in my mind I hoped that the Miles Morales and Moanas of the world had changed this for children of the 21st century. Now I am hyper aware of everything my children consume that consists of mostly white and male characters, which, as I’m sure you know, includes all the beloved children’s Christian songs I sing them each day. “He” rescues me, saves me, loves me…. I don’t begrudge Jesus for being male any more than I begrudge Spider Man, but at some point, clearly the focus on men, especially white men, is causing harm. Where do we go from here?

 

One Positive Example

Those were three examples of ways beloved songs can worsen our divisions, but there are positive surprises in my work as well. On Ash Wednesday this year, for instance, my adult choir sang “Dust and Ashes,” with music by David Haas and words by Brian Wren (1989).

Dust and ashes soil our hands–greed of market, pride of nation.

Holy Spirit, come, walk with us tomorrow

as we pray and struggle through the meshes of oppression.

This will be the second time we’ve sung this together and we have to laugh every time because it’s so difficult to spit out all the words. Try saying “meshes of oppression” ten times fast! It’s difficult to sing at first because you don’t expect words like that in a piece of music for church. When is the last time you heard the phrase “greed of market” in a song? It jumps out at you all the more because it’s sung. The music gives the phrase more power; it allows it to pierce the heart in a way that isn’t possible when it’s just spoken. What was at first a funny tongue-twister for the singers eventually became something to really ponder, I think.

 

Rising from Ashes

Sometimes I worry that all the “he’s,” the children I’m potentially disturbing by singing about segregation, and the casual mentions of racial harmony are too much for me to sift through as just one little church musician/mother. The “Dust and Ashes” example gives me hope that our communities are bending toward justice, in spite of our setbacks. When our hearts are moved, hopefully we will then be moved to repentance and action. That’s exactly what we need to be doing in Lent. Thank goodness for words, music, and surprises: the good and the bad!

 

 

Felicia Patton is a lifelong Chicago native and worship leader at Urban Village Church. Felicia received an undergraduate degree from North Park University followed by two graduate degrees from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.

 

 

 

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

Chorus:

Give me a clean heart, so I may serve thee.

Lord fix my heart, so that I may be used by thee.

For I’m not worthy, of all these blessings.

Give me a clean heart, and I’ll follow thee.

Verse 1:

I’m not asking for the riches of the land,

I’m not asking for high men to know my name.
Please Lord give me a clean heart, so that I may follow thee.

Give me a clean heart, a clean heart, and I’ll follow thee.

Verse 2:

Sometimes I am up and sometimes I am down.

Sometimes I am almost level to the ground.

Please Lord give me a clean heart, so that I may follow thee.

Give me a clean heart, a clean heart, and I’ll follow thee.

(Give Me a Clean Heart by Dr. Margaret Douroux. The Faith We Sing, #2133.)

 

Busyness

I am constantly busy between running from rehearsal to rehearsal, learning new music, and preparing for the next service or performance. That is the life of every musician and worship leader. Just as pastors are called to be leaders of the flock, we too have to submit our lives to leading our congregations, while struggling at times to maintain our own spiritual life that is focused on God and God’s people.

Church leaders often follow the liturgical calendar (also known as the church year) as a way to keep focused on the triune nature of God through the biblical story. Each liturgical season points us toward the revelation of God, the incarnation of Christ, and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. One of those liturgical seasons is Lent which lasts for forty days, not counting Sundays, symbolizing Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness and the preparations of his ministry. This season marks an opportunity each year for fasting, repentance, and a time of renewal for spiritual lives. It is not a journey we take alone. Many churches participate in fasts as a community, so that they may grow together; some start up initiatives to help their congregations give back to community; others add services of reflection where they can dive deeply into the Scriptures. These are all wonderful ways that we renew and offer our hearts, minds, and spirits during Lent.

I am constantly busy between running from rehearsal to rehearsal, learning new music, and preparing for the next service or performance.

Give Me A Clean Heart

The song, Give Me a Clean Heart, has always been a favorite of mine. For me this song functions as a prayer for renewed focus. While refocusing ourselves during the time of Lent, we may better commune with God and each other with greater intentionality. If we were honest, we would admit that monotonous day-to-day tasks prevent us from being attentive to interior silence, so that we can hear God. A clouded mind can be a distraction for worship leaders, causing them to plan worship as a part of a weekly checklist, rather than taking time to discern what the needs of the community are and what the Scripture is stating.

Psalm, Felicia Patton, Create In Me a clean heart

Source: kishasdailydevotional.com

I use songs for inspiration. I listen to a song, identify the things I like about it, and then try to figure out what the song is saying. Are there any lessons to learn? Are there any topics that I should look into more carefully? For me, working this way is great practice when I am vetting what music to use in worship. A song that has been particularly inspiring to me in this season is, Give Me a Clean Heart, by Dr. Margaret Douroux. Although this song is not new to me, it took on new life when I analyzed it through the lens of the Lenten themes that I see in the piece. The melody line is as beautiful as it is intentional to showcase the dichotomy between the action of “rising” and the longing for more of a relationship with Jesus. Instead of keeping the melody line true to lyrics with a literal rise to higher notes, the melody line drops at the end of the phrase, accentuating the need. That is about as far as I will go into score analysis, but the music major in me could not resist!

 

Four Themes

There were four themes that stood out as I analyzed the lyrics of this piece. Starting with the obvious, the question that can be raised is, “what is a clean heart?” I want to empty myself from any distractions; perhaps through fasting from anything that is clouding my connection to God or not allowing me to hear the voice of God. I can also clean my heart by allowing healing. Healing is needed in many different ways that includes careful attention to our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual lives. If we are not careful, anger can cloud decision-making. Additionally, healing from disappointment and loss is important to deal with and offers opportunities for growth and reflection. Directly connected to healing is the need of forgiveness for yourself and others. This might be a time to revisit things that may have hurt or harmed you. It could also be a time to reflect on the ways you may have hurt others. Two additional ways to have a clean heart are through humility and the act of surrendering. I often ask myself, why I make certain choices when I am leading. Is it because the Spirit led me to choose them, or is it to highlight myself? Am I grateful for the gifts that God has given me? Have I thanked and prayed to God today? Am I listening to what the Spirit is saying?

I want to empty myself from any distractions; perhaps through fasting from anything that is clouding my connection to God or not allowing me to hear the voice of God.

Prayer

The second theme of this song is that of prayer. The first verse speaks as if it were a prayer with the sole request of getting a clean heart. It is not attained through materialistic things but in a way that the composer can be “used” by Jesus. This is so important, as we need to pray not just for our own needs, but that we can be better stewards and leaders. Prayer can often be distracted or relegated to a task that we are to complete each day. Intentional prayer that displays our humility and gratefulness and asks for deliverance from our distractedness is when we truly focus on hearing the voice of God and not searching for a response to our individual needs.

Humanity

The third theme is humanity. Through this song, Dr. Margaret Douroux acknowledges her humanity and the limitations of human emotions. We are not perfect, and sometimes we need help in order to hear Jesus, but we acknowledge this and allow ourselves to clearly hear, see, and follow Christ. If our minds are not clear, if we do not acknowledge our mistakes, how can we ever grow? So in this time of renewal, what actions have you seen in yourself that need to change? Have you lashed out at anyone? How can you fix this?

Dr. Margaret Douroux acknowledges her humanity and the limitations of human emotions. We are not perfect, and sometimes we need help in order to hear Jesus…

Discipleship

The fourth theme is that of discipleship. How do you follow Jesus? Clean your heart from all of the distractions that do not allow you to hear Jesus’ will. This may not always be possible, or clear, but taking some time to renew ourselves can allow us time to refocus; not just focusing on what the next steps of our careers are or our deadlines, but giving ourselves some grace to admit that we too are followers of Christ who constantly need to rebuild our spiritual lives and that connection.  Admitting my own humanity and limitations can actually be a relief to me. At times, serving in leadership can make us feel as though we cannot make mistakes while leading worship or while speaking publicly. This can sometimes make leadership like that of a coat that we wear in order to show our strength and perfectionism. However, we are not Christ, and we should take off our “coats” and focus as the composer states on having a “clean heart,” so that we can follow Jesus.

Psalm, Felicia Patton, Create In Me a clean heart

Source: superlative1.wordpress.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Capella Sunday Hymn Suggestions Year C

What:

A Cappella Sunday is when worshiping communities from across the world commit to singing a cappella in their Sunday morning worship service. For communities where this is a new concept, it could just be one hymn, but for communities that are more comfortable singing unaccompanied, they are encouraged to sing their entire service a cappella. Below are why we do it, when we do it, and some resources to help make it successful.

Why:

Spending one Sunday a year to focus on your congregation singing a cappella (without instrumental accompaniment) has many benefits and purposes.

  • It connects us to the history of the church. For thousands of years, a cappella singing was the mainstay of the church’s song. By recognizing this and exploring this way of music-making, we are acknowledging and honoring the saints of the past.
  • It connects us to many Christian denominations, traditions, and regions of the world that continue to use a cappella music as their primary mode of music-making in corporate worship. Those include but are not limited to many Mennonite denominations, the Church of Christ, many Orthodox traditions, the Church of God in Christ, and South African Methodists.
  • It offers to God something that is, for many congregations in the United States and Canada, a gift that is different from our usual music-making. Psalm 96:1 tells us to “Sing a new song to the Lord,” which can be achieved for some of us by singing a cappella.
  • It encourages the congregation’s song by building up confidence in their own voices. Many in our congregations believe that they can’t sing, or can’t sing well. Singing a cappella presents those people with the best opportunity to hear themselves and others singing, giving them a fresh perspective on their assumptions of their own abilities and the ability of the congregation’s combined voice.
  • It emphasizes the unique ability of instruments to enhance the congregation’s song. By showing the congregation that they can sing without instrumental accompaniment, instrumental accompaniment can then begin to enhance and empower the congregation’s voice rather than acting primarily as a crutch.
  • It allows the instrumentalists to spend a Sunday listening carefully to the congregation to assess where their voice needs support. Often times it is hard to listen carefully to the congregation when you are focusing on playing your instrument accurately and musically. This gives the instrumentalists permission to step away for a Sunday without feeling like they are leaving the congregation stranded.
  • Finally, singing a cappella is fun! By removing our typical means of accompanying song, our minds are often challenged to come up with new and creative ways to sing together that maintains energy and vitality. It can bring out the best in not only the congregation, but in the musician’s leadership.

 

When:

Each year on the first Sunday of Lent (2019 is Sunday, March 10th)

 

Let us know you’re participating!

Participants Include:

St. Rita Catholic Church – Ranger, TX

St John UMC – Augusta, GA

Trinity Lutheran Church – Bend, OR

Minnetonka UMC – Minnetonka, MN

Vienna Baptist Church – Vienna, VA

Aldersgate United Methodist Church – Alexandria, VA

Blythefield Christian Reformed – Rockford, MI

First Baptist Church – Vancouver, BC, Canada

San Rocco Oratory of Chicao Heights – Chicago Heights, IL

Pilgrim Lutheran Church – St. Paul, MN

Emmanuel Lutheran Church – Pittsburgh, PA

Church of Our Saviour Lutheran Church – Fond du Lac, WI

St. Catherine of Siena R. C. Church – Corpus Christi, TX

Rainbow Mennonite Church – Kansas City, KS

East Hill Church of Christ – York, NE

First UMC – Boerne, TX

Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church – La Mesa, CA

Fleetwood Christian Reformed Church – Surrey, BC, Canada

First Friends Meeting – Greensboro, NC

Ridgefield-Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church – Crystal Lake, IL

Gethsemane Lutheran Church – Columbus, OH

Fifth Avenue Baptist Church – Huntington, WV

Berkeley United Methodist Church – Austin, TX

North Chevy Chase Christian Church – Chevy Chase, MD

The First Baptist Church in America – Providence, RI

St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church – Dedham, MA

Grace Episcopal Church – Lexington, VA

First Baptist Church Vancouver – Vancouver, BC, Canada

Westminster United Church – Whitby, ON, Canada

Rejoice Ministries Christian Church – Oakland, CA

First Presbyterian Church – Rapid City, SD

Aldersgate UMC – Alexandria, VA

Cathedral of Mary Our Queen – Baltimore, MD

Storrs Congregational Church UCC –  Storrs Mansfield, CT

Truth Worship Centre, Sovima Logos Bible College –  Dimapur, Nagaland, India

Little Zion Lutheran  –  Telford, PA

First Baptist Church –  Rapid City, SD

St. John Lutheran –  Angleton, TX

Winterville Christian Church –  Winterville, N.C.

Village Church on Antioch –  Overland Park, KS

St James Lutheran –  Pottstown, Pa

Westminster United Methodist Church –  Westminster, MD

First Baptist Church –  Rapid City, SD

Friedens United Church of Christ –  St.Charles, MO

All Saints’ Anglican Westboro –  Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

St. Philip’s Anglican Church –  Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada

Trinity Episcopal –  Mattoon, IL

NuValley Presbyterian Church –  Rural Valley, PA

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church –  Akron, OH

SouthWest Church of Christ –  Ambarvale, NSW, Australia

Boulevard Church –  Oklahoma City, OK

NPM-Chapter of the Archdiocese of San Antonio              –  San Antonio, TX

Mayfield Central Presbyterian Church –  Mayfield, NY

Port Stanley United Church –  Port Stanley, Ontario, Canada

Vestavia Hills Baptist Church –  Vestavia Hills, AL

St. Peter’s Lutheran Church –  Northfield, MN

Grace Community Church –  Angier, NC

 

Resources:

Download Our Guide for Lectionary Year A (2017, 2020, 2023)

Download our Guide for Lectionary Year B (2018, 2021, 2024)

Download Our Guide for Lectionary Year C (2016, 2019, 2022)

 

Friend of The Center, D.J. Bulls from the Dallas/Ft. Worth area has spent his career in an a cappella singing denomination the Church of Christ.

Below are three resources he suggests to check out if your interested in a cappella hymn singing:

1. Fearless4you.com Is a website that provides a cappella, four-part congregational arrangements for a number of different types of modern hymns and contemporary worship songs/anthems/choruses. Available in round and shaped notes, many with rehearsal recordings and projected notation as well.
2. ZOEgroup.org This is a group that has done 20 something albums of four-part, presentational, and congregational a cappella worship. Folios with arrangements and individual pdf’s are available on their website and recordings are available on the iTunes store, Amazon Music, and google play.
3. paperlesshymnal.com This is a site that is a compendium of digital, projected four-part arrangements for congregations of thousands of hymns.

 

Supporting Organizations:

The Hymn Society, The Center for Congregational Song, Hymn Singing, Hymn Society in America

 

 

 

The Center for Congregational Song