We’ve long been an advocate for pushing folks to learn from hymns and begin writing their own texts (and yes for the pastors out there, this means you as well!). Michael Van Patter writes a number of different things, and this week he released An original hymn: For Your Glory.
Go check it out!
Wow, it’s been a bit of a crazy semester for me personally (see below for an update!), which has unfortunately left this blog lagging behind. On the other hand, there’s been plenty to read, review and interact with on the Facebook group!
There’s now 224 folks on the Facebook group, from all over the place, including Europe and South America. A HUGE thanks to all of you, the group has been a blessing for many people and I know everyone appreciates your contributions and interactions.
If you’re unaware, here’s some highlights I’d been wanting to write about but have had zero time! Yes, I get a little Link Happy sometimes…
Zac Hicks has still been writing up a storm, and I’m looking forward to checking into several of the reviews he’s posted recently and catch up on some of the latest worship projects (I’m still reeling from the sheer number of them over the previous 18 months!).
Speaking of new projects, keep an eye on the Cardiphonia main page and the bandcamp page for the latest compilation release, this one on the Ascension (which includes some great art from Sacred Art Pilgrim and a write-up by Mike Farley - and if you’re not reading his daily prayer guides go check them out!).
Sojourn continues to writeup their liturgies, which I really appreciate, and Bobby and Kristin Gilles released “The Whole Big Story” which I’m looking forward to listening through. David Taylor had a great writeup in CT on the visual arts in worship, and has a great post on saying healthy as a worship pastor/leader, which Bruce Benedict is turning into a further resource. My old church in Seattle, Green Lake Presbyterian, has teamed up with Grace Seattle and the Campus Ministry RUF/UW to work on a new hymns record. Greg Scheer continues to post new pieces, Sandra McCracken and friends has a really fun kids record out, Bruce and I are hoping to connect with the Charles Wesley Society to find ways to highlight some texts that need to be seen, and Jay Thomas has been writing some really nice new lyric settings for various pieces which unfortunately I can’t link directly to as it’s on the Facebook page!
Transpositions continues to write interesting pieces, and has recently put out a call for papers. I wasn’t able to attend the artist’s retreat at Laity Lodge this spring, but a number of us I know are looking forward to the Doxology and Theology conference in TX later this year; Mars Hill in Seattle continues to release music by all their bands, and continues to try and develop training resources, and Sovereign Grace Music released From Age to Age.
And as for me, I’ve been working through both a Masters in Educational Ministries and a Masters in Worship & Music, and this summer will be spending some time working to blend the two, and asking questions such as: How does educational theory help us understand the formative nature of worship, and can that help us be more biblical and intentional in our planning? So I’ll be diving into some historical and contemporary liturgies and diagramming them with learning cycle theories and methodologies. Yes, apparently this counts as fun in my world.
I’ve also been spending more time networking with people to see what may be next. While I love leading worship and ministering to people in that way, I am also very passionate when I can help people get equipped well to lead God’s people (in worship as well as other aspects of ministry). How this relates to a vocation, and how it mixes with my families desire for hospitality and interacting with a diverse group of people, we’re not quite sure; so we work and wait and see what God will do.
So here’s to continuing the conversation and the journey!
We love it when people rediscover and reframe different liturgical elements. It’s like suddenly finding out you have a long-lost great grandmother who was royalty. So When High Street Hymns started a series on Liturgical music, we were looking forward to further posts – and last week they delivered:
Liturgical Music Series Part 2: Gloria | High Street Hymns.
We recently had the privilege of meeting Lester Ruth, the new president of the Charles Wesley foundation. He was kind to send along a link they put together of all Wesley’s Published verse. Looking for lyrics? this will probably be a great site to bookmark! Charles Wesley’s Published Verse, via Duke Divinity School
The present online collection of the poetical works of John and Charles Wesley is intended to provide the standard for scholarly study and citation that has been needed. It was developed under a set of guidelines to maximize reliability and usefulness.
We like to focus both on theological as well as practical items here, and a friend of ours recently posted a link to this blog: 5 Tips for Better Practicing. There’s some good tips in here, and may be worth passing onto musicians (and we know we could use them as well!).
As someone guilty of many wasted practice hours, I’m happy to help others avoid the mistakes I’ve made. Productive practicing also translates to many areas of life beyond music; so I believe that every student reaps long-term benefits from learning to practice well, regardless of how long their musical education lasts. Here are the first things I cover with my students on the topic of practicing.
Luke Brodine has put together a really nice post on Transfiguration Sunday - it’s one of those Sundays that, if you’re not paying attention to the calendar, sounds somehow out of place.
Luke’s post puts together some brief history and theology, and then includes some really solid examples of music and liturgy. Definitely worth the read:
Just as with observing Jesus’ Baptism at the start of Epiphany, it is important to ask how the Transfiguration is an important moment in Jesus’ life. This is the penultimate revelation of Jesus’ divine nature that is celebrated in the liturgical calendar before the celebration of the Resurrection at Easter (the others being Christmas, Epiphany, and Baptism of our Lord). It is also the fullest revelation of his pre-resurrection glory, the very same glory on display as the presently ascended Christ and that will be displayed when he returns. To celebrate the Transfiguration is to worship Jesus in his full divine splendor.
Not to mention it also features some Sufjan Stevens’ lyrics.
If you heard about or were able to attend the recent Calvin Symposium on worship, then you (knowingly or unknowingly) were touched by the work of Greg Scheer.
He seemed to be everywhere at once, playing bass, leading groups, facilitating discussions and making introductions
Between the preparation, planning and leading, he also has quite an active blog where he’s been highlighting quite a lot from the Psalms recently. You can see a list of his posts here under his “Revenge of the Killer B’s” topic (a title we’re not particularly sure we understand, but fully appreciate nonetheless!). It even has it’s own graphic:
Go check it out for links and such to all sorts of psalm goodness.
