The Mystery of The Faith- CHRIST HAS DIED, CHRIST IS RISEN, CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN

While worshiping with the kids from Super Summer last night, I was reminded why we need a historical reference in our worship.  Phillip led them in the song MYSTERY by Charlie Hall.   The song is really aimed toward's communion and the mystery of the bread of life (Jesus) broken for us.  It's a passionate song and one that I call a "thinking" song as you must process the lyrics and it's meaning while you sing it.

As I watched the kids passionately worship and sing "CHRIST HAS DIED, CHRIST IS RISEN, CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN, I was reminded that we needed to know Church history.  This phrase is part of the memorial acclamation of the Mass (the celebration of communion) and has been part of the church's expression since the third century.  It's historical and ancient and thus I believe this is why it is finding such resonance with this generation.   Not only in Catholic churches, this phrase and expression can be found in most churches who use a forma liturgical form and expression for the communion rite.

There is within the next generation of worshipers a desire to connect present faith with past faith and the way that they have found to do that is through prayers, forms and songs of the ancient church.  I'm hearing more and more of the influence of early church fathers in their songs, their writings, their philosophy and more.

Here's where we can help.   We must not only know our church history but we must know Biblical history and where worship has come from even before the church began.  By knowing these things we can help frame for this generation of worshipers the context in which some of these things were written and came to being as part of the church's worship expression.

Writers such as Matt Maher and Audrey Assad are some of the best examples I can find who weave these ancient practices into current worship songs.  The depth of these songs and their meanings I believe are what are drawing people to them as their expressions of worship.

Once and Future Worship

Audrey Assad--The House You're Building

Today was the day of great music releases.  Audrey released her album today and it featured "RESTLESS" the haunting, moving worship song that I have been singing sing February when I heard it at Recreate Conference.  It wasn't the only gem on the album.
All afternoon as I worked the beautiful and lyrical voice Audrey has been given by God sang his praises and I was swept up.  She is truly blessed with a gift and talent from God.  I enjoy not only her music but the depth of her writing.

Give it a listen and go ahead and buy it for your ipod or portable music player.  You won't be disappointed.

A Prayer of Discernment (Thomas Merton)

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.

I do not see the road ahead of me.

I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.

And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

- Thomas Merton, "Thoughts in Solitude"

Ian Morgan Cron read this prayer last week at RECREATE. It immediately struck a chord with all of us in the room. By virtue of the internet, I googled it and posted it to my Facebook account. Within minutes, I had comments and affirmations from friends back home and around the world. It struck a chord with them too.

To top that off Audrey Assad and Matt Maher sang a new song they've written called "Restless" based upon the writing of St. Augustine (Restless I am restless 'til I rest in you) that seemed to flow along the same lines. The combination of this prayer and that song were the highlights of the week for me.

I certainly feel that most of the world seems very restless at the moment. Something is stirring and we don't know what it is. We as believers have the Holy Spirit to be our discerning light and my prayer since then has been for complete surrender to Him and let this restlessness be the beginning of something new and fresh in my life.

What are you restless about these days?

RECREATE '10--The Mystery Continues

Today's session began with Communion led by Ian Morgan Cron, Audrey Assad and Matt Maher. They led us through the liturgy of the Lord's Supper (The Great Thanksgiving) and the richness of the texts that have been used throughout the history of the church.

I know much of this because of my involvement with Emmaus and it makes me sad sometimes that much of our protestant worship practices have abandoned some of this liturgy for just simple form. I wish that I could transport this morning's services back to my congregation. It had such meaning and depth. Maybe we could do that sometime.

Eucharistic Prayer B

The people remain standing. The Celebrant, whether bishop or priest,
faces them and sings or says

The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Lift up your hearts.
People We lift them to the Lord.
Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Then, facing the Holy Table, the Celebrant proceeds

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and every-
where to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of
heaven and earth.

Here a Proper Preface is sung or said on all Sundays, and on other
occasions as appointed.

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and
Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever
sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

Celebrant and People

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

The people stand or kneel.

Then the Celebrant continues

We give thanks to you, O God, for the goodness and love
which you have made known to us in creation; in the calling
of Israel to be your people; in your Word spoken through the
prophets; and above all in the Word made flesh, Jesus, your
Son. For in these last days you sent him to be incarnate from
the Virgin Mary, to be the Savior and Redeemer of the world.
In him, you have delivered us from evil, and made us worthy
to stand before you. In him, you have brought us out of error
into truth, out of sin into righteousness, out of death into life.

At the following words concerning the bread, the Celebrant is to hold it,
or to lay a hand upon it; and at the words concerning the cup, to hold or
place a hand upon the cup and any other vessel containing wine to be
consecrated.

On the night before he died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ took
bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and
gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body,
which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given
thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you:
This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you
and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink
it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Therefore, according to his command, O Father,

Celebrant and People

We remember his death,
We proclaim his resurrection,
We await his coming in glory;

The last two years at Recreate have been some of the most memorable communion services that I can remember. Today Matt and Audrey's responses "Holy, Holy, Holy and Come Holy Spirit--were refreshing and new" It was truly a holy moment.

What has been your most memorable communion service? Was there liturgy and form to it?

Worship Confessional, December 20, 2009

Christmas is slowly winding down. All that's left now is Christmas eve.

I love Christmas--I truly do, but at some point in a Minister of Music's life you have lived with Christmas since June and you get a little tired of it. I'm almost there. It's a shame at the pinnacle of the season I'm ready to move on to something else. I guess that is just the spoils of being a leader. You know what is coming ahead and by the time everyone else experiences it, you are already past that moment. Maybe when I retire I can really really enjoy Christmas, and Easter.. in their seasons.

Set List

In The First Light (Travis Cottrell Arr.) This little three set book from Brentwood Benson has been a challenge. The orchestrations are tough to get a hold of but the choir has handled it well. We've combined the Worship Choir/Sr. Adult Choir for this season. Just Christmas eve left and we'll be back to normal. Good job choir!

The Glorious Impossible (Carl Cartee) Last time for this song. It's been a great song for the season. Just good theology here!

Welcome/Announcements/Offering (our missionaries from Guatemala were home and presented the church with a plaque from the orphanage in Guatemala that they work with)

Emmanuel (Hallowed Manger) Tomlin song which has been our theme for Advent.

O Holy Night (Tomlin arr)--did the Tomlin arrangement. I think it went well. (Kim Bontrager--no legging arrangement here!)

Advent Reading (Candle of Peace)

Winter Snow (Audrey Assad) I've been looking forward to doing this song. Sarah did a great job on this one and I think that it fit with the theme of PEACE

Morning Message--Conclusion of the Christmas Is series. Ed has done a great job with the series explaining the meaning of Christmas, and it's more than just shepherds and wisemen and gifts!

Hark The Herald (Tomlin arr) such a simple way to close the service today

(and at that point my in ear monitors died and I knew we were done)

This post is part of Sunday Set List over on Fred McKinnon's blog

How was your Sunday?