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ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL
TO WORSHIP (You
Have come down to the Lakeshore) One of the most popular hymns to
emerge from the 1970s revival of religious songs in Spain, it has been
translated into nearly eighty languages. The Spanish composer-author
was a parish priest known for his work among youth based on CHILDREN'S
SERMON (Joys
Are Flowing like a River) Manie Payne Ferguson and her husband founded
a mission in Los Angeles, Calif. This eventually expanded into what
was know as the "Peniel" missions along the West Coast of America, and
in Africa, Asia, South America, and elsewhere. The main focus of the
mission, especially in later years, was ministry to single women. (How Great Thou Art) This next hymn was written by Carl Boberg, a Swedish poet, write and legislator. He was a carpenter's son, worked briefly as a sailor and served as lay Minister. He was a editor of a weekly Christian newspaper and served in the Swedish Parliament. In my family this is always sung at funerals. After my mom passed away we decided to sing it at joyous times also. HYMN How Great Thou Art (insert) (In
The Garden) C. Austin Miles tells us " I read the story of the greatest
morn in history from SCRIPTURE John 20:15-17 "The first day of
the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, while it was yet very dark, unto
the sepulcher." Instantly, completely, there unfolded in my mind the
scenes of the garden of Joseph. Out of the mists of the garden comes
a form, halting, hesitating, tearful, seeking, turning from side to
side in bewildering amazement. Falteringly, bearing grief in every accent,
with tear-dimmed eyes, she whispers, "If thou hast borne him hence".
"He speaks, and the sound of His voice is so sweet the birds hush their
singing." Jesus said to her, "Mary!!" Just one word from his lips, and
forgotten the heartaches, the long dreary hours. All the past blotted
out in the presence of the Living Present and Eternal Future. (Amazing
Grace, How Sweet the Sound) John Newton, the author of the lyrics religious
beliefs initially lacked conviction; his youth was marked by religious
confusion and a lack of moral self-control and discipline. The turning
point in Newton's spiritual life was during his career in slave trading.
A violent storm occurred one night while at sea Moments after he left
the deck, the crewman who had taken his place was swept overboard. Although
he manned the vessel for the reminder of the tempest, he later commented
that, throughout the tumult, he realized his helplessness and concluded
that only the grace of God could save him On his slave voyages, he encouraged
the sailors under his charge to pray. He also began to ensure that every
member of his crew treated their human cargo with gentleness and concern.
Nevertheless, it would be another 40 years until Newton openly challenged
the trafficking of salves. ("Swing
Low, Sweet Chariot") was composed by Wallis Willis, a Choctaw freedman
in the old Indian Territory, sometime before 1862. He was inspired by
the Red River, which reminded him of the Jordan River and of the Prophet
Elijah being taken to heaven by a chariot. Some scholars believe this
song and "Steal Away to Jesus" has some hidden lyrics referring to the
Underground Railroad. It is based on (In
the Bulb There Is a Flower) Natalie Sleeth wrote, "Pondering the death
of a friend (life and death, death and resurrection), pondering winter
and spring (seeming opposites), and a T. S. Eliot poem which had the
phrase, "In our end is our beginning." These seemingly contradictory
"pairs" lead to the thesis of the song and the hopeful message that
out of one will come the other whenever God chooses to bring that about.
Her husband Dr. Ronald Sleeth heard the hymn shortly before he died,
and asked that it be sung at his funeral. It is based on SCRIPTURE (God
of the Sparrow of the Whale) After forty years in the ministry Vajad
wrote this text to provoke answers to how and why we serve God By creating
new poetic forms and adapting ageless ideas and expressions, he speaks
in the language of his time SCRIPTURE (This
is My Song) These stanzas published sung the period between the two
world wars, express a hope for lasting peace among all nations, races,
and cultures. It is to the tune Finlandia by the Finnish composer Jean
Sibelius (What
a Covenant) In a letter to two grieving friends, A. J. Showalter quoted
Deuteronomy 33:27 "underneath are the everlasting arms." Showalter
then wrote this music and the refrain and sent them to E.A. Hoffman
to provide the stanzas (If
You But Trust in God to Guide You) The comforting words of (O
Jesus I Have Promised) John Brode wrote the words of this song for his
daughter's and two sons' confirmation service. He was a pastor in Castle
Camps parish, Cambridge shire, England. The hymn was based on SCRIPTURE
(God
Be With You) Jeremiah Rankin, a Congregational minister of New England,
wrote this emotional hymn of prayer in 1882. His purpose for writing
the hymn was to find a way for the Christian to say good-bye which was
not contradictory to his faith and belief. He finally settled for the
phrase "God be with you," which he felt was the Christian way of saying
"goodbye until we meet again." |
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