sounds like...

Community Christmas at the Cathedral!



Released in August 2007 and featuring producer Mark Baldwin's guitar that often sears, sometimes sings and at times laments, Red Hot Christmas Blues reminds us of the frequent messiness of life, the apocalyptic hope of Advent and the surprise of God's Nativitytide appearance in the Bethlehem manger. Except for the introductory "Christmas Blues" vocal bewailing wintry conditions of broken life and broken bank account, playlist titles are Christmas carols you get to sing in church and listen to on radio and MP3 throughout the season.

However, in liturgically logical order:

1. Christmas Blues
2. What Child Is This?
3. Silent Night
4. Go Tell It On The Mountain
5. I Wonder As I Wander
6. O Holy Night
7. Angel Shuffle
8. The First Noel

…these jazz illuminations carry a revelatory twist and provocative style you don't often get on the radio or at church. I cannot help but imagine Christmas Eve at the downtown cathedral or tall steeple, or just as easily these offerings could be from a smaller nearby parish with wide-open doors that invite and include all comers.

In 4 minutes and 47 seconds "Angel Shuffle," a wildly improvised version of "Angels we Have Heard on High" probably is my favorite among favorites on this CD. I won't try describing it but can assure you it's worth the price and the storage space—from someone (me!) who doesn't buy many CDs these days and gave away quite a few quite a while ago. Walter Bruggemann says only grief enables newness (something about getting out of denial, maybe?) and "Angel Shuffles" brings together sorrow, regret, loss and anger with the surprise of God's renewing presence in our very midst.


And would you believe, bible specialists Thomas Nelson published this music CD?! Not surprisingly, I love the artwork and package design by Christie Knubel. Finally, you easily can find Red Hot Christmas Blues on eBay and Amazon, so go for it!

• my amazon review: sounds like… Community Christmas at the Cathedral!

grace has appeared: event design

desert spirit's fire!: favorite music 5

desert spirit's fire!: favorite music 5

Celebrating Dennis' Life

Celebrating the Life of Dennis Sabella
Saturday 03 October 2009

this music

Come, Let Us Worship and Bow Down . . . . . . Dave Doherty

You Are My All In All . . . . . . Dennis Jernigan

On Jordan's Stormy Banks . . . . . . "Promised Land"
            from Southern Harmony

Prelude in F . . . . . . Douglas Moore

a fancy: the meadowlarks in the goldenrod . . . . . . Leo Sowerby

Appalachian Dance . . . . . . Paul Nordoff

Pastorale . . . . . . Paul Creston

Hill Song . . . . . . Paul Nordoff

Song After Sundown . . . . . . Randall Thompson

Lord, Be Glorified . . . . . . Bob Kilpatrick


and this poetry

i thank You God for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any–lifted from the no
of all nothing–human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

e.e. cummings
1894-1962

Sunday music: 20 January

I Will Lift My Eyes | Bebo Norman

Verse 1:
God, my God, I cry out
Your be-loved needs You now
God, be near, calm my fear
And take my doubt

Verse 2:
God, my God, let Mercy sing
Her melody over me
God, right here all I bring
Is all of me

Pre-Chorus:
Your kindness is what pulls me up
Your love is all that draws me in

Chorus:
I will lift my eyes to the Maker
Of the mountains I can't climb
I will lift my eyes to the Calmer
Of the oceans raging wild
I will lift my eyes to the Healer
Of the hurt I hold in-side
I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

Bridge:
'Cause You are and You were and You will be for-ever
The Lover I need to save me
'Cause You fashioned the earth and You hold it to-gether, God
So hold me now (to chorus)

Outro:
God, my God, I cry out, Your be-loved needs You now

Son Of God | Lincoln Brewster

Hold my hand and walk with me
You're the light that makes me see
On this path my soul You lead
Oh my Shepherd walk with me

My Saviour, Glorious One
My Redeemer, living in my heart
Now and forever Your kingdom come
Jesus, Son of God
Jesus, Son of God

I need You more than breath
You're my hope in You I live
Angels worship at Your throne
Power and glory to You alone

Bridge: Jesus, oh Jesus
Holy is the Lamb of God
Jesus, oh Jesus
Worthy is the Lamb of God. REPEAT 2X

Blessed be Your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name

Blessed be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing you pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing you pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord Blessed be your name

Written by Matt Redman and Beth Redman © 2002 Thankyou Music (PRS) Administered worldwide by worshiptogether.com Songs except for the UK and Europe, which is administered by Kingsway Music.

The Church's One Foundation

Prayer response: Built on the Rock the Church Shall Stand

Choir anthem: Surely the Lord is in This Place

Offertory Music: The Way We Mend | Bebo Norman

Lately you've been all blue sky
And I've been rain
I don't mean to bust up your party
With all of my pain

But sometimes my shadows surround me
And you take me in your arms and say

It's the way we mend
We tear it all down and we'll start it again
And I don't know how but you find me where we begin
And that's just the way, the way that we mend

It's just that some voices remind me
I'm not strong enough
To put all my demons behind me
And carry this love

But just like an angel of mercy
You take me by my hand and say

They're pouring out
From my mouth
So many words all spoken wrong
But you come alive
And somehow I find my way

Concluding song: My Hope is Built on Nothing Less

sunday music: 11 november

This morning I attended the (early) Praise service, so as not to miss breakfast at Second Sunday Café and to have some quiet time afterwards for study and prayer (ooops—prayer and study). We sang:

The River is Here – talk about *LIVELY* and one of my very favorites

I Will Exalt Your Name by Aaron Shust

My Savior, My God — "I am not skilled to understand...I only know at His right hand stand One Who is my Savior"

Word of God, Speak — another from MercyMe!

from Proverbs 18:10 — The Name of the Lord is a Strong Tower

sunday music: 04 november

This morning we sang:

When the Saints Go Marching In
For All the Saints, stanzas 1,2,6
Choir Anthem: "We Are Surrounded by a Great Cloud of Witnesses" by Joseph Martin
For the Bread Which Thou hast Broken
If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee

sunday music: 28 october - reformation

once again blogging my comment from the RevGals Sunday afternoon video...

Thanks, Cathy! really nice juxtapositions of everything. This morning the music included (and I won't comment on the congregation's singing):

O Day Full of Grace
O God Our Help in Ages Past
Borning Cry
Choir anthem: God is Our Refuge and Strength, with 2 trumpets - by Allen Pote
A Mighty Fortress is Our God

more: Laura, thanks for your condolences; it's now more than 24 hours post-borning cry, so obviously I survived. Mary Beth, Laura, I also love Siyahamba! And Teri, I'm convinced there is no such thing as adequate trinitarian language; I've been known to say "Creator, Redeemer Sanctifier God" in my sermon salutation, but that still doesn't quite fly. Everyone, what a wonderful musical feast!

sunday music: 21 october

A Mighty Fortress (to anticipate next Sunday)
Nothing But the Blood
I Need Thee Every Hour
and a new one to me,
Overwhelmed

(commenting on the RevFals Sunday afternoon video comments...)

again: Episcopalians don't observe Reformation Sunday... oh, I know--it was so jarring to me (jarred me so?) the year or so I attended that episcopal church, though I knew ahead of time, and seriously considered going to another church for that Sunday. Luther and devils are such a fun mix; the accompaniment to A Mighty Fortress last Sunday really, really rocked. I wonder what'll top that on Reformation Sunday?

and more again: Cathy, in my experience the PCUSA, UCC, and the various Lutheran denoms all are huge on Reformation Sunday/Day, and (retreating to shorthand that says way too little) mostly consider it a major festival of the Spirit, somewhat akin to Pentecost, but I assume other church bodies within the theological traditions of the Reformation celebrate it, too.

sunday music: 14 october

because i'm playing for an installation this afternoon, this morning i attended early eucharist with mostly prerecorded song accompaniments. we sang

Awesome God
Lord, I Lift Your Name on High
Healer of Our Every Ill
Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying

and concluded with alle, alle, alle--alleluia with miscellaneous percussion--they hand out the instruments and we get to pick the one we want.

sunday music: 07 october

from my comment on the RevGals Sunday afternoon video...

Hyfrydol is one of my favorites, too--thanks! Church this morning:

opening: As Those of Old Their Firstfruits Brought - tune, Forest Green;
Blessed Be Your Name;
Did You Hear the Mountains Tremble? - from Hillsongs

Did you feel the mountains tremble?
Did you hear the oceans roar?
When the people rose to sing of
Jesus Christ the risen one

Did you feel the people tremble?
Did you hear the singers roar?
When the lost began to sing of
Jesus Christ the risen one

And we can see that God you're moving
A mighty river through the nations
When young and old will turn to Jesus
Fling wide your heavenly gates
Prepare the way of the risen Lord

Open up the doors and let the music play
Let the streets resound with singing
Songs that bring your hope
Songs that bring your peace
Dancers who dance upon injustice

Did you feel the darkness tremble
When all the saints join in one song
And all the streams flow as one river
To wash away our brokenness

And we can see that God you're moving
A time of Jubilee is coming
When young and old will turn to Jesus
Fling wide your heavenly gates
Prepare the way of the risen Lord

(chorus)

next: We Are Your People
closing: Just a Closer Walk--with sensational guitar riffs, etc.

more: Cathy, "Forest Green" is far and away my preferred tune for O Little Town. I just looked at this morning's bulletin again and realized I'd left out two: choir sang "Hungry, I Come" and the Offertory song was Kelly Carpenter's marvelous "Send Your Rain."

Leah, apparently Hydrofoiled again!

more again: Amy, "One Bread, One Body" is one of my favorites! Speaking of Beecher the tune, next Sunday afternoon I'm playing for an installation service because their usual organist has a prior commitment, and they're singing "Called as Partners in Christ's Service" to Beecher. I love that text, but I consider Beecher in the same overdone category as the aforementioned St. Louis for "Little Town."