New songs for modern missional worship, rich in Christian teaching and contextualized in modern culture. Contemporary hymns, psalms, songs of lament and praise written by members of the Louisville, KY-based Sojourn Community.
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs: Sojourn’s Corporate Worship Liturgy, August 31, 2008
Today’s recap is posted in collaboration with other church music ministries at Sunday Setlists. Photos by Dan Canales.
1. In the Shadow of the Glorious Cross, by Sojourn’s own Brooks Ritter and Rebecca Elliott. We use this one at various spots in worship services. Here, it was our introductory song. You can view the chord sheet and hear the mp3 from the sojournmusic Before the Throne page, and you can also read an interview Will Kotheimer conducted with Brooks Ritter on the writing of this song.
Next, our liturgical reader issued a Call to Worship — in this case, Psalm 145:8-12. The congregation read verses 10 and 12 aloud together (at Sojourn, our readings are shown on screens. We read the underlined portions aloud, and listen to the liturgical reader on the non-underlined portions).
2. I Sing the Mighty Power of God, hymn text by Isaac Watts, music by Mars Hill (Seattle). I love the new arrangement of this hymn, particularly the construction of the chorus:
Kings of earth and everything, that lives now with us sing
And let your glory ring
O’er every mountain crest, Creation has confessed
That You have given breath
From heaven to the depths (2x)
Following this we had a prayer of confession, reading aloud “Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we are ashamed and sorry for all the evil and hurtful things we’ve done” as part of the prayer. At Sojourn, we are encouraged to pray extemporaneously at times, and we also read written prayers together.
3. Lead us Back, by Sojourn’s Brooks Ritter and me. If you saw the video I posted yesterday, featuring Brooks performing one of his solo songs at Hard Rock Cafe, you know what an honor it was for me to have written this hymn of confession and repentance with him. You can hear the mp3 and view the chord sheet from our Before the Throne page. By the way, when writing the song I adapted “Lead us back to life in You” from Revelation 3:1-3, where Jesus is speaking to the church in Smyrna:
I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
After a song like this, we needed to hear words of assurance, to know that we have forgiveness in Christ. We read this together, based on Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 56:
I believe that God, because of Christ’s work, will never hold against me any of my sins nor my sinful nature, which I need to struggle against all my life. Rather, in His grace God grants me the righteousness of Christ to free me forever from judgment.
4. Be Thou My Vision, attributed to Dallas Forgaill, 8th century. Music: Traditional Irish folk melody. A great song of petition and of assurance:
High King of Heaven,
My victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys
O bright heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart,
whatever befall,
still be my Vision,
O ruler of all.
Following this we entered the Giving of the Peace portion of our service, greeting each other as friends and family members, since the Bible declares both that we are the friends and the children of God, through Christ.
Next, Sojourn pastor Daniel Montgomery preached from Romans 12:3-5, explaining Paul’s call to a renewed way of thinking about ourselves and a renewed way of thinking about others in light of the gospel. Pastor Daniel challenged us to “Stop going to church and start being the church.”
5. Beneath the Cross of Jesus, Keith and Kristyn Getty. This was our communion hymn for the week, following the sermon (as Getty songs often are, at Sojourn). Walking up to receive the communion elements, we sang:
for, hands that should discard me
hold wounds which tell me “Come,”
beneath the cross of Jesus
my unworthy soul is won.
6. Solid Rock (My Hope is Built on Nothing Less), Edward Mote and William B. Bradbury. We always enjoy singing this gospel hymn that confidently declares “on Christ the solid rock I stand/ all other ground is sinking sand.”
Afterwards, we read Ephesians 4:32-5:2 together (Be kind and compassionate to one another … as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God).
7. Oh Church, Arise, Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. We’ve done this one several times recently. Here we used it as a song for the sending:
As saints of old still line the way
retelling triumphs of His grace
We hear their calls and hunger for the day
when with Christ we stand in glory
Worship band for the 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services:
Jeremy Quillo — vocals and acoustic guitar
Rebecca Elliott — vocals and keys
Mike Cosper — electric guitar
Bryon Shrock — bass guitar
Alex O’Nan — drums
Jamie Barnes — liturgy readings
Worship band for the 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. services:
Brooks Ritter — vocals and acoustic guitar
Katie Vaughn — vocals
Mike Cosper — electric guitar
David Weir — electric guitar
Robert James — bass guitar
Smitty Smith — drums
Dave Richards — liturgy readings
September 1, 2008 at 06:13
The Solid Rock is a very special hymn to me. Very timeless, and very truth and spirit filled.
September 1, 2008 at 19:22
I love many of the songs on this setlist, but especially Be Thou My Vision.. okay, so I love it and the message of the words so much that it’s what I titled my blog! :)
September 1, 2008 at 19:32
I love your photographer… they are some great pics. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love the simplicity of your stage… it really is set up well.