Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs: Sojourn’s Easter Sunday Worship Liturgy, 2009

You can find links to church worship music set lists from all over the world, including this one, from the Blog Carnival at fredmckinnon.com.  Photos here provided by Dan Canales.

1. Song of Moses ( the Cantimus Domino), by Sojourn’s own Jamie Barnes.  We started our Easter service with this new adaptation of the song of Moses, which features Jamie’s melodic skill and text-painting:

And where are they now?

Our worthless golden cows?

His swift and jealous arm has thrown them down.

We followed this with a Call to Worship adapted from Isaiah 25:6-10 in The Message, and ending with the ancient call-and-response that the church has spoken for many centuries:

“He is risen!”

“He is risen, indeed!”

2. Refuge, written by Sojourn’s Neil and Kate Robins.  Neil and Kate, who record and tour as the rock band Dirt Poor Robins, had a song this past week on the MTV show The Hills.  We’re honored to have such talented musicians as part of our worship ministry — writing songs, singing, playing in the band and even producing our latest record.

You can hear “Refuge” as the song playing in the background of the promo video for our upcoming album, Over The Grave: The Hymns Of Isaac Watts, Volume One.  And read here for the latest word on the release of this CD.

After “Refuge” we came to our baptisms - several in each of our four services (a total of twelve).  At Sojourn, those being baptized write their testimonies and invite someone important to them to read their testimonies immediately preceding the baptism.  We all raise our hands together and recite the Lord’s baptismal command as the brother or sister in Christ descends into the water, guided by one of our elders.

You’ll be able to read the testimonies of those baptized in the coming weeks on TravelBlog.

3. Jesus Paid It All, written by Elvina M. Hall and John T. Grape.  This classic gospel hymn from 1865 is a great song to follow baptisms:

And now complete in Him,

My robe His righteousness,

Close sheltered ‘neath His side,

I am divinely blessed.

4. I Have To Believe, written by Rita Springer.  We’ve been singing this song for two or three years.  It’s a good prayer of assurance:

I have to sing praise when the hour is midnight

He unlocks the chains that bind up my soul

My sin and my shame, He has forgiven, and made me whole

Following “I Have To Believe” we greeted each other in the Passing the Peace.  For a five minute discussion of this important - but often misunderstood - aspect of Christian worship services, listen to last week’s “Why We Do What We Do” segment here on sojournmusic.com or the free iTunes podcast, Sojournmusic.com Radio. Here is how our liturgical reader introduced the Passing of The Peace on this Easter Sunday:

The resurrection is the light that shines into our darkness. In the cross we’re set free from the shame of our sins, and in the resurrection we see the light and hope of the Gospel - death no longer holds any reign over us. Let’s celebrate that now by turning to one another and welcoming each other in that resurrection light. As you greet each other, do so with our ancient greeting, saying “He is risen” and responding, “He is risen indeed.”

Sojourn Lead Pastor Daniel Montgomery then preached from Deuteronomy 32 - The Song Of Moses.  Later this week you’ll be able to download this sermon in the Sojourn Church podcast on iTunes or listen to it from the Resources section of sojournchurch.com.

5. In Christ Alone, our communion hymn of the week, written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend.  Of course the third verse is especially pertinent and dramatic on Easter:

There in the ground His body lay,

Light of the World, by darkness slain

Then bursting forth on glorious Day

Up from the grave He rose again!

And as He stands in victory

Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,

For I am His, and He is mine —

Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

Then following a corporate reading (A Confession of Faith based on 1 Corinthians 15:1-14-20) we sang:

6. Solid Rock, written by William Bradbury and Edward Mote.  Sing along with us now, on this video from last year’s LEAD Conference in St. Louis:

7. Only Your Blood Is Enough, by Neil Robins.  This one is also on our Over The Grave: The Hymns Of Isaac Watts worship record, coming soon.  Neil adapted this from Psalm 51, Part 2, by Watts.  It’s a high point on the record and an energetic end to the 2009 Easter gathering at The 930, Sojourn’s home in Louisville.

Worship band for the 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. services:

Brooks Ritter — vocals and guitar

Kate Robins — vocals

Neil Robins — vocals and electric guitar

Mike Cosper — guitar

Daniel LaChance — keyboard

Smitty Smith — drums

Scott Slucher — liturgical readings

Worship band for the 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. services:

Rebecca Dennison — vocals

Jamie Barnes — vocals and guitar

Lorie King — vocals

Hannah Turi — viola/violin

Katie Mitchell — violin/viola

Christi Osterday — cello

Dony Erwin — upright bass

Matt Harris — drums

Micah Revell — liturgy readings