January 21, 2024

For those who will brave the cold Sunday morning (or listen on line), the prelude will be an Edwin T. Childs setting -- actually a set of short variations -- on hymn 645, "The King of love my shepherd is".  Dr. Childs (doctorate from The Eastman School of Music) is a professor of music in the Chicago area.

Processing we will sing "Give praise and glory unto God" (375), a 17th century hymn we sing every so often, and one easy to sing!  It also has very nice harmony.

The Gospel hymn will be a more modern hymn but one you do know -- 661, "They cast their nets in Galilee".  This hymn everyone sings in unison and is a wonderful melody in my opinion!

Assuming enough choristers make it out from their warm houses, we will sing Gerald Near's "Now the Silence Now the Peace", words by Jaroslav J. Vajda, a 20th century American Lutheran pastor and composer of many hymn texts, this being his most famous.  I have written many times about Gerald Near (including last week!); he is indeed one of our most outstanding church music composers today.

During communion we will sing hymn 321, "My God, Thy table now is spread", and 538, "God of mercy, God of grace", another 20th century hymn.  Remember that there are no 21st century hymns in our 1982 hymnal!  Maybe time for a new one?  Always check out the notes below the hymns if you have interest!

Our closing hymn will be 470, "There's a wideness in God's mercy", a wonderful 19th century hymn and still a favorite of many.

The postlude will be a setting of "Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven" (410), but this tune is also used for "Alleluia, song of gladness".  The arrangement is by Kenneth T. Kosche, another contemporary American -- and professor, living in the Chicago area.