February 4, 2024

For the organ prelude Sunday I will play 2 hymn settings; the first is "O Bread of Life from Heaven" (46 and 309 in our hymnal), and the second is "Now We Join in Celebration", which we know as "Deck Thyself, My Soul, with Gladness" (339), which we sang last Sunday. Dr. Childs (b.1945), as I have mentioned before, is a professor in the Chicago area and has his doctorate from the Eastman School of Music (one of the more prestigious music schools in the country).

The processional is the 20th c. hymn "Thy strong word did cleave the darkness", 381, and one I think everyone knows......and it is a chance to sing more "alleluia's" before Lent!

Since February is "Black History Month" we will try to incorporate an Afro-American spiritual here and there, and such is our Gospel hymn, "In Christ there is no East nor West", 529. It is a hymn appropriate for the day and one I think you enjoy singing.

The anthem is a paraphrase of Psalm 23, and a musical setting by the contemporary American, Allen Pote (b. 1945), who has published over 300 choral works and 14 musicals.

Communion hymns are 411 ("O bless the Lord, my soul", a paraphrase of Psalm 103: 1-5), and 567 ("Thine arm, O Lord, in days of old was strong to save and heal"). 

Closing, we will sing the popular Welsh hymn, "Immortal, invisible, God only wise", 423.

The postlude will be an Albert L. Travis setting of what we know as "Come thou almighty King", 365.  Dr. Travis, now retired, served as Professor of Music at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for over 30 years and is known for high quality compositions.