September 28, 2025

The prelude to Sunday's service is James Biery's setting of the familiar hymn tune, "Draw Us In the Spirit's Tether"; though not in our hymnal, the tune is known probably in part because our choir sings it every so often.  Mr. Biery, b. 1956, holds the organist/choral director position at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church in Michigan and is a respected composer.  

Both the processional hymn, "Not here for high and holy things" (9), and the Gospel hymn, "New every morning is the love" (10), compliment the day's reading from Luke.

We are fortunate to have Benjamin Smith, cellist, in our midst, and for the offertory he will be playing Phillip Keveren's arrangement of "It Is Well With My Soul", another familiar hymn tune not in our hymnal.   Ben will also be playing during communion: 2 hymn tunes-- "What Wondrous Love" (from Southern Harmony), and "Precious Lord, Take My Hand" (Traditional Spiritual).  Both were arranged by Kurt Kaiser, American (1934-2018).  Following Ben's playing, we will sing the short but beautiful 20th century hymn, "Day by Day" (654).

Closing, we will sing "Take up your cross and follow me" (675), an early  19thy century hymn and another relating to the Gospel reading.

Ben will be joining me again for the postlude: Dr. Vernon Taranto's setting of "Crown Him with Many Crowns" (494).  Dr. Taranto teaches and composes in Tampa, Fla.