May 3, 2026

Sunday's prelude is based on "How Firm a Foundation", hymn 636, the great 19th century melody from "The Sacred Harp".  The setting is by Dale Wood (20th c. American), whose music I play often and who also wrote our day's anthem. The processional hymn is another great 19th c. hymn, "The Church's one foundation" (525), this one by the famous S.S. Wesley, text by Samuel John Stone, as you may note.

We'll jump to the first half of the 20th c. and Ralph Vaughan Williams for the Gospel hymn, known as "The Call"-- "Come, My Way, My Truth, My Life" (487). The anthem, "Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation", is, as I mentioned earlier, by Dale Wood, but the text is a Latin hymn from around the 7th c, translated in the 19th c. Communion hymns are "Thou art the Way, to Thee alone from sin and death we flee" (457), and "O Love of God, how strong and true" (455).

Closing we will sing "Father, we praise Thee" (1), as you may note in the hymnal notes, a 10th c. Latin text set to music in the 17th c.;  and the tune is still popular! The postlude is based on the processional hymn, and is by the American composer, Charles Ore (b.1936). Mr. Ore has been associated with Concordia University near Chicago for many years.  Concordia University is a Lutheran system of schools, so there are some in different parts of the country.  Mr. Ore is a popular teacher, organist, and composer.

Philip Dettra, Director of Music