Special Guests - No Other Name

I'm really excited that this Sunday, October 30, we have the group "No Other Name" leading us in worship at all three services.

Bro. Larry will continue his sermon series through Acts, so it will be a great morning of music, worship and preaching.



No Other Name has been singing for the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meetings for the last few years. They always do a fantastic job singing and leading in worship.

Here is a link to No Other Name's web site where you can find out more about them.

No Other Name

They have a great heart for missions and sing for many International Mission Board functions too. Here's a wonderful missions video featuring No Other Name.

The Beauty of Autumn - Sunday's Music

I think in corporate worship we need to sing about many different things. I worry about congregations who only get to sing songs that basically say the same thing indifferent ways. I'm not saying any particular songs are bad. I'm just saying that our faith has to include every aspect of our lives. If we sing about the cross every Sunday, when will we sing about the Second Coming? If we only sing songs of praise when would we sing songs of confession or repentance?

This Sunday we are going to sing about God's greatness - partly as seen in the beauty of Autumn.

How Great Thou Art is such a wonderful hymn. I usually have us sing the third verse "And when I think that God His Son not sparing..." But this week we are going to sing the second verse "When through the woods and forest glades I wander..." Behind the words will be some beautiful Fall pictures.

How Great Thou Art will segue right into
How Great Is Our God.

"Sing with me! How great is our God!"

The choir anthem for Sunday is called Great Is the Glory of the Lord

For our "fellowship" time we'll sing Rise Up and Praise Him.

The last set of songs will give us a chance to respond to the greatness and glory of God that we have just sung about.
My Jesus I Love Thee
and
For the Beauty of the Earth

Both of these songs let us express our love and praise to God in a personal way. I hope you will join us in singing and worshipping our great God this Sunday at 8:30 or 9:45.

"Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Lord of all to Thee we raise.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! This our song of grateful praise."

All of these pictures are from my yard!

Worship Music for Sunday, October 16, 2011

The apostle Paul said (I Cor. 14:14)
I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also;
I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.

I have typed out some of what I was thinking as I planned the music for this week's worship. Praying and singing in the spirit is iimportant, but it is also important to pray and sing with your mind. I think your worship is deeper and can have more meaning when you have reasoning and understanding behind what you do.

October 16, 2011 AM


There are a a LOT of songs with the title "Blessed Be the Name."
And with good reason. The psalmist said,


Psalm 113:2 NAS


Blessed be the name of the LORD From this time forth and forever .

Miriam Webster gives this definition of "blessed"
1a : held in reverence :
 b : honored in worship :
We'll begin our services Sunday singing two "blessed" songs
Blessed Be the Name – "O for a thousand tongues to sing..."
Did you know that when Charles Wesley wrote those words he wasn't saying a thousand people should sing God's praise. He was saying he wished that he himself had a thousand tongues to proclaim God's praise.
Blessed Be Your Name – "Blessed be Your name in the land that is plentiful..."

It's probably easier to sing "Blessed be the Name of the Lord" when things are going wonderfully. The true test of faith is if we can sing those same words when life has brought many troubles our way.

Matt Redman wrote this song using the words of Job in the bridge (the part of the song after the chorus)
Job 1:21 NAS


He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD."

As we gather together Sunday some of us will have had a nice easy "sunshiny" kind of week. But others of us will have had a week of sorrow or troubles. But together we will all be able to sing "Blessed be the Lord" as we sing with hearts of love and faith.
The choir anthem is a great follow up to these songs because it declares our faith in God. "I believe God. I believe His word is true for I've seen what He can do when I call upon His name."
Choir Anthem – I Believe God

Fellowship song – He Has Made Me Glad – "I will enter His courts with thanksgiving in my heart..."
After the "welcome" time we'll sing about God's wonderful Word.

Break Thou the Bread of Life – The last line of the first verse says, "My spirit pants for Thee, O living Word."

I hope that describes us as we gather together Sunday.

I love the last verse of this beautiful hymn.
"O send Thy Spirit, Lord, Now unto me,
That He may touch mine eyes, And make me see:
Show me the truth concealed Within Thy Word,
And in Thy Book revealed I see Thee, Lord."
Ancient Words –
Word of God Speak – We'll just sing the chorus -
"Word of God speak; Would You fall down like rain washing my eyes to see Your majesty?
To be still and know that You're in this place; Please let me stay and rest in Your holiness.
Word of God, speak."
Special Music – Paula McElroy

Message – Dr. Larry D. Robertson

Invitation song – Change My Heart, O God
Offertory – Bro. Lyndel with band – Great Is the Lord Almighty
Baptisms – both services

Music for Sunday, October 9

I've missed several weeks of posting what we're singing on Sunday. Maybe this will get me back into posting Sunday's music each week.

This week we'll begin our service singing some songs about the second coming.
Sing to the King
Soon and Very Soon
I'll Fly Away

The choir will sing How Great Is the Love

Then we'll sing...
'Tis So Sweet
Resting in Your Love
Offering

Of course the thing that makes congregational music the best is when we all come wanting to express our praise and love to the Lord. The condition of our hearts is much more important than the song selections. But hopefully these songs will give you reason to celebrate in the hope of Christ's return and then give you opportunity to express your love and give testimony to God's goodness.

I'm resting in Your love,
Trusting in Your grace.
Through the questions in my life
I long to see Your face.
In weakness You are strong,
Lord, live Your life through me.
All my hope is placed in You
I'm resting in Your love.