Music for August 28

I'm posting this from my phone for those who really like to know ahead of time what will happen -music wise - on Sunday morning at Hilldale. I'm posting from memory, so we'll see how well I remember.

We have a guest musician who sings and plays the guitar. She'll sing a couple of songs. Her name is Lizza Conner. I know her singing will bless your heart.

As a congregation we'll sing "I Will Rise" and hmmmmm I don't remember! I'm sure it will be wonderful.

Music for August 21

We have some really beautiful music for tomorrow. The choir is singing a song titled "All to Give You Glory." It is sooooo gorgeous. We will have a string section playing along. For you musicians out there, it is a very interesting song. It was written/arranged VERY well. The thing that is most interesting is the meter. It goes back and forth between 4/4, 3/4 and 2/4. You don't even notice the meter change - it just fits beautifully.

Speaking of string sections, we also have some woodwinds and brass playing in our orchestra. We're going to try to have the orchestra play once every 6 weeks or so and eventually to once or twice a month. If you know of others who could play with us, have them give me a call (or an e-mail.)

Other music for tomorrow includes a peppy arrangement of "To God Be the Glory" followed by "You Are God Alone" and "All the Way My Savior Leads Me" with "Your Name." Bro. Lyndel, Shannon and Dan will sing "Be Thou Near to Me."


Hope to see you all in worship tomorrow.

Cool Off with a Rehearsal Video for the Choir

I haven't figured out how to just put an audio file here on blogger. I don't think you can. So I made a slide show/video so I could add a song to it for the choir. Some of them wanted to sing through the song one more time before Sunday morning. Since it has been so hot this summer (although today ended up rather pleasant) I made the slide shows from pictures I took last January.

I hope it cools you off a little and maybe hearing this beautiful song will inspire some of you to join us in singing each Sunday. We have a wonderful time in rehearsal each Wednesday evening and then get to sing beautiful songs each Sunday morning.

Enjoy! (The other music for Sunday morning includes "Let the Worshipper Arise" and "Jesus Messiah." There are others but I don't remember them at the moment.)

Music for August 7

I'm home most of this week being Papa to Hannah and Benjamin. Mom and Dad are at youth camp so they are spending the week with us. How fun is that?

So I normally would try to say something profound or at least a little bit interesting about Sunday's music, but I'm just happy to actually post what we're singing. I hope to see many of you in worship this Sunday.

Sing to the King
O Worship the King

Choir anthem – Revive Us Again
Fellowship song – At Calvary

All That Thrills My Soul
Who Can Satisfy?

Oh, and Sunday is our heART for Missions project. There's only room for about 4 more people, so if you are interested you better sign up today. Call the church office.

Here's what I'll help you paint Sunday at 4:00 at the FLC.

What's So Amazing About Grace?

A book I read years ago came to mind today as I was preparing to write about Sunday's music - "What's So Amazing About Grace?" by Phillip Yancey.
I remember that it is a wonderful book that I really enjoyed reading and it made a big impact on how I view the world and grace and how we as a church need to be offering grace.

Here's a quote from the book:
"'The world can do almost anything as well as or better than the church,' says Gordon MacDonald. 'You need not be a Christian to build houses, feed the hungry, or heal the sick. There is only one thing the world cannot do. It cannot offer grace.'"

Looking at the paper sleeve on my book I must have paid $19.99 for this book back in 1997. You can get it for $3 on Amazon now. You should. It really is a very good book.

We're singing some songs about grace this Sunday morning. I hope you'll join in and sing from a heart bought by grace and filled with grace.

Music for Sunday, July 31, 2011

Your Grace Is Enough

Hosanna

Choir anthem – How Great Is the Love

Fellowship song – Have Faith in God

His Eye Is on the Sparrow

Amazing Grace, (My Chains Are Gone)

Special music – Diane C and Dan D

Music for July 24

I usually write a little something about the music for Sunday but I'm in the middle of listening to Christmas music and I'm kinda on a roll, so I'm just going to list Sunday's songs. I think you'll see how the first three go together and the again I think it's easy to see the connection between "Are You Washed?" and "Covers Me for Life."

Join us Sunday with your heart ready to worship so God can revive your heart as He shines on you.

Come, Now is the Time to Worship
Revive Us Again
Shine On Us

Choir – Lord God Almighty

Fellowship song – Mighty to Save

Are You Washed in the Blood?
Covers Me for Life
Special Music – Andrew and Calli Smith

Expectations - and music for July 17

If you are familiar with FaceBook you know that those who have pages there have a place where they can list favorite songs, movies or books. They can also put up their favorite quotes.

Last night I remembered one of my favorite quotes that I put there.

"We get along great now that I've lowered my expectations." (You can go to my FaceBook page to see who I quoted.)

I thought of it because I was pulling into the parking lot of Ryan's. Please don't see this as a slam on Ryan's. It's a whole lot better than fast food places but in all honesty, it's no Olive Garden. But as long as I wasn't expecting Olive Garden it was great.

What does that have to do with worship? Expectations work both ways. If you expect something to be something it can't be, you will be disappointed. If you expect local church musicians to sound like the latest greatest band in concert then you will probably be disappointed. If you expect your church musicians to help you focus on God and your focus is on seeing Him you won't be disappointed, you'll see God.

We take from worship what we bring to worship - what we expect to get from it.

We should be expecting to meet with our great God, the Creator of the universe, our merciful Savior full of grace and truth, our Comforter and Healer, our mighty King...

I'm afraid that many times we come expecting to hear some good music and a good sermon. And hopefully more often than not we DO hear some good music and a good sermon... but did we see God? Did we hear His voice? Did we spend time in His presence? Did we commune as friend with Friend?

Let me encourage you as you attend a worship service this week - whether with us a Hilldale or at your church where you usually attend - to enter worship expecting to meet with God. Expect to hear His voice. Expect to worship Him. Don't expect to be entertained by the music, expect it to offer you words and melodies that you can join in singing to express your love, devotion, adoration, gratitude, etc.

If you come to Hilldale at 8:30 or 9:45 you can join us in singing these songs. Come expecting to see God.

Lord, Reign in Me

Everlasting God

Choir Anthem – Power of the Cross (See the Chains Fall)

Fellowship song – Hallelujah - Your Love is Amazing
At The Cross
The Old Rugged Cross
The Power of the Cross

Special music – Josh Ford – Lay ‘Em Down

Here's Kristin Getty singing "The Power of the Cross" that her husband Keith wrote with Stuart Townend.

Music for Sunday, July 10

As a general rule when a worship pastor or preaching pastor is going to be gone we don't advertise it much because - I'm sure it's not you - many people will use that as an excuse to skip out of worship that week.
But I am going to be gone this Sunday. My brother-in-law has stage 4 stomach cancer and it's important that Cheryl and I go see him. I'll be back Monday.

Dandy Dan will lead worship for us.

Victory in Jesus
Days of Elijah


Fellowship Song – Friend of God

Nothing but the Blood
You Are My King

Special Music – Don and Paula McElroy

Message – Dr. Larry D. Robertson

Invitation Song – Just As I Am

Offertory – Don McElroy

Music for Sunday, May 29

Sunday's Music

May 29, 2010 AM



All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name
Shout to the Lord

Memorial Day Remembrance
Fellowship song - My Country 'Tis of Thee

Blessed Be Your Name
Offering
Amazing Grace

Special Music – Diane Carroccia, Alyssa Harris, Calli Smith

Message – Dr. Larry D. Robertson

Invitation song – Have Thine Own Way, Lord

Offertory – Michelle Dickerson

Sunday afternoon at our Memorial Day picnic at the Family Life Center you'll get to hear Josh Ford, Andrew and Calli Smith, Ramona Ambrose, Diane, Alyssa and Calli, Angie Thomas, Tracy Lilly and our youth band (Brenden, Jacob, Jake, Zack and... I hope I'm not leaving out someone...)

It will be a great day of music and worship!

Music for March 27

I love Spring! The trees this week are soooo incredibly gorgeous! So I changed whatever songs I had planned for the second set of songs and put in Great Is Thy Faithfulness and For the Beauty of the Earth. I really like this arrangement of "For the Beauty" and the slides that go with it are beautiful!

I’ll Fly Away

Days of Elijah

Choir - Power of the Cross
Fellowship song – At the Cross

Great Is Thy Faithfulness
For the Beauty of the Earth

Special Music – Angie Thomas

Sunday - March 13

It's time change Sunday!!

Don't forget to move your clocks AHEAD one hour when you go to bed. I actually don't have a clock in my bedroom. I don't wear a watch either, so I have to rely on AT&T updating the time on my cell phone.

If you remember to set your clocks ahead and you end up in worship on time you'll get to sing
Come, Now Is the Time to Worship
Crown Him with Many Crowns

Then you'll hear the choir sing a new song "Lord God Almighty"

Then you get to sing some more as we sing
Blessed Assurance

and since Bro. Larry is going to talk about the importance of "The Word" we are going to sing
Thy Word
Ancient Words

Geron Davis - Sunday's Music

We have a nice mid-winter treat for us this Sunday morning as Geron Davis comes to Hilldale and leads us in worship.

Here's a video of Geron and some other people singing one of his songs.



Of course if you've been at Hilldale for a few years then you are familiar with Geron and Kindred Souls because they have sung here a few times in the past.

Our choir will be singing "Thine Is the Kingdom" with him.  It's one of my favorites!

Bro. Larry will still be preaching, they are just leading the music part of the service. This is a great "excuse" to invite someone to come with you Sunday morning. See you then!

A New Year - What Should We Sing?

I used to do my own little joke for myself on the first Sunday of the year. (and I know this Sunday isn't the first Sunday of the year, but I was out of town last Sunday, so let me pretend it's the first Sunday of 2011) Anyway, I would sing "I Am Resolved" because I thought it was a funny joke to sing about being resolved on the week most people were making New Year's Resolutions.

Well, I gave that up several years ago. Seemed a little corny. But I do think it is good at the start of a year to reflect on how God has brought us through the year before and to sing with great assurance knowing it is by Him and through Him that we will make it through the coming year.

Actually, I hope to do more than just "make it through" the coming year. I want to do great things for His Kingdom. I don't want to just coast along with the same old things. I want to look back at the end of 2011 and say, "Wow! Look at the great things God has done in me and through me and with me! To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus!"

Here are the songs we'll be singing Sunday. I hope you'll be able to sing them as a testimony of God's work in your life.

O God Our Help in Ages Past

Choir - Your Name

Friend of God
His Eye Is on the Sparrow
Made Me Glad

What's Happening at 10:10 on 10-10-10

Well, if we're on schedule, at 10:10 on 10-10-10 the message from our pastor, Dr. Larry D. Robertson will have started. Although I did tell some of the kids in choir the other day that at 1:10 on 10-10-10 they should jump up and say, "it's 10:10 10-10-10!" But I don't think they'll really do it!

Here's what will happen just before all the tens.

October 10, 2010


Come, Now is the Time to Worship
Crown Him with Many Crowns  - a verse or two then back to
Come, Now is the Time to Worship

Choir anthem – Revive Us Again

Fellowship song – My Savior's Love

Mighty to Save
Jesus Messiah

Special music – Remember Me

Message – Dr. Larry D. Robertson

Followed by The Lord's Supper

If you don't know Jesus Messiah very well yet try singing along with Chris. (He sings it too high for most of us, but you'll see how the song goes. Or work on some harmony parts! That would be nice!

Hope to see you Sunday morning!