Notes on the Notes – November 5, 2017
This Week’s Theme:
To Be a Servant
This Week’s Scripture Reading:
Matthew 23:1-12
This Week’s Music:
“Come, Now is the Time to Worship”
“Come, now is the time to worship,
Come, now is the time to give your heart.
Come, just as you are, to worship,
Come, just as you are, before your God. Come.
One day ev’ry tongue will confess You are God,
One day ev’ry knee will bow.
Still, the greatest treasure remains for those
Who gladly choose You now.”
Our opening song was written by Brian Doerkson. Brian R. Doerksen is a Canadian Christian singer-songwriter and worship leader from Abbotsford, British Columbia who was born in 1965. For many years he was part of the Vineyard Churches as well as Vineyard Music Group. In that context he has been extremely influential in the area of contemporary Christian worship music.
Hear Phillips, Craig and Dean singing this worship song at:
“Serve the Lord”
“Serve the Lord, serve the Lord with gladness,
Serve the Lord, serve the Lord with gladness.
O ye people who’ve been waiting for so long, serve the Lord.
Trust the Lord, the Lord will always lead you…
Thank the Lord for God’s mighty actions…
Love the Lord and there is your freedom…
Serve the Lord, serve the Lord with gladness….”
This catchy tune was written by Jim Strathdee in 1977.
“Wherever Love Leads”
“He who has called us is faithful,
He who has called us is true.
He who has called us now lives in us,
Let us do as He would do.
Let us walk with a heart of compassion,
Care not just with words but with deeds.
Like the One we love so, let us live to go wherever love leads.
Each step ordained on the pathway,
Each mile, whatever unfolds,
He’s Lord of the journey so let us trust
There’s a plan and the purpose it holds.
As we walk with a heart of compassion,
Care not just with words but with deeds.
Like the One we love so, let us live to go wherever love leads.
Whether it’s physical hunger
Or whether it’s spiritual thirst,
Let us be vessels that carry His grace and love as we were loved first.
Let us walk with a heart of compassion….”
This song was written by Scott Krippayne, Steve Siler and Tony Wood in 2002. The Praise Team will be using an arrangement by David T. Clydesdale.
“One Voice”
“This is the sound of one voice
One spirit, one voice
The sound of one who makes a choice
This is the sound of one voice
This is the sound of voices two
The sound of me singing with you
Helping each other to make it through
This is the sound of voices two
This is the sound of voices three
Singing together in harmony
Surrendering to the mystery
This is the sound of voices three
This is the sound of all of us
Singing with love and the will to trust
Leave the rest behind it will turn to dust
This is the sound of all of us
This is the sound of one voice
One people, one voice
A song for every one of us
This is the sound of one voice
This is the sound of one voice”
This song was written by Australian-born Ruth Moody and made famous by the Canadian folk trio The Wailin’ Jennys. Moody grew up in Winnipeg, with her parents and three siblings. Moody’s first band was Scruj MacDuhk, for whom she was lead singer from 1997 until the group’s break up in 2001. After this, Ruth began to focus on her songwriting and picked up the guitar, adding it to her repertoire of piano, bodhran, accordion and banjo. It was also at this time that she started a musical collaboration with Nicky Mehta and Cara Luft. In 2002 the three took to the stage as The Wailin’ Jennys. The Jennys (now Ruth Moody, Nicky Mehta and New York-based Heather Masse) have won international critical acclaim and numerous awards.
See the Praise Team’s 2012 version of the song at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hV8GQiCmwyo
“Make Me a Servant”
“Make me a servant, humble and meek.
Lord, let me lift up those who are weak.
And may the prayer of my heart always be:
Make me a servant, make me a servant, make me a servant today.”
Our offering response this week is by Kelly Willard (1982) and is based on John 13:14-16.
Hear a more contemplative version of the song at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CuiUq0SWjM
“We are Called”
“Come! Live in the light!
Shine with the joy and the love of the Lord!
We are called to be light for the kingdom,
To live in the freedom of the city of God.
Come! Open your heart!
Show your mercy to all those in fear!
We are called to be hope for the hopeless
So hatred and blindness will be no more.
Sing! Sing a new song!
Sing of that great day when all will be one!
God will reign, and we’ll walk with each other
As sisters and brothers united in love.
We are called to act with justice,
We are called to love tenderly;
We are called to serve one another,
To walk humbly with God.”
This song, based on the reading from Micah, was written by David Haas in 1988. “We are called” (1988) captures the energy and enthusiasm of the folk song style. Each of the three stanzas exhorts the singer with an imperative verb: “Come! Live in the light!” “Come! Open your heart!” “Sing! Sing a new song!” Folk songs, especially those growing out of the 1960s and 1970s, urge us to action. The action here is inspired by Micah 6:8: “. . . what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God” (NET).
The first stanza invites us to “Live in the light” of God’s grace and freedom and to reflect that light with “joy and . . . love.” Stanza two, following naturally in the spirit of the first stanza, invites us to “Open our hearts” to “mercy” for all who live in “fear,” “hatred,” and “blindness.” The final stanza invites us to an eschatological vision of the future when “all will be one!” (Source: Discipleship Ministries – The United Methodist Church)
Hear the song sung by David Haas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DCzqHV-Xns
See the song sung by the Notre Dame Folk Choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgomtIc1_yc
“Lead Me Lord”
“Lead me, Lord, I will follow.
Lead me, Lord, I will go.
You have called me, I will answer.
Lead me, Lord, I will go.”
This song was written by Wayne and Elizabeth Goodine in 1994. Part of a longer song, we will be using only the chorus this week.
To hear the full song, with solo by Elizabeth Goodine, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws0tfO-mhx4
To learn more about the creation of the song, go to: https://youtu.be/LOd6t4pBEpY
“Step by Step”
“Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You’ll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days.”
This contemporary praise chorus was written in 1991 by Beaker -a pseudonym for David Strasser, a Christian songwriter and musician well known for his collaborations with artist Rich Mullins. When Beaker was in the seventh grade, his youth pastor introduced him to his friend Rich Mullins, and the two soon became collaborators. Beaker co-wrote, performed, and toured with Mullins for several years. In the mid-90s, Beaker dropped out of the spotlight to focus on family life. Rich Mullins incorporated “Step by Step” into his song “Sometimes by Step.” In 2002, “Step by Step” was recorded by Michael W. Smith and retains its popularity to this day.
Hear Michael W. Smith singing the song at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve720TWDZdg
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