Author: Isabella Dougan

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HYMNS: “God Made From One Blood,” “Panis angelicus,” and “When God Restored Our Common Life”

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Thomas H. Troeger is the author of “God Made From One Blood.”  To watch a YouTube video of this hymn, click here

“Panis angelicus” (Latin for “Bread of Angels” or “Angelic Bread”) is the penultimate strophe of the hymn “Sacris solemniis” written by Saint Thomas Aquinas for the feast of Corpus Christi. Most famously, in 1872 César Franck set this strophe for tenor voice, harp, cello, and organ, and incorporated it into his Messe à trois voix. {Wiki}. To watch a YouTube video of this hymn, click here

“When God Restored Our Common Life” was written by Ruth C. Duck. To watch a YouTube video of this hymn, click here

To follow our worship service on FaceBook and sing with us, click here

Written by Isabella Dougan

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Children’s Book: “Someday is Now”

Pastor Jenny read aloud the children’s picture book “Someday is Now,” written by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and Illustrated by Jade Johnson, at Children’s Time, on Sunday, August 30, 2020,

“Someday is Now,” a book on social justice in America, is about Clara Luper, a ‘superhero’ of the Civil Rights movement. It tells how Clara and her students led sit-ins in 1958, at the Katz lunch counters in Oklahoma City, to end racial segregation. The unjust laws at the time did not allow African Americans to eat at lunch counters inside the drugstore. They were forced to take their food outside. And so Clara and these children changed the laws!

Clara challenges young people to do what is right and stand up against something they know is wrong, even at a high cost, but without resorting to violence.

Pastor Jenny states, “Jesus taught us we are to follow him into hard places in this life and that we are to overcome evil with good all the time. In this story, we see real people who overcame evil with good. But it was hard!”

The lesson to be learned from this story is that young people must be prepared to make small sacrifices for justice and make changes in the world. Like speaking out and standing strong.

So, what now?

Says Pastor Jenny: “Carry this story with you into today, into the rest of the week, into the rest of our lives as you follow Jesus as well.”

To follow the worship service and listen to Pastor Jenny read, click here.

 

Written by Isabella Dougan

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Romans 12:9-21 and
 Matthew 16:21-28

The scripture for Sunday, August 30, 2020, is from Romans 12:9-21 and
 Matthew 16:21-28.          

“Take Up Your Cross” is the title of Pastor Jenny Smith Walz’s sermon. 

“Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.”  ~Romans 12:9-13

“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’”  ~Matthew 16:24

To watch interesting videos on YouTube of both scripture passages, click here and here.

To follow our worship service, hear the scripture, and listen to Pastor Jenny’s sermon click here.

Written by Isabella Dougan

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“Joshua Fit de Battle of Jericho” and “Saranam, Saranam” 8/23/2020

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“Joshua Fit De Battle of Jericho” OR “Joshua Fought The Battle of Jericho“) is a well-known African American spiritual based on the story of Joshua in the Bible. The song tells how Joshua captured the city of Jericho when he ordered the Israelites to blow trumpets until the walls fell down. 

It is believed that slaves composed this song in the first half of the 19th century. It gave African-American slaves a strong sense of hope that their freedom would soon come – “And the walls came tumblin’ down.”

Later recordings of the song include those by Paul Robeson (1925), Mahalia Jackson (1958), Clara Ward, Laurie London, Hugh Laurie (2011), and Elvis Presley (1960) among many others.

Click here to enjoy the YouTube version of  “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho.” 

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“Saranam, Saranam” is a traditional Asian hymn for all Christians, translated by Daniel Thambyrajah Niles (1908-1970), a native of Sri Lanka. Niles encouraged the use of indigenous musical idioms for Western congregational songs.

“Saranam” a Tamil word for “refuge,” means to surrender oneself fully to the one, true God.  This prayerful song for refuge is rooted in texts like Psalm 61:1-2, “Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

Jesus, Savior, Lord, lo, to thee I fly:

Saranam, Saranam, Saranam;

Thou the Rock, my refuge that’s higher than I;

Saranam, Saranam, Saranam.

Click here to enjoy the American Folk Ensemble version of Pakistani/Indian Christian Hymn “Saranam, Saranam.”

To follow our worship service and sing with us, click here

Written by Isabella Dougan

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“O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing:” Worship Music 8/23/2020

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We Want to Worship With You

Click here to enjoy “O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing My Great Redeemer’s Praise.” 

“O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” is a Christian hymn written by Charles Wesley. While studying under Peter Boehler in London, Wesley suffered a bout of pleurisy, which led to the renewal of his faith on May 21, 1738.

Charles Wesley was concerned by extreme doubts about his faith during his sickness. On May 21, a gathering of Christians visited him and offered him testimony and health assistance, which strongly influenced him. He read from his Bible and found himself profoundly encouraged by the words, and at peace with God. Shortly his strength began to return. 

One year after this renewal, he decided to write a hymn to commemorate this event. This hymn praises God’s glory, as many of Wesley’s hymns did, and calls for worshippers of the Lord to come together in rejoiceful singing.

To follow our worship service and sing with us, click here

Written by Isabella Dougan

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Children’s Book: “The Undefeated”

At Children’s Time, on Sunday, August 16, 2020, Pastor Jenny read aloud the children’s book “The Undefeated.” This poem by Kwame Alexander and illustrated by Kadir Nelson was published in 2019. It is an Ode to black American triumph and tribulation, peppered with great inspiring art and drawing attention to past and present people. At the end of the book, there are additional important historical and other details for those wishing to learn more.

Pastor Jenny stated, “These are all real people who were undefeated, and found the strength to find their place where so much was telling them they didn’t have a place.”

“The Undefeated” won the 2020 Caldecott Medal and a Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. The author and illustrator together created an inspiring story with stunning illustrations. You can feel admiration and joy as you go through this beautiful book. It will make an excellent gift for children of all ages.

To listen to Kwame Alexander read “The Undefeated,” Click Here.

To follow the worship service and listen to Pastor Jenny read, Click here.

Artist Kadir Nelson illustrates Kwame Alexander’s poem “The Undefeated” in a new picture book.

Written by Isabella Dougan

 

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WORSHIP SERVICE MUSIC: SUNDAY, AUGUST 16, 2020

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We Want to Worship With You

Click here to enjoy “Lord, I Want to Be a Christian”

Lord, I Want to Be a Christian is an African American spiritual. It was likely composed in 1750s Virginia by enslaved African-American persons exposed to the teaching of evangelist Samuel Davies.[1] The music and lyrics were first printed in the 1907 Folk Songs of the American Negro, edited by Frederick Work.[2][3] The song has been recorded by artists including Yolanda Adams, Chanticleer, Kirk Whalum, Hank Jones, Little Richard, Cassietta George, John Fahey, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Barbara Hendricks, James Cleveland and Blind Lemon Jefferson. [Wikipedia]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Written by Isabella;la Dougan

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Haile Selassie’s address to the United Nations, 1963 …

Famous Words by Former Emperor of Ethiopia

Haile Selassie

“That until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned: That until there are no longer first-class and second class citizens of any nation; That until the color of a man’s skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes; That until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race; That until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained” H.I.M Haile Selassie 1963.

To watch Bob Marley sing “War/No More Trouble” in 1977, click here: https://youtu.be/vPZydAotVOY

Written by Isabella Dougan