New Fernando Ortega Album

It’s out on 12 July. Here is a preview about the album.

Guilt, Grace & Gratitude…to music

Many will know that the format of the Heidelberg Catechism falls into the categories of guilt, grace, and gratitude. Or, how great my sins and misery are, how I may be delivered from them, and how I should respond for such deliverance. It seems quite a helpful paradigm to think in. You can see it very clearly with Isaiah (ch 6), the shepherds (Lk 2) and Peter (Lk 5.1-11).

I don’t know if this paradigm was in the author’s mind, but the song All I Have is Christ from Sovereign Grace follows this pattern. Here is a live version of the song with the lyrics following:

GUILT

Yet thought I knew the way.
The sin that promised joy and life
Had led me to the grave.
I had no hope that You would own
A rebel to Your will.
And if You had not loved me first
I would refuse You still.

GRACE

But as I ran my hell-bound race
Indifferent to the cost
You looked upon my helpless state
And led me to the cross.
And I beheld God’s love displayed
You suffered in my place
You bore the wrath reserved for me
Now all I know is grace.

GRATITUDE

Now, Lord, I would be Yours alone
And live so all might see
The strength to follow Your commands
Could never come from me.
Oh Father, use my ransomed life
In any way You choose.
And let my song forever be
My only boast is You.

Hallelujah! All I have is Christ
Hallelujah! Jesus is my life

New Trace Bundy video

Good stuff here from Trace Bundy. Hopefully a new album will be out in not too long.

Music and Lights

I’ve probably mentioned it before, but Sweet Bells by Kate Rusby is a great christmas album. A great collection of carols, with a very Yorkshire flavour. Many of the tunes are traditional Yorkshire tunes as well as a few of the carols themselves. It probably doesn’t sound like a typical christmas album, but it’s very enjoyable. Perhaps my experience of it was boosted this year with the chance to go with Emily and see Christmas Kate in concert. It was a fantastic evening. The musicians were all top-notch and it was supremely enjoyable. One of the musicians used two different tenor guitars, which reminded me that I don’t have one of those! It’s not the christmas set, but there is a live DVD of Kate Rusby (in Leeds no less!) that is for sale.

As far as lights go, this is my style for christmas lights.

Difficult words to sing

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise.

Difficult, but essential.

Artists: marginalised in church?

There’s been an interesting exchange of the place artists play in church.

The original article is HERE.

THIS is the most enjoyable response.

And there is a further response HERE.

Certainly worth some thought and discussion. Initial thoughts are that it makes art (the artist?) the focus rather than Christ. Now, I’m not against creativity, I enjoy lots of music, but we must remember that often creativity is hardly inviting for a congregation. The worship service is corporate, not individual. By all means, get the artists involved…and let them serve Christ, the church, and the members of their local congregation.

We are Christians before we are artists.

Something for the cold weather

If you are stuck inside, here are a few treats (even if you aren’t stuck).

First, a new Kate Rusby album is out. Continuing where the others left off, it’s good stuff.

Next, the third instalment of Jars of Clay Live at the Gray Matters is out. It is christmas songs.

And finally, check out this video by Steve Saint of a neat invention he hopes to be used in missions.

Where in the world have you been?

I’d like to address this question my two readers may be asking (dangerous assumption). The last number of months have been a whirlwind. We finished at Carrubbers in Edinburgh in June and moved down to Leeds in July to start a new pastorate. We were in temporary accommodation during July, in California most of August, and moved to our house in Beeston at the end of August, just in time for Anna to start school on 1 September. That’s the schedule as such.

These last months have also included our settling in to City Evangelical Church. Getting to know people (and remembering names!), getting a feel for the church, hearing what things people think are good and bad, and diving in to preaching James and 2 Chronicles.

A brief aside on books: I’ve always enjoyed my library, but that relationship was put in danger during the move. Currently my study is split between a church office and the loft (attic) at our house (accessed by one of those pull-down steel ladders). Needless to say, carrying dozens and dozens of boxes of books up this ladder (with the faithful help of my father) put the relationship in a delicate situation. But, I’m happy to say that all is resolved now. We’re waiting on one more bookcase for the bedroom to house some choice volumes.

I think this last week we finally feel like we’ve been able to surface for a bit to catch our breath.

We love our new home and the new church family that we are now a part of. What a joy!

Well, let me put something worthwhile here rather than just ramblings.

If you haven’t read The Word Became Fresh by Dale Ralph Davis, you are missing out. It is an excellent help in preaching through OT narrative, and it is immensely enjoyable to read (and it’s short!).

The new Amazon Kindle is a wonderful leap forward from the 2nd Generation, and it’s loads cheaper. It keeps the pile by the bed a bit shorter.

Lots of new music out lately. A new Matthew Smith album is certainly worth your time. Old hymns, new music, good stuff. There is also a fairly new release from Sandra McCracken of new and old hymns. It’s good, but The Builder and the Architect is better. Bebo Norman also has a new album out. I like it a lot. Caedmon’s Call has a new album out, I don’t like it as much (and if you’ve had the guild cds in the pass don’t sign up for the guild, because there is nothing new there – thanks to the band for taking my money anyhow!:). And then there’s the new Jars of Clay. I’ve been enjoying it the last couple of days. Lots of guest musicians and singers on it. Eyes Wide Open is my current favourite.

Well, I hope to maintain posting things here, that aren’t as random as this one.

Scotland and Yorkshire, in music

It’s the eve of our departure from Edinburgh to Leeds (with a brief visit back here in Edinburgh at the beginning of August) and there have been two main artists I’ve been listening to in the weeks and days leading up to our move.

The first will always remind me of Scotland, Dougie Maclean. I found out about his music just before my first visit to Scotland in 2000 and have been listening to him for a while now. I particularly remember a late night drive in the highlands back in 2000 when everyone else in the car had fallen asleep and I had Dougie to keep me company on the journey home.

The second, I think, will increasingly remind me of Yorkshire (I can’t say just now because we haven’t lived there yet). And that is Kate Rusby. I heard one of her albums in a used book shop here in Edinburgh (thanks William) and really enjoy her music.

We’ve seen Dougie in concert a number of times (we were among the younger ones in the crowd) and hope to see Rusby in the days ahead.

As a wee aside, here’s an idea for a way to help cement memories. I think it works. If you have a special trip or holiday or extended time with someone try listening to the same album again and again during your trip or time together. Then when you get home and the trip is over it quite easily floods back when you hear the music. I didn’t intend to do this, but when I hear the Long Line of Leavers album by Caedmon’s Call I think of driving from Munich, to Innsbruck, to Venice, to Rome, to Pisa, to Interlaken, to Liechtenstein, to Munich; all in a week (note to self, never drive in Rome again, just walk and use public transport with a keen eye out for pickpockets). Well, that’s the end of my advice. Now enjoy some music.

My Cry Ascends

That’s the name of a new album being sold by Ligonier Ministries. You can listen to samples of the songs HERE. It is predominately psalms, but also includes a number of hymns. Here is the blurb from the website:

My Cry Ascends is a graceful collection of new Psalms and hymns for the church composed by Greg Wilbur. The music is recorded in a folk tradition with elements of Celtic style and southern harmony. Listeners will enjoy the hardy musical instrumentation: piano, viola, flutes, tin whistle, acoustic guitar, mandolin, bagpipe, hammer dulcimer and percussion. Rich biblical texts and expressive tunes feature the singing of Michael Card, Steve Green, Wes King, Katy Snow, Nathan Clark George and Bruce Carroll. The songs were written with congregational singing in mind, and it is our hope that this CD will bring these wonderful pieces into wider familiarity as an appropriate offering to the Most High God as He calls His people into worship.

Maybe it’s because I’m preaching on Psalm 77 Sunday (a cry ascending psalm), but it is great to see some modern versions of psalms being produced creatively and with music excellence. And, personally, I really like the style of the music. It sounds well worth picking up. I believe it can only be bought through Ligonier.