Praise the Lord

This Sunday is the last Sunday before Lent starts.  Long ago, churches limited using “Alleluia” or “Gloria” during the Lenten  season to be more solemn. I respect this idea, so you may not be able to hear or sing joyful songs during Lent in our worship services. However, there are many other beautiful hymns and songs to praise God during our special time of Lent.

Our Sonrise Singers will sing, “Jesus, Name Above All Names” as an offertory at the 8:00 AM service. The Sonrsie singers meet every other Sunday at 2:00 PM in the music room for rehearsals and need new members,  particularly  tenors and basses. They sing every other Sunday at the 8:00 AM service. Please join us if you are interested in singing with us.

The Sanctuary Choir will lift up, “Praise the Lord” by Handel. It proclaims that God is the only name that worthy of praise. You will hear Baroque articulations in Handel’s style.

As the offertory at the 11:00 AM service, our student singers will share a beautiful song, “You Raise Me up.” The student singers meet every Sunday at 4:00 PM, and we do learn how to sing and breathe properly and rehearse beautiful songs for an hour. All young people from 6^th grade through 12^th grade are welcome to join us

This year Lent starts on February 22 (Ash Wednesday),and there will be an Ash Wednesday service at 7:30 PM in the sanctuary. We will lift up our hearts prayerfully with songs from Taizé, and the Sanctuary Choir will sing, “Lenten Meditation” as an anthem on Wednesday night. I pray that our Lent is filled with sincere prayers and the reflection of God’s grace.  Let us come together on our knees.

I would like to share two lyrics today—the lyrics to this week anthem at 11:00, and the lyrics to, “Lenten Meditation” on Ash Wednesday. These two songs lead us into totally different areas of worship, but I pray that the Lord will be glorified and that His love is revealed to us within our worship.

Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord. Let songs of joy break forth.

Sing alleluia. Praise His name forevermore.

Shout, sing and dance. Come dance and celebrate.

Rejoice; let all within us praise His name. 

Lenten Meditation

1.       Jesus Christ, my Savior lived for me and died.

Source of my salvation, yet was crucified. 

Peace that knows no measure: This by faith I see.

Love that knows no ending: Jesus died for me.

2.       Hear me now, Lord Jesus: I will never stray.

I will never wander. Hear me, as I pray.

Free me now from darkness. Cleanse me now from sin.

Pardon my transgressions. Make me pure within. 

Refrain: Lord, we renew our commitment these forty nights and days.

And Lord, by your grace help us change our sinful ways. Amen.