Yes, I know it is January and that Christmas is well behind us. I also know that it should be “Christmas” every day in our hearts, as Christians. Really, though, this post is just about our CD that came in this past week. This project contains a fully mixed version of three separate services on one disc!

From the Sunday evening of December 11, we hear the entire musical (narration included) from the Worship Choir and Orchestra as they presented, “Worship the One.” Here is one of the tracks from that night: “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

Moving forward to that next Wednesday, December 14, we are treated to the choirs of Wade Christian Academy and their presentation of “A Crusader Christmas” (named after the school mascot). Everyone enjoys hearing kids sing, and these kids will blow you away. “One Star” is one of my favorite selections from that night.

Jumping ahead to December 18, One Accord Quartet presented some fun Christmas music to begin the evening service at the church. A cappella music was more popular this night, and they did a fun rendition of a medley of traditional Christmas carols in the song, “Carol Medley.”

Enjoy the free samples and swing into the bookstore to buy your copy of the Christmas project. It contains nearly eighty minutes of music that is Christ-honoring, unique, and uplifting.

Worship the One – December 11th

So much effort, creativity, and good old-fashioned work has gone into this year’s Christmas Concert. Elements of the Voices of Praise, Worship Choir, and Orchestra will join together this Sunday evening to witness through song about our worship, and just whom it is that we worship.

While most Christmas musicals focus solely on the advent and birth of Jesus Christ, this time of worship will  focus on Who He is, and why He came. The songs include favorites like “Silent Night” and “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”, each with our own unique twist on them. You’ll also get to hear some great new music that you’ll be sure to enjoy, from the toe-tapping opener, “Christmas Is the Best Time of the Year” to  the powerful anthem, “If You Knew Him”. All of these songs are accompanied and introduced by Christ-honoring narration written by our music director and read by our student pastor, Kirby Gobeli.

The service starts at 6:00 pm, so get here early and reserve a seat!

Christmas Songs, Quartet Style – December 18th

December 18th at 6:00 pm, our own One Accord Quartet will be singing a few Christmas carols and songs. There will be a range of quartet music that gives God the glory and witnesses about the real reason for Christmas. Songs will include bluesy, close-harmony toe-tappers like “Mary was the First One to Carry the Gospel”, holiday staples like “The Christmas Song”, and bold, thought-provoking ballads like “Mary, Did You Know?”

The service will end in a sermon from our pastor, but not before the congregation gets a chance to sing some great Christmas music and our newest vocal group, Cross Reference, sings a message in song with guest singer, Vince McDade.

‘Tis the season, and Christ is the Reason!

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

The author of those lyrics was a man named George Bennard. When he was very young, his family moved to Al­bia, Io­wa, and then to Lu­cas, Io­wa. He want­ed a ca­reer in evan­gel­ism, but was forced in­stead to sup­port his mo­ther and sis­ters when his fa­ther died.

Af­ter mar­ry­ing, he and his wife worked for the Sal­va­tion Ar­my in Ill­i­nois, and he lat­er served as an evan­gel­ist in Amer­i­ca and Ca­na­da. Bennard spent his last years in Reed Ci­ty, Mi­chi­gan, where the Cham­ber of Com­merce erect­ed a cross near his home. The Old Rug­ged Cross His­tor­ic­al Mu­se­um in Reed Ci­ty com­mem­o­rates his work. His works include:

1. It Was for Me
2. God Answers Prayer
3. Jesus Is the Rock of Ages (© 1926)
4. Lord, Give Us Souls
5. Old Rugged Cross, The
6. Speak, My Lord
7. Tell Me His Name Again (© 1934)

Listen to The Old Rugged Cross performed by Chris McGee, Stephen Srein, and Marc and Sara Rhodes.

This past Sunday, we showed a promo video for our church choir. The theme for this promo was “Ordinary people, worshiping an Everlasting God.” As a result, we had several people sign up and express interest in the music ministry following the morning service.

Maybe you were absent or were unable to view the video. We have posted the video here  for you to watch.

Worship Choir Promotion Video

If you are interested in joining the choir, email the music director. If another area of the music ministry interests you, be it orchestra, vocal teams, sound tech, etc., please download the music ministry team application and its accompanying music ministry handbook.