“Sing out loud to the rock of our salvation!” Psalm 95, the lectionary psalm for this week, begins with such joyful praise that it cries out to be sung with abandon. Here’s a jubilant, reggae-flavoured song from our last album, This is the Day, which will help you get in the spirit of the psalm. So crank up the volume and play our mp3 recording, and sing along!
Remembering Mom – Helen Kendrick – March 26
Cheryl’s mom, Helen, died on March 3, after a slow and steady decline over the past few years, hastened in the end by a ten-month battle with oral cancer. She lived a long and full life, one filled with much love and happiness, good food and friends, and we miss her dearly, just as we still miss Cheryl’s dad, Milt, who died in 1994. And so for us, Lent started a bit early this year, and the Lenten journey has been filled with sadness and busyness as we clear out mom’s apartment and prepare for a celebration of her life this Saturday, March 26.
Yesterday as I was preparing for this week’s community worship at VST, a new setting of the ancient prayer of the church, Kyrie Eleison, sung itself into my heart, so I quickly notated it and we introduced it to the VST choir. We’ll sing it tomorrow in worship, and we offer it to you to accompany your Lenten journey:
May you be filled with peace during this poignant season, as we wait in hope for the resurrection to come. And please keep us in your prayers as we walk this journey of life and death and life beyond death.
Second Sunday in Lent, Year A
Two songs from our collection to help you sing and dance the scriptures this week:
- Psalm 121:1-2: “I lift my eyes” (pdf and midi) – a three-part round with a joyful feel
- John 3:5-8: “May I be born of the Spirit” (pdf and mp3) – one of my personal favourites – a simple song in many parts which invites us into Spirit groove and movement, from our album, This is the Day
First Sunday in Lent, Year A
Two shorter songs to help you sing your way into the scriptures on the first Sunday of Lent, Year A:
- Psalm 32:11b: “Whoever trusts in God” (pdf and bulletin graphic)
- Matthew 4:4: “We do not live by bread alone” (pdf and bulletin graphic)
Eighth Sunday after The Epiphany, Year A
“My soul rests in stillness and quiet.” I’m still not sure if this is a statement or a prayer that it be so (the fact I’m wondering suggests the latter!), but these words from Psalm 131 echo through the ages. We have two songs for you to download and share this week:
- Psalm 131:2a: “My Soul Rests” (pdf and bulletin graphic) – a simple refrain for the psalm or a meditative chant for centering and prayer.
- Matthew 6:33: “Seek First” (pdf) – a rousing, counter-cultural call to focus on that which is truly important in life.