During this time of fear and uncertainty in the COVID-19 wilderness, I’ve decided to do something a little different. I’m going to be daily using my blog to share texts and videos of hymns that pass along hope and comfort. I hope you find them to be encouraging and edifying during this time. Take care, everyone. Wash your hands. And keep the faith. Today’s hymn is sung by some crowd and played by some organist in a BBC Songs of... Read more
During this time of fear and uncertainty in the COVID-19 wilderness, I’ve decided to do something a little different. I’m going to be daily using my blog to share texts and videos of hymns that pass along hope and comfort. I hope you find them to be encouraging and edifying during this time. Take care, everyone. Wash your hands. And keep the faith. If I had been thinking ahead, I would have scheduled this hymn for St. Patrick’s Day yesterday.... Read more
During this time of fear and uncertainty in the COVID-19 wilderness, I’ve decided to do something a little different. I’m going to be daily using my blog to share texts and videos of hymns that pass along hope and comfort. I hope you find them to be encouraging and edifying during this time. Take care, everyone. Wash your hands. And keep the faith. Today’s hymn, “Now Thank We All Our God,” is sung and played by St. John’s Episcopal Church... Read more
During this time of fear and uncertainty in the COVID-19 wilderness, I’ve decided to do something a little different. I’m going to be using this blog to share texts and videos of hymns that pass along hope and comfort. Take care, everyone. Wash your hands. And keep the faith. Today’s hymn is a beloved Charles Wesley text, one of his most popular and ubiquitous. It’s sung to ABERYSTWYTH (a fabulous hymn tune, by the way) by the Trinity College Choir... Read more
Well, this was a weird Sunday. As a professional Christian (or, Church Music Director) I only get a few Sundays off per year. So to find myself in my pajamas drinking coffee and watching the livestream of a spoken Low Mass in a parish a thousand miles away was, very strange. And while I’m grateful for the technology that made it possible, along with the backup copy of the 1928 Book of Common Prayer that I keep at home, I... Read more
Forty years later, this all seems pretty silly. I mean, it has a kitschy appeal, but like your crazy neighbor’s pink lawn flamingo, it’s not going to be taken seriously by anyone. Take a look at this 70s-era McDonald’s commercial. The pop worship of forty years ago is the same kind of thing. Today, it seems dull, lame, and outdated. In forty years, the pablum offered up today by Hillsong, Bethel, Thris Comlin, Elevation Worship, et al. will likewise be... Read more
I have struggled with depression and anxiety myself, so please know that when I wrote a post like this, I do so out of experience and empathy. Read more about my story here, if you like. These are not just vapid gospel songs that salve the soul but offer nothing of substance. I’m not going to tell you what others might have; that if you just praise God all your troubles will melt away. Those are evil lies. Reliance upon... Read more
Ash Wednesday is coming up next week. Those of you who aren’t asking, “What are you, Catholic or something?!?” will know exactly what I’m talking about. Have you heard about this thing they’re calling “ashes to go?” I keep seeing posts popping up on Facebook about all these churches offering “ashes to go” for the busy person. From what I gather, motorists form a line somewhere on church property where they’re met by a clergyperson, who reminds them amidst the... Read more
One of the things that tends to happen in conversations about worship, especially liturgy, is that eventually someone usually appeals to the feelings of the worship in vague terms of “meaningfulness.” “I don’t like contemporary worship myself, but if it’s meaningful to others, that’s just fine.” I hear it in affirmation of elements of liturgical worship, too. “That anthem today was so meaningful.” Or it might go something like this: “That hymn wasn’t particularly meaningful to me, but maybe someone... Read more
Yesterday, my Patheos colleague Anne Kennedy talked about a spicy guacamole church on her Preventing Grace podcast. I don’t know how I’ve never heard of Pastor David Hughes, the self-proclaimed “fearless leader” of Church by the Glades in Coral Springs, Florida. Apparently, we are forever linked as members of “Baylor Nation” (ugh), and in his 20 years in Florida, he’s led the former Coral Baptist Church from 500 to 9000 in weekly attendance. Big freaking deal. You create a crazy... Read more
Ponder Anew
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