|
|
11500 West 20th Avenue Lakewood,
Colorado 80215 |
 |
| Home | Site Directory | Calendar | Christian Ed | Youth | Announcements | Sermons |
|
|
What to Expect on Sunday |
For the worship service on April 19th, the Sunday after Easter, Shepherd of the Hills held a "Hymn and Praise Festival" in which we celebrated the gift of music to our worship. The sermon consisted of four testimonials given by Shepherd members in which they shared about a favorite hymn or praise song. Following each testimonial, the song spoken about was sung by the congregation.
Morning Has Broken – Hugh & Rachel Zeiner HUGH: When Janet first asked me to do this, I knew Rachel would want to be part of it. Our problem, of course, is that we have way too many "favorite" hymns that we could talk about. Luckily, we both like the same hymns, mostly the ones that we have heard and sung for years, some dating back to our childhoods. We finally decided on one that has been a favorite of Rachel’s first, then ours together – Morning Has Broken. When we discovered that it had been written the year Rachel was born (yes, we’re that old), we knew it was the right one. Another plus for me is that a contemporary music recording by Cat Stevens has helped make this text familiar to those who might not have otherwise heard it. I’ve prevailed on Brian to play the Cat Stevens riff between the second and third verses. RACHEL: This is a Gaelic melody, and since we both have some Scot and Irish in our family histories, we just like the music. According to the written companion to our hymnal, the author of the text, Eleanor Farjeon, considered her faith a progression toward which her spiritual life moved. What appeals to us both and especially to me are the references to the Creation and the Garden of Eden. The word "first" is repeated several times in the first and second verses – Morning has broken like the first morning, Blackbird has spoken like the first bird, the first dewfall, on the first grass. "Praise" is repeated as well: Praise for the singing Praise for the sweetness Praise with elation Praise every morning And, finally, God’s re-creation of the new day. It is a joyful, reverent hymn, as the creation is described, and as, I believe, we are meant to live each day.
My Savior, My God – Kathryn Potter My Savior loves, my savior lives. My Savior’s always there for me. My God, He was. My God He is. My God is always gonna be. This is the chorus to the praise song My Savior, My God. I was asked to tell you what this song means to me and how it inspires me in my daily life and walk with God. First of all God is my Savior. He loves me very much. Just as much as He loves every person here and those not here. Wherever on this earth they may be – God loves them. He is also their Savior. God came to us. He sent Jesus, His Son, to die for us and to give us the opportunity and choice to accept his gift of walking eternally with Him. The song quote "He who lives to be my King once died to be my Savior. That He would leave His place on high and come for sinful man to die. You count it strange, so once did I before I knew my Savior." I don’t ever remember a time when I did not know Jesus as a Savior. I personally invited Him to be my Savior in Junior High. Now that I have lived over 30 years with Jesus as my Savior I still do not fully understand His plan for me. As the song states "I am not skilled to understand what God has willed, what God has planned." I can, though, talk to God through prayer and ask Him for direction. I do this frequently. It helps me to know that I am not alone in my daily struggles. Talking with friends and loved ones also helps. They remind me, as does the song, "I only know at His right hand stands one who is my Savior." This praise song, as well as numerous others, helps me to calm my spirit and to focus not on myself, but on God. It is He and only He, who can still the turbulent waters inside me and provide a refreshing pool in which I can bathe.
"The Old Rugged Cross" – Lee Hill When I was asked to give a testimonial on my most loved hymn, I thought to myself, this should be easy I have sung and listened to a lot of religious hymns. As I thought about it, my mind went blank. I borrowed one of our church hymnals and flipped through the pages, it just would not come to me. Then Connie, my wife, gave me one of her piano music books. Best-Loved Hymns. I opened the book, on the first page was my hymn. The Lord works in mysterious ways. Being brought up in a Christian environment, there has been a symbol that is recognized wherever it is observed. During my childhood, my adolescence, my adult and now maturing years, I have cherished it. As a child through my teen years this symbol was there, but only in a peripheral sense, I worshipped it in the routine of going to church. Subsequently, during my military service, traveling half way around the world, observing war devastation, unsuspecting poverty and being naively venerable, this symbol became a comfort and a necessity. Our military chapels, bearing this symbol, became my solace retreat. We see this symbol frequently displayed during crisis situations (War, earthquake and fire devastation which often features church structures); it is also viewed in picturesque country and town scenes. We see it being reconstructed or newly raised on church steeples, we see it sanctified in interiors of churches, proudly attached to church exteriors, and on towers adjacent to them. Using our imagination, if we stand tall raising our arms horizontally to our side, we ourselves form this symbol. But most importantly it was, our savior, Jesus Christ who sacrificed his life, for us, on this "symbol", "The Cross." One of my most loved hymns is THE OLD RUGGED CROSS.
"Everlasting God" – Pam Whitten When I was asked to choose my favorite song the difficulty came in that every time the Praise Team chooses a new song, it becomes my favorite. I decided to settle on one that demands an immediate response in worship. It’s simple and the straight Scripture-in-song is so powerful. There is nothing like singing directly to God, directly about His character, directly from the truth of His own Word. The song I chose is "Everlasting God." This is one of those songs that resonates with everyone regardless of age, background or musical taste. Brenton Brown was going through a difficult physical time when the words, "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord" came to him. His thoughts at the time and my thoughts at many times have been that even though God may not choose the way we would choose, He will carry us through any situation – good or bad. The chorus of the song comes from Isaiah 40:28, "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom." How great is this promise God makes to us! This song is a prayer to me. My "please" is for God to give me strength each day and God’s response is "I’m the everlasting God, the defender of the weak, the comfort for those in need, and I will lift you up on wings like eagles." There is no better answer to any prayer.
|
|
|