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The past few weeks the singers in the Park Avenue Youth Chorale have been working on a fantastic setting of There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy by the late Calvin Hampton. If you are looking for a well-written, singable piece for young voices that both challenges and inspires, I highly recommend it. It’s also an easy read for adult choirs.
The text Hampton uses is a combination of various couplets from a larger poem, Souls of Men, Why Will Ye Scatter, by Frederick William Faber. The text is a bit dated in some respects, but there is a freshness to many of the lines, which don’t sound as if they were penned in 1862. It has been a joy to share this piece with the choir and I only hope that these powerful words shape their understanding of God’s love and grace in their lives.
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy,
like the wideness of the sea;
there’s a kindness in his justice,
which is more than liberty.
There is no place where earth’s sorrows
are more felt than up in heaven;
there is no place where earth’s failings
have such kindly judgment given.
For the love of God is broader
than the measure of man’s mind.
and the heart of the Eternal
is most wonderfully kind.
If our love were but more simple,
we should take him at his word:
and our lives would be all sunshine
in the sweetness of our Lord.
Souls of men! why will ye scatter
Like a crowd of frightened sheep?
Foolish hearts! why will ye wander
From a love so true and deep?
There is welcome for the sinner,
And more graces for the good;
There is mercy with the Savior;
There is healing in His blood.
I was at a meeting with a group of folks from Park Avenue Christian Church and our interfaith partner, Congregation Da’at Elohim, tonight and heard about Joshua Nelson, a Jewish Gospel singer. Check out his website.
There is something fascinating to me about folks who integrate what appear to be disparate styles, ideas or even spiritual traditions. After listening to some Youtube clips, I’m not sure exactly how I feel about his music (whether it rings with a sort of deep authenticity) but I love the way he challenges my preconceived notions about who sings what kind of music. It’s great to know that Gospel music (or any other style of music, for that matter) can become a medium for communication in different spiritual traditions.
Take a listen and let me know what you think.
It has been a busy month and I keep chiding myself for not posting much but I find that blog writing ebbs and flows for me. I’ve also been thinking that I will try to make shorter posts rather than feel that I have to write an essay each time. So, stay tuned.
Last week I had the opportunity to travel to Middletown, NY to lead worship with the Hudson River Presbytery. The featured speaker of the morning was Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, the President of Union Seminary here in NYC. She’s an incredibly articulate and pastoral theologian (that is rare in my experience) and gave three stunning reflections on the theology of John Calvin, who turned 500 this year! Three themes – messy/broken/glorious – were explored through scripture, the writings of Calvin and music. I performed three improvisations on the hymn I Greet Thee Whom My Sure Redeemer Art (which is the only hymn attributed to Calvin) and we sang a setting of Psalm 98, New Songs of Celebration Render, which I arranged for flute, violin and organ in an attempt to bring lightness and energy to this beautiful, rhythmic tune.
I also composed a simple response based on Calvin’s “motto”: Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere (My heart I offer to you, O Lord, promptly and sincerely. I have added it to the Music page and invite you to download it and try it out with your congregation. It is like a Taizé chant, which is repeated until it has become a prayer of the heart. It would work well in a contemplative prayer service or you could even consider using it as a Response to the Assurance of Pardon or a Doxology for Reformation Sunday at the end of October. Either way, let me know if you use it.
