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PRAY Father, this is YOUR world, and when "the wrong seems oft so strong" may we not forget that you who 'created the earth and all who dwell therein', still reign on high, and that 'the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.' LYRIC This is my Father's world, And to my listening ears All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres. This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas- His hand the wonders wrought. This is my Father's world: The birds their carols raise, The morning light, the lily white, Declare their Maker's praise. This is my Father's world: He shines in all that's fair; In the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere. This is my Father's world: O let me ne'er forget That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet. This is my Father's world: Why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King: let the heavens ring! God reigns; let earth be glad! SCRIPTURE Psalm 24 & Romans 8:18-19 BACKGROUND The lyric to This Is My Father's World was written by Maltbie D. Babcock, a Presbyterian minister in Baltimore who had a particular interest to the academic community at Johns Hopkins University, but also ministered to many others. In addition to being a minister he was particularly known for penning hymn texts and devotional poems. As was the case with many of these hymns published early in the 1900's, the hymn tune - TERRA BEATA - was originally an English folk tune that was arranged by Franklin L. Sheppard to accompany these lyrics written by his personal friend Babcock for publication in a hymnal. A lifelong Presbyterian, Sheppard was an organist at one church, a decon and minister of music at another and later became President of the Presbyterian Board of Publications where he compiled the official Presbyterian hymnal of 1911. PERSONAL I'm not certain when I first came to love this hymn although for some reason as I type this I can hear my mother's voice saying "Oooo that's one of my favorites" so it's possible that this is why it came to mind this afternoon. Or maybe she'll comment on this blog below and tell us all that it's actually not a favorite and then we'll all know I was wrong. But either way, I couldn't stop humming this tune this afternoon and then it hit me how timely this hymn is right now.
If you're like me, and you've become a bit of a news junkie, you know that the world is a scary and downright bizarre place. It's easy to get swept up in playing the blame game and pointing the finger at one political party or another, worrying about what will become of this, that or the next thing. But as Psalm 24 so eloquently points out, "The earth is the LORD'S and the fullness thereof...the world and those who dwell therein." It's all HIS world! Particularly in this situation where nothing is going well and we just want to demand to speak to "whoever is in charge here," I have great news for us! We CAN! He who created the whole world is only a whispered prayer away.
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A QUICK NOTE TO BEGIN Although we are all somewhat isolated in this "Safer At Home" season, we're all in this together and so I wanted to bring along a few special guests for some "virtual duets." Through the magic of technology they will each be "joining" me from their homes as well. Tonight's guest is Michelle Margiotta who also kindly lended her video editing skills to make this whole nutty plan work. For more information on Michelle, be sure to read the background & personal sections below (and do the same for each subsequent guest.) Here's to being #alonetogether in this season. PRAY Lord, as we look to our left and our right we see despair and destruction, but we ask you to be our wisdom, our battle shield, our inheritance and the place we fix our eyes during our time on earth until we reach Heaven's joys. LYRIC Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; naught be all else to me, save that thou art-- thou my best thought by day or by night, waking or sleeping, thy presence my light. Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true word; I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord; thou my great Father, I thy true son; thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one. Be thou my battle shield, sword for my fight; be thou my dignity, thou my delight, thou my soul's shelter, thou my high tow'r: raise thou me heav'n-ward, O Pow'r of my pow'r. Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, thou mine inheritance, now and always: thou and thou only, first in my heart, High King of heaven, my treasure thou art. High King of heaven, my victory won, may I reach heaven's joys, O bright heav'n's Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, still be my vision, O Ruler of all. SCRIPTURE Proverbs 4:20-27 BACKGROUND In the 8th century a monk named Dallan Forgaill wrote the Irish poem, “Rop tú mo Baile” ("Be Thou my Vision"), to remember and honor the faith of St. Patrick. Legend has it, that St. Patrick lit a fire in defiance of a pagan ritual decreed by King Logaire of Tara. However, the king was so impressed by the missionary's faith, that he allowed Patrick to continue his work despite his disobedience. In 1905, Mary Elizabeth Byrne translated this poem into the English format of the hymn that we know today. The tune, SLANE, is an old Irish folk tune that was published as accompaniment for Be Thou My Vision in 1927 by arranger David Evans. The name "Slane" is the county of Ireland where the St. Patrick's acts of fiery defiance occurred. The opening motive of this particular hymn setting was composed by Dr. Michelle Margiotta, a contemporary multi-instrumentalist, Professor of Music Composition, music educator, worship leader, composer, and arranger. In addition to having released several albums of her own music, her past accomplishments include leading worship at Times Square Church in Manhattan, playing many concerts with contemporary Christian artist Kathy Troccoli and composing orchestrations for Kathy Lee Gifford. PERSONAL In 2013 I was involved in a particular series of Christian women's conferences and exchanged a large volume of very professional (and honestly dry sounding) emails with a person who I only knew as "Michelle, the accompanist." Needless to say, the image I had in my head definitely did not match the mischievous, brilliant, big-hearted New York Italian that I finally met when the first event rolled around. It was "friendship at first sight" and since then we've had the privilege to not only play music and travel together (and eat lots of crepes and drink more coffee than any human should ever consume) but also to walk through some of life's hardest and sweetest seasons as the kind of friends that you can call at 2am and know will answer.
A person only has to spend a few seconds with Michelle to realize that she is so steeped in Jesus Christ that her gaze on His face never falters...He truly is her vision, so I cannot think of a more fitting piece to choose as a duet with her than this one. This particular arrangement was written by Dr. Margiotta in 2016 and debuted that same year at St. Bartholomew's Church in Nashville, TN. It has not been performed again until now. ***my sincerest thanks also to Michelle for not only agreeing to do a song with me, but also volunteering to be my video editor and save from posting really terrible quality videos. PRAY Lord, we like sheep are vulnerable and scared in these uncertain times, but we know that you will provide us with everything we need and we take comfort that you know each and every one of us by name. LYRICS
"I Am Jesus Little Lamb" was written in the middle of the 18th Century by Henriette Louise von Hayn, and all accounts point to her having composed both the lyric and the music. In addition to being a gifted hymn writer, von Hayn was also a teacher at a girls school and later became tasked with taking care of the "invalid sisters" in the Moravian community of which she was part. The writer of the lyrics of "Savior Like A Shepherd Lead Me" is unknown although it's earliest publication was in a songbook called "Hymns for the Young." The tune however, BRADBURY, was composed by William Bradbury expressly to accompany this particular set of lyrics. In addition to being an organist, educator, church musician and purveyor of pianos (jointly with his brother, Bradbury is best remembered for penning the classic sacred childrens' song, "Jesus Loves Me." PERSONAL The topic of sheep and shepherds comes up often in Scripture both in narrative and analogy or parable terms, but I've pondered the concept of us being the Lord's lamb much more after becoming a mother: partly because one of my daughter's favorite books is "Found," an adaptation of Psalm 23 written for children by Sally Lloyd Jones, and partly because I'm now learning to care for my own little one, tending her needs and watching her grow.
When I was little, my mom would sing a song to me called "I Am Jesus Little Lamb" that she had learned in Lutheran school as a child. And now as part of her newfound role as a grandmother, she has passed it along to my Clare (who has embraced it with gusto.) As I pondered which songs to include in this project, "Savior Like A Shepherd Lead Me" came to mind as it has also always been a favorite, so it seemed fitting to combine these for this second day of Hymns From Home...and of course having my own "little lamb" make a cameo made it all the more special. I hope she brings joy to your hearts and that you will remember our good shepherd that is caring for each of us and calling us by name even, nay especially, in the midst of crisis. Lately things have been uncertain and downright scary. We’ve all been forced to slow down in one way or another which I have personally found both an inconvenience and a gift. I wanted a way to reach out and encourage you each, and as I thought about how to do that and what to do, I decided that I wanted to give you a moment to make the most of this time you have to be still. As of midnight last night, Nashville is under a #SaferAtHome order. Maybe your area is too, or maybe you are choosing to shelter in place voluntarily as a way to support ALL your neighbors: those you know, and those you don’t. So for the next two weeks, starting tonight, I’m bringing you “Hymns From Home.” 5-10 minutes of instrumental hymns posted at 8:00pm *almost* every night. Each night I will have a thought or a verse for you to meditate on while you listen, or you can use it as a soundtrack for your own prayers or reading. Whatever you need this time to be...it’s your space. I’m hoping you’ll join me and looking forward to pressing in to some “corporate solitude” as we “social distance” in this season. For each video I'll also give you a prayer prompt, a related passage of Scripture, and a brief bit of information on the piece of music should you choose to utilize them, or you can use this time to pray or reflect as you need to. It's your tool to use as you need. Praying for you each. The Lord's Prayer PRAY Lord, thank you teaching us how to pray. May your will be done even in times of uncertainty for we know that your power and glory are everlasting. Amen. LYRIC Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. SCRIPTURE Matthew 6:9-13 & Luke 11:2-4 BACKGROUND The lyric for this piece is taken from the passages of Scripture that recount when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13 & Luke 11:2-4). This tune was composed in 1935 by American composer, organist and pianist Albert H Malotte. While he toured both domestically and internationally as an artist, served in the armed forces and composed extensively for film and for the church, this setting of The Lord's Prayer remains his greatest remembered accomplishment.
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January 2022
CategoriesAbout BethanyBethany is a freelance violinist/fiddler and tour manager who works with artists & events such as Kelly Minter, Cultivate: A Gathering Around The Word and Laura Story. She and her husband Keith live in Nashville, TN with their daughter Clare, cat & 6 backyard chickens. For more info on Bethany, visit her bio page!! |
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