This Sunday we will read scriptures that can be heavy and difficult to consider. We read Job’s bitter complaint in the face of adversity; we read Psalm 22 asking “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”, and in Mark 10, Jesus tells the rich man who asks how to enter the kingdom of heaven: ”You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” In the Royal School of Church Music’s newsletter for this Sunday, it is postulated, “There is no doubt that wealth is a great comfort, but it is easily a distraction from the things of God, and in the world brought by Jesus values are quite different. We must ask ourselves—in what ways can we relax the hold of possessions upon our hearts? (Sunday by Sunday, RSCM Issue 85)
Our Processional hymn will be Alleluia! Sing to Jesus! Revelation 5:9 describes this eschatological scene of joy and glory: “And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God members of every tribe and language and nation.’” In the glorious hymn, “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus!” author William C. Dix invites us to sing that new song of praise to our ascended Savior. This hymn is a declaration of Jesus’ victory over death, and his continued presence among his people. (Hymnary.org)
The Sequence hymn was written by Martin Luther (1483-1546): Out of the Depths I Cry to You. This beautiful, though free, version of Psalm 130 was written in 1523. It was a great favorite with Luther, one of those he called Pauline Psalms. With its versification he took special pains, and the final result ranks with the finest of German Psalm versions. It reflects our Psalm 22 and the cry of Job to God, my God where are you? (John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, 1907)
The Offertory will be God of mercy, God of grace which was written in 2015 by Jerry Davidson for the Parish Choir of St. Luke’s in Hot Springs. Davidson holds the Ph.D from Northwestern University, the M.Sac.Mus from New York’s Union Theological Seminary and the B.Mus from the University of Arkansas. A member of ASCAP, his prior positions have included the Chair of the Music Department of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Associate Dean of the School of Music of Louisiana State University, and Visiting Professor of Music Theory at Loyola University in New Orleans. A frequent contributor to music journals and an active composer, he has served four chapters of the American Guild of Organists as dean. He holds the AAGO and ChM degrees from the American Guild of Organists and served as State Governor for Arkansas. In 1996 he was one of seven semifinalists for the National Competition in Organ Improvisation. (St. James Music Press) Our St. Martin’s Choir will sing Davidson’s lovely tune to Henry F Lyte’s text:
God of mercy, God of grace, Show the brightness of thy face; Shine upon us, Savior, shine, Fill thy Church with light divine; And thy saving health extend, Unto earth’s remotest end.
Let thy people praise thee, Lord, Be by all that live adored; Let the nations shout and sing Glory to their Savior King; Let all be below, above, One in joy, and light, and love.
In honor of our 2025 Annual Giving Campaign with the theme: Walk in Love, we will sing as our final hymn, Walk with Me, written in 1988 by John S. Rice. “Using a means of narrative that places the singer in the continuing lineage of holiness and discipleship, Rice weaves a thread through stories of Moses, Peter, and Mary Magdalene before directing toward the singers themselves (“And when you share your faith with me…”). This song, then, becomes an invitation to join the continuing journey of discipleship that has been a common pursuit since the beginning of creation.” (umcdiscipleship.org) This hymn illustrates our goal of walking together in the same direction to accomplish great things in the coming year!