Each week, you may find information here about the music in the traditional worship services at First United Methodist Church in Lewisville, Texas. Some of this information is original; most of it is copied from other websites such as Wikipedia, GBOD, and hymnary.org. It is my hope that this information will enhance your understanding and enrich your worship experience.
One Service - 10:30 am
About the Handbell Music:
A Festive Rondo - Michael Helman
(c.1997, American Guild of English Handbell Ringers, distr. Lorenz Corporation)
Michael Helman (b. 1956) is currently Director of Music/Organist at Faith Presbyterian Church in Cape Coral, Florida where he directs the Faith choir, a graded handbell program from children through adults, and coordinates the church’s Concert Series. Prior to moving to Florida in 2006, Michael was Director of Music/Organist for fifteen years at St. Paul’s United Methodist in Wilmington, Delaware. Helman did his undergraduate work in organ performance at Lebanon Valley College and did graduate work in Music History and Literature at West Chester University. He is an active composer of handbell, organ, and choral music with numerous pieces pieces in print. Michael has also won nine composition contests including the 1997, 1998, and 2000 AGEHR National Composition Contests.
Michael is in demand as a handbell festival director and clinician all over the country. He is a past Dean of the Delaware Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and has served on the Board of Area III of the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers and is current SW Florida District Chair. Michael has begun two community handbell ensembles: the Wilmington Handbell Ensemble in 2000 and in 2009 the Southwest Florida Handbell Ensemble.
About the Choral Music:
Give Me Jesus - Jack Schrader
(c.2008, Hope Publishing Company)
Give Me Jesus originated as an African-American spiritual written during the time of slavery in the United States. The lyrics of Give Me Jesus are simple, but poignant. Whether we are in tragedy or triumph, whether we are weathering storms or counting treasures, our hearts’ desire should simply be Jesus. That Give Me Jesus was written by people stripped of all dignity and every human possession says so much about what Jesus is, what He can give and His very nature!
Jack Schrader (b. 1942), arranger, composer, conductor, vocalist, and organist/pianist, is past editor with Hope Publishing Company, retiring in January of 2009. His association with Hope began in 1978. A 1964 graduate of Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, where he majored in Voice and Organ, he also received the Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Nebraska (1966). Further studies in theology culminated in Jack's ordination by the Evangelical Free Church of America (1975). Schrader is the best-selling choral composer in the Hope catalog. In addition to choral music Jack has published collections for keyboardists, instrumentalists and vocal soloists. He was a member of the editorial committee for Hope's most recent hymnal, Worship & Rejoice (2001), in which he has 24 hymn credits. His music is heard in hundreds of churches across the country each Sunday, and he can be seen throughout the year as a guest clinician at choral reading sessions and workshops.
In the morning when I rise, in the morning when I rise,
in the morning when I rise, give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus, give me Jesus!
You can have all this world, but give me Jesus.
All along my tiresome way, all along my tiresome way,
all alone my tiresome way, give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus, give me Jesus.
You can have all this world, but give me Jesus.
And when I come to die, and when I come to die,
and when I come to die, give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus, give me Jesus.
You can have all this world, you can have all this world,
but give me Jesus, give me Jesus, give me Jesus, give me Jesus,
give me Jesus.
About the Hymns:
This Is Amazing Grace - Josh Farro, Jeremy Riddle, and Phil Wickham
(c.2012, Bethel Music, Seems Like Music, Sing My Songs, Phil Wickham Music, and Warner Chappell Music)
Phil Wickham and Josh Farro had some ideas they wanted to bat around for a song in which they somehow wanted to say “This Is Amazing Grace”. Honestly, they thought it was a finished work, until a series of events transpired to take the song across an ocean and back again to the U.S., finally arriving at a church in northern California where Jeremy Riddle repackaged and enlarged the song’s form several months. What was it that Phil, Josh, and Jeremy thought would be so refreshing about the subject of amazing grace, which John Newton had already made so well-known in his classic hymn, centuries ago? Perhaps it was the questions they posed, which made what they wanted to say seem more potent. Whether it was one or a combination of the three composers (Phil, or Josh, or ultimately Jeremy) who had been mulling over many questions, their probe into the depth of God’s amazing act is magnified by inviting worshippers to marvel at the only answer to each of the questions. Who? That’s the abbreviated version of the query they keep asking you and me to contemplate. This Who is God, the One who does so much to rescue mortals made in His image. It was Jeremy, in California, who apparently contributed thoughts about God’s supremacy and life-giving act. That the song’s final version came together after crossing the Atlantic Ocean to the United Kingdom, and then to a conference on America’s West Coast, really just underscores how far-reaching He is when He wants to say something musically. It’s just another amazing echo of what He already did over 2,000 years ago.
Who breaks the power of sin and darkness
Whose love is mighty and so much stronger
The King of Glory the King above all kings
Who shakes the whole earth with holy thunder
And leaves us breathless in awe and wonder
The King of Glory the King above all kings
This is amazing grace This is unfailing love
That You would take my place That You would bear my cross
You laid down Your life That I would be set free
Oh Jesus I sing for all that You've done for me
Who brings our chaos back into order
Who makes the orphan a son and daughter
The King of Glory the King of Glory
Who rules the nations with truth and justice
Shines like the sun in all of its brilliance
The King of Glory the King above all kings
This is amazing grace This is unfailing love
That You would take my place That You would bear my cross
You laid down Your life That I would be set free
Oh Jesus I sing for all that You've done for me
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Worthy is the King who conquered the grave
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Worthy is the King who conquered the grave
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Worthy is the King who conquered the grave
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain Worthy worthy worthy
This is amazing grace This is unfailing love
That You would take my place That You would bear my cross
You laid down Your life That I would be set free
Oh Jesus I sing for all that You've done for me
What Gift Can We Bring
(c.1982, Hope Publishing)
Jane Manton Marshall (b. 1924) has established herself as a leading composer of church music, teaching conducting and composition for more than two decades at Southern Methodist University. From 1975-2010, she served an integral role in the Church Music Summer School, hosted by Perkins School of Theology, to provide training for musicians who have not usually attended seminary. As a clinician and composer, Marshall has had a profound influence on at least two generations of church musicians.
Her anthems are carried by numerous publishers, and she has received lifetime achievement awards for her contribution to church music by the Southern Baptist Church Music Conference and the Fellowship of United Methodist Musicians and Worship Arts. In addition to "What Gift Can We Bring," Marshall contributed greatly to The United Methodist Hymnal (1989), especially in the area of responses for the psalms. Grace, Noted, a collection of her homilies and essays, was published in 1992. Many of her compositions are standard items in academic and church choral libraries. Marshall is in a very select group of successful composers/lyricists, a dual-talent exemplified in her early works: 'Awake my heart,' 'My Eternal King,' 'He Comes to Us,' the first setting of Albert Schweitzer's words; and 'Fanfare for Easter.'"
The Rev. John Thornburg, a United Methodist hymn writer, served as her pastor during the 1990s. She mentored the Rev. Thornburg, and they often partnered, pairing texts he wrote with tunes she composed for them. Examples of their work may be found in Can God Be Seen in Other Ways (2003) and What Gift Can We Bring (2003). The second volume derives its title from her most well known hymn, "What gift can we bring."
Jane Marshall’s "What gift can we bring" is a hymn of pure gratitude. A lifelong Dallas resident, she composed this hymn in 1980 for the twenty-fifth anniversary of her congregation, Northaven United Methodist Church. Stanza two reflects on heritage, giving thanks for the past and those "who planted and watered so dreams could come true." Stanza three looks to the future that is "full of surprises," yet knowing that regardless of what happens, "we rest in God’s keeping and live in God’s love."
What gift can we bring, what present, what token?
What words can convey it the joy of this day?
When grateful we come, remembering, rejoicing,
what song can we now offer in honor and praise?
Give thanks for the past, for those who had vision,
who planted and watered so dreams could come true.
Give thanks for the Now, for study, for worship,
for mission that bids us turn prayer into deed.
Give thanks for Tomorrow, full of surprises,
for knowing whatever Tomorrow may bring,
the Word is our promise always, forever,
we rest in God's keeping and live in God's love.
This gift we now bring, this present, this token,
these words can convey it the joy of this day!
When grateful we come, remembering, rejoicing,
this song we now offer in honor and praise.
Evidence - Ed Cash, Ethan Hulse, and Josh Baldwin
(c.2020, Capitol CMG Paragon - Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing), We The Kingdom Music - Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing), Be Essential Songs - Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC, EGH Music Publishing - Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC, and Bethel Music Publishing
Josh Baldwin wrote this about this song: This year feels like it’s been two years already. I started writing "Evidence" in February 2019, during the week of the Super Bowl. I wrote the piece with songwriter Ethan Hulse, who I wrote "Stand in Your Love" with. He came to my residence for a visit so that we could write songs together. One morning, "Evidence" came out of wanting to write and sing a song about my history with the Lord—our history with the Lord; it was all based on that word evidence.
We fumbled through different things about how God’s promises are evidence of His goodness. The chorus grabbed me instantly. Sometimes, it’s not until I’ve completed the music that I look back and see the depth and goodness of a song’s message in my own life. This is what happened when I wrote "Evidence." In writing the song, I’m thinking about what the Lord is doing with me. Ethan and I met up with songwriter and producer Ed Cash and finished the song.
Especially, nowadays, with what’s going on in the world, it’s so easy to let fear creep in and let our current situation cloud us into forgetting what the Lord has done for us. "Evidence" speaks to this fact; the song talks about how God has walked beside me through my life. I’ve been thinking of that so much in the last few months.
I know what the world looks like right now, but what do I know about the Lord? Well, I know He’s always been for me. He’s always been with me. He’s always good. And, through that, He’s teaching me how to walk in His victory, and what He’s done for us. For this song, we wanted to make sure we mentioned that God has been faithful in every season of our lives.
All throughout my history Your faithfulness has walked beside me
The winter storms made way for spring In every season from where I'm standing
I see the evidence of Your goodness All over my life, All over my life
I see Your promises in fulfillment All over my life, All over my life
Help me remember when I'm weak Fear may come but fear will leave
You lead my heart to victory You are my strength and You always will be
I see the evidence of Your goodness All over my life, All over my life
I see Your promises in fulfillment All over my life, All over my life
Why should I fear, The evidence is here
Goodness of God - Jenn Johnson, Ed Cash, Jason Ingram, Ben Fielding, and Brian Johnson
(c.2018, Alletrop Music/Shout! Music Publishing Australia/Fellow Ships Music/So Essential Tunes/Bethel Music Publishing)
Jennifer "Jenn" Johnson (b.1982) is an American Christian worship singer, songwriter and worship pastor. She is a co-founding member of Bethel Music, and is one-half of the husband-and-wife worship duo Brian and Jenn Johnson. She is also a senior worship pastor at Bethel Church in Redding, California, and a Senior Overseer of WorshipU, an online school of worship sponsored by Bethel.
The story behind Bethel Music's "Goodness of God" centers on Jenn Johnson's personal experience of adopting her fourth child, Ryder Moses.
Johnson related this story: “We had just gotten home from our adoption of our son, Ryder. He was a gift that we never saw coming. We have three kids already. We thought we were done having children. Brian and I were always open to adoption. But, out of the blue, we just felt like the Lord say to us, 'I have this for you if you want this--like a gift. I have a present for you." We knew adoption was the Lord's plan for us; to have a baby again when you've been out of baby season for eight years was such a blessing. Darlene Zschech, who had been with us, told us the translation of the verse 'Here I am, send me' from Isaiah 6:8 says, 'my answer is yes before you even ask.' I was so struck with that phrase. When we had the chance to adopt, I felt myself saying yes before I was even asked. Within the next year, we were matched up. And, we brought our new son home to our family. During the adoption process, I found myself driving on a long country road. I was just singing to the Lord when I recorded a song on my phone about the "faithfulness" and "kindness of God." I wrote and sang most of "Goodness of God" as an overflow of my heart at that moment. That led to finishing and recording this song with Ed Cash, Jason Ingram, and Ben Fielding.”
This unplanned recording session became the foundation for the song, which expresses gratitude for God's unwavering presence and goodness through life's challenges and joys.
I love You, Lord. For Your mercy never failed me.
All my days I've been held in Your hands.
From the moment that I wake up Until I lay my head,
Oh, I will sing Of the goodness of God.
And all my life You have been faithful;
And all my life You have been so, so good.
With every breath That I am able,
Oh, I will sing Of the goodness of God.
I love Your voice, You have led me through the fire.
And in darkest night You are close like no other.
I've known You as a Father; I’ve known You as a Friend.
And I have lived In the goodness of God, yeah.
'Cause Your goodness Is running after, It's running after me;
Your goodness is running after, It’s running after me.
With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now.
I give You everything, ’Cause Your goodness
Is running after, It’s running after me, oh.
First United Methodist Church, Lewisville, Texas
A Community of Everyday People Learning to Love Like Jesus
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