"Consuming Fire" is a good one, too. I've never heard of Tim Hughes (I don't think).
He's a worship songwriter and leader here. I've not heard much of his stuff, but I am familiar with that one and 'Light of the World'.
JewelSong wrote:Philippa, that last song really hits home. Very powerful and thought-provoking and I imagine might make some people feel a teensy tiny bit uncomfortable.
Which is good, I think.
I completely agree, Julie. It's a beautiful song but also very hard-hitting. It's saying that it's all too easy to see Christian worship/spirituality as our own personal mysticism and self-fulfilment without translating this into gutsy, practical caring and social justice ...
Probably we should be made to feel more uncomfortable more often ...
"Frodo undertook his quest out of love - to save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could ... " Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien Avatar by goldlighticons on Live Journal
"Frodo undertook his quest out of love - to save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could ... " Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien Avatar by goldlighticons on Live Journal
ETA: As a side note, are all guys from Australia cute? Or is it just me?
I don't think it's just you.
(And the softer Aussie accent is one of my faves!)
"Frodo undertook his quest out of love - to save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could ... " Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien Avatar by goldlighticons on Live Journal
JewelSong wrote:One interesting thing about the traditional hymnbooks - the keys to many of the old standard hymns have gotten progressively lower with each new addition. Used to be that an "F" was a standard high note. Now it's "D". Fewer and fewer people can actually read music, so everyone sings the melody. And so the melody needs to be in a more accessible key.
VERY interesting point, Jewel. In our church, we're not even given the music. The words are projected onto a screen, and almost everyone sings melody. I've never had a soprano voice, and sometimes will pick up the harmony, because my alto soul cries for it. But I'm not getting there by reading the music... I don't think you have to have sheet music to "hear"-- and sing-- the harmony. Or maybe I'm just making it up as I go along. I do that.
"What do you fear, lady?" Aragorn asked.
"A cage," Éowyn said. "To stay behind bars, until use and old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
We put the music into the bulletin at our church—we're small but pretty musical, and we know there would be mutiny if we didn't put the harmonies where people could read them. And if we schedule a "simple" unison hymn or two, we know we'd better pick things with great harmony for the rest for that Sunday. Something out of Southern Harmonies, or a Welsh hymn, or Bach, or Schubert. Or "Softly and Tenderly."
I'm music-dependent. I can sing harmony without notes written out for me only if it's an easy tune and I'm really relaxed. I envy you that, Anthy!
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
We did away with hymnals several years ago. People still complain, and I suppose I might, too, if I were in the congregation. But, since I'm either in the band or the choir, I have my music. I am okay at picking out the harmony without music--not a great talent or anything, but fairly decent. As an alto, trying to find the harmony is almost a reflex.
The thing is, about the hymnals, the latest Baptist hymnal might actually be relevant. It includes many of the newer songs we do already, as well as the older songs.
"Frodo undertook his quest out of love - to save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could ... " Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien Avatar by goldlighticons on Live Journal
"Frodo undertook his quest out of love - to save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could ... " Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien Avatar by goldlighticons on Live Journal
"Frodo undertook his quest out of love - to save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could ... " Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien Avatar by goldlighticons on Live Journal
"Frodo undertook his quest out of love - to save the world he knew from disaster at his own expense, if he could ... " Letter no. 246, The Collected Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien Avatar by goldlighticons on Live Journal
I've not heard much of his stuff, but I am familiar with that one and 'Light of the World'.
The words are projected onto a screen, and almost everyone sings melody. I've never had a soprano voice, and sometimes will pick up the harmony, because my alto soul cries for it. 
