Lay Pastor’s Weekly 7-25-10

The chariots of God are twenty thousand, Even thousands of thousands, The Lord is among them…Psalm 68:17  I recommend reading Psalm 68.  The Jubilee Singers from Fisk University sang at the Plymouth Church in Brooklyn. They were named after the biblical year in Leviticus 25 being the time of liberation for slaves. In 1872, gospel [...]

Lay Pastor’s Weekly 7-18-10

Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer.  Psalm 61:1  I recommend reading Psalm 61.  The hymn, “Sweet Hour of Prayer” first appeared in the New York Observer on September 13, 1945, accompanied by an explanatory note by Rev. Thomas Salmon, a British minister who recently Immigrated to America.  At Coleshill, Warsickshire, England, I [...]

Lay Pastor’s Weekly 7-11-10

Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. Psalm 62:1  I recommend reading Psalm 62.  Little is known about Katarina von Schlegel, the author of  the poem, Be Still, My Soul written in 1752.  Her words, joined with the haunting stains of “Finlandia” by Sibelius, have made this a classic hymn.  [...]

Lay Pastor Weekly 7-4-10

Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me…  Psalm 43:3  I recommend reading Psalm 43.  Charles Gabriel grew up in Iowa.  He lived on a farm until age seventeen.  He was drawn to music as a child when his Methodist family purchased a small reed organ.  He taught himself to play it.  [...]

Lay Pastor Weekly 6-27-10

For This God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death.  Psalm 48:13  I recommend reading Psalm 48.  In 1641, a bright German youth, Georg Neumark, packed his few belongings and left home.  By hard work and frugality he has saved enough for his first year at the university.  He [...]

Lay Pastor Weekly 6-20-10

You have given a banner to those who fear You, that it may be displayed because of truth.  Selah  Psalm 60:4  I recommend reading Psalm 60.  Major Daniel Whittle became a Christian during the Civil War.  After the War, he returned to his bride in Chicago.  He had lost his right arm in the war.  [...]

Lay Pastor Weekly – June 13, 2010

I said, “Lord, be merciful to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.” Psalm 41:4  I recommend reading Psalm 41.  The Methodist camp meetings in the 1800’s changed the shape of Christianity in America.  Their influence lingers to this day in our hymnology.   William Kirkpatrick the minister of music at Grace Methodist [...]

Lay Pastor Weekly – June 6, 2010

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7  I recommend reading Psalm 51.  James Nicholson was born in Ireland.  He moved to the United States and originally settled in Philadelphia where he became active in the Wharton Street Methodist Episcopal Church.  He moved to Washington, D.C. to work in the post office.  [...]

Lay Pastor Weekly – May 23, 2010

All Your garments are scented with myrrh and aloes and cassia.  Out of the ivory palaces, by which they have made You glad.  Psalm 45:8  I recommend reading Psalm 45.  Henry Barraclough was born in England and begun studying organ and piano at age five.  He became a Secretary for a member of Parliament.  In [...]

Lay Pastor Weekly 4-18-10

I will exalt you, O Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths…Psalm 30:1  I recommend reading Psalm 30 again.  William Sleeper a New England home missionary and pastor, wrote the words to the hymn, “Jesus, I Come” in 1887.  George Stebbins wrote the music.  It was published in with the Bible verse: Deliver [...]

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