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How Great Thou Art, open this in another window and listen to the beautiful piano music! How Great Thou Art, open this in another window and listen to the beautiful piano music! O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonderConsider all the worlds Thy hands have made,I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,Thy power throughout the universe displayed, Refrain:Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee;How great Thou art, how great Thou art!Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee;How great Thou art, how great Thou art! When through the woods and forest glades I...

He warned them to protect their hearing. "If the sound's an issue, we do have earplugs available," he said. Ushers handed out earplugs and fluorescent glow sticks for the "U2 Eucharist," a communion service punctuated by the Irish rock band's music. Episcopal parishes from California to Maine have hosted similar events, weaving U2's tunes -- laced with biblical references -- into the liturgy. Streamers flew over worshippers' heads at the recent gathering in Providence. Children danced by the altar. Plasma-screen TVs illuminated the gothic sanctuary. Some people sang and clapped, while a few looked puzzled. Brooks said the evening was...

'Til the Storm Passes By, Press here for the music, played on a real piano! You can download all of these free to your HD Words and Music by Mosie Lister copyright 1958 Mark 4:39 "And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace be still.  And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face, While the storm howls above me, and there's no hiding place. 'Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry, Keep me safe till the storm...

The gospel according to U2 and Bono http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=509842006 STEPHEN MCGINTY * US church uses U2's songs to attract young worshippers * U2 lyrics are being used by Episcopal Churches from California to Maine * The U2 Eucharist was devised by the Rev Paige Blair "I waited patiently for the Lord. He inclined and heard my cry." - Bono, U2 Lyric BONO has declared that he is not a man of the cloth, "unless that cloth is leather". But the words of the charismatic U2 front man are nevertheless ringing out from pulpits across the United States. The Irish rock band's...

Churches in the United States are weaving music from the Irish rock band U2 with their more formal traditional liturgy. Episcopal parishes from California to Maine are holding “U2 Eucharists” in an effort to make their services more attractive to young people interested in rock music and social activism. At the Grace Episcopal Church in Providence, Rhode Island, the Reverend Robert Brooks welcomed worshippers and then added some unusual advice – he warned them to protect their hearing. “If the sound’s an issue, we do have earplugs available,” he said. Ushers handed out complementary ear plugs and fluorescent glow sticks...

Last year's American Idol winner, Carrie Underwood, has a record out that has been dominating the country music charts for weeks: "Jesus, Take the Wheel." It tells the story of a young woman's desperate prayer during a car crash, leading to a reflection on her own life. The song ends with a prayer for Jesus to "save me from this road I'm on." Finally knocking off "Jesus, Take the Wheel" as the No. 1 record was Brad Paisley's "When I Get Where I'm Going." Where he is going is heaven, where he yearns to see his loved ones. At the...

AQUINAS "Our church does not use musical instruments, as harps and psalteries, to praise God withal, that she may not seem to Judaize." (Thomas Aquinas, Bingham's Antiquities, Vol. 3, page 137) AUGUSTINE "musical instruments were not used. The pipe, tabret, and harp here associate so intimately with the sensual heathen cults, as well as with the wild revelries and shameless performances of the degenerate theater and circus, it is easy to understand the prejudices against their use in the worship." (Augustine 354 A.D., describing the singing at Alexandria under Athanasius) CHRYSOSTOM "David formerly sang songs, also today we sing hymns....

Lake Pointe is a megachurch with contemporary-style worship. Years back, it dissolved its choir and got rid of its hymnals in favor of Christian "praise" music, played by a rock band,with lyrics flashed on big screens. That style still dominates at Lake Pointe. But in August, sensing demand, the church debuted its "Classic Service," an early Sunday morning alternative service with choir, piano, organ and lots of congregational singing – out of those shiny new hymnals. Call it a counter-reformation, or a rear guard action in the worship wars. But more and more churches that cast their lot with contemporary...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Gospel music pianist Anthony Burger, who played for the popular Gaither Homecoming shows and earned Dove Award nominations for his albums of instrumental music, collapsed and died during a performance. He was 44.

<p>Even when a traditional hymn is included in the modern Catholic hymnals, one cannot settle in to praise God with words written by greater men than we are. Almost always, the lyrics have been so flattened, botched, castrated, and lobotomized that I’d almost prefer to sing “On Turkey’s Wings” (you know, “I will raise you up on turkey’s wings, la de da and la de da, la de da da da da daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah”).</p>

When church music directors lead the congregation in singing some praise music, I often listen stoically with teeth clenched. But one Sunday morning, I cracked. We had been led through endless repetitions of a meaningless ditty called, “Draw Me Close to You.” The song has zero theological content and could be sung in a nightclub, for that matter. When I thought it was finally and mercifully over, the music leader beamed at us and said in a cheerful voice, “Let’s sing that again, shall we?” “No!” I shouted loudly. Heads all around me spun while my wife cringed. I admit...

Traditional hymns to today's praise music: Churches are changing their tune to suit different tastes. snip Around the region, around the country, more churches are offering a menu of services to accommodate the tastes and styles of worshippers. From traditional to modern, churchgoers can pick the service they want to attend based on the type of music and atmosphere they prefer. It is in part a response to the so-called "worship wars" - disagreements over music that have grown in the past few years - and partly an effort to reach new churchgoers. "Music has become a very divisive issue...

George Beverly Shea Profile "I've been listening to Bev Shea sing for more than 50 years, and I would still rather hear him sing than anyone else I know." -- Billy Graham Since George Beverly Shea first sang for Billy Graham on the Chicago radio hymn program, "Songs in the Night," in 1943, he has carried the Gospel in song to every continent and every state in the Union. He is the recipient of ten Grammy nominations, one Grammy Award (1965) and is a member of the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame (1978). As the musical mainstay in Mr....

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- "On Eagle's Wings," the musical reworking of the 91st Psalm by Father Michael Joncas, topped all other songs in an online poll asking which liturgical song most fostered and nourished the respondent's life. Two songs made popular by the St. Louis Jesuits -- "Here I Am, Lord" and "Be Not Afraid" -- came in second and third, followed by "You Are Mine," by David Haas. The online poll was sponsored by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians. The poll was featured last year in an issue of its membership magazine, Pastoral Music, and announcements about the poll...

Here are some of the selections that we have received from respondents to the survey of liturgical songs that have made a difference in the faith life of American Catholics. All Are WelcomeText and music: Marty Haugen, b. 1950.I believe that the words really are words for our time, both for our Church and our world. They tell us who we ought to be and what we are to be about as Catholic Christians. It calls us to be who we say we are. When we sing it at our parish I feel a real sense of community, even though...

OMAHA, Neb. (CNS) -- The St. Louis Jesuits, liturgical music icons from the 1970s, are back together and have released their first album in more than 20 years. "Morning Light" is the seventh recording for the St. Louis Jesuits -- Dan Schutte and Jesuit Fathers Bob Dufford, John Foley and Roc O'Connor -- who were known for such songs as "Blest Be the Lord," "Lift Up Your Hearts" and "Sing a New Song." In the mid 1980s, various assignments moved the men to different parts of the country, and Schutte left the Society of Jesus. These changes made it difficult...

A look at John Michael Talbot's new album, Monk RockFolks, I should've been better informed about John Michael Talbot's release of his new album, Monk Rock, last August, considering that I own an ample collection of JMT's music. Thanks to my colleagues at Roman Catholic Blog I am now better informed about this latest release, and at about some objections--I just count one--leveled against it. So, it doesn't even rise to the level of a controversy yet. I've sampled the album and read JMT's explanation. Those of us familiar with JMT's musical trajectory recognize "vintage" JMT, a music sound that...

Were Jesus to pack an iPod, then he would most likely be moshing to Christian Rock, claims a Beliefnet survey. That's according to 13 per cent of respondents to an online poll carried out by the "leading multi-faith spirituality media company and online community". A further 11 per cent reckoned the Son of God would be punishing his ears with Classic Rock - a figure matched by those who voted in favour of Songs of King David. Perhaps surprisingly, Traditional Gospel scored just seven per cent while entirely unsurprisingly, Hip-Hop/Rap and Soul/Funk scored just three and four per cent, respectively....

WHO ARE WE? MUSIC FOR LIFE, the home organization of the AFRICAN CHILDREN’S CHOIR, is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to the innocent and abandoned children of Africa – their survival, education and well being. VISION * To support relief and development projects directed at children and youth (including the building and staffing of schools) in Africa , as well as sponsorship of children and schools, in order to improve access to education and quality of education for the poorest of Africa’s children. * To bring joy and healing to communities of all cultures and faiths around the world...

A recent Vatican statement calls for parishes to revive traditional music at Mass?what Rome has been saying all along. By Arlene Oost-Zinner and Jeffrey Tucker A moving moment occurred at Pope Benedict XVI's outdoor inaugural Mass last April. During the recessional, the Marian antiphon for the Easter season, the ?Regina Caeli,? was sung by worshipers from around the world, including the pope himself. It was beautiful and inspiring but for one problem. Most American Catholics under the age of 60 can't conjure even the first notes or words of this once-popular hymn. Even the most basic of Catholic chants?"Ubi...