Preeminent German hymn writer Philipp Nicolai was a Lutheran pastor whose small town, Unna, was devastated by the plague during the winter of 1597-8 with over 1300 deaths.  He officiated at many funerals, as many as 30 a day.

This week, I was so inspired by what I wanted to share with you, I made a video so you could “feel” and see the passion behind the words, from my heart to yours.

Dina Datsko de Sánchez wrote this new poem for the re-imagined Homecoming Sunday at First Congregational Church, Long Beach.

Amanda Udis-Kessler shares LBGTQ+ hymns along with the sheet music – just click on the title of the hymn to open the PDF Sheet Music.

National anthems are often barely singable tunes with bombastic, jingoistic words.  Doesn’t that fit the “Star Spangled Banner?”

    “Leaning In: A Prayer of Intention” is a sung prayer of intercession that aims to break down the distinction between the typical “us” and “them:” of such prayers. It also shifts away from petition (asking …

Here’s a collection of 10 church songs that come from some pretty famous and influential secular artists. They’re easy enough for most people to sing along to, come in a printable format and are pretty straightforward to play, too.

Covid-19 has separated us from our officially-sanctioned holy places and sacred things.  The members of our church in Los Angeles yearn to get back to our beloved worship space.  But we are seizing this opportunity to turn the church inside out.  We are finding the sacred in the relationships we maintain with each other on computer screens, in the elements of communion we assemble from donuts and crackers and orange juice and coffee, and in the urban, indoor, and natural environments that have become our sanctuaries.

“Ocean” is a song of finding comfort in divine presence, yet still embracing some anxiety. A high-quality song download is FREE to the first 200 people.

Amanda Udis-Kessler shares 8 hymns along with the sheet music – just click on the Title of the Hymn to open the PDF Sheet Music.

When we realized because of COVID19 we couldn’t sing together, we refused to give up the use of music in our Gatherings; it is just too important. So we turned to the only source of music we thought could offer the same experience even if it didn’t involve singing along: YouTube.

Crises drive us from our comfort
to the edge of vital choice,
children speak the words we’ve hidden,
simple words we’ve failed to voice.

In his lifetime Jesus taught us
To observe and then reflect
On the laws that nature teaches
If we pause and then inspect,

Senses sharpened in the silence,
gently, quietly, feel your breath,
know God’s love will never leave us,
now, or in our time of death.

Franklyn Schaefer is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, arranger and composer. He published his first musical album in 2008 (Keep on Smiling) and has published two more albums and several single songs since.

Discover new words for a familiar hymn and a progressive interpretation of the 23rd psalm.
As the world is coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, the 23rd psalm seems particularly relevant. Drawing from this psalm, The Trail considers, not so much how we gain protection or deliverance from a powerful God, but rather, how we find comfort and inspiration from a God who is the source of beauty and goodness in the world, even as we go through dark valleys.

Even during this global pandemic,
a walk around the block
yields moments of healing and beauty.

We tune our hearing to silence.
We wait on the source of being.
Our minds release the roar of thoughts.