“Celtic Communion” was the offertory anthem at Pender’s 9:00 am Traditional Service on October 10, 2023 It was sung by Pender’s Sanctuary choir, directed by Patrick King and accompanied on piano by Heidi Jacobs.
Celtic Communion, arr. Mark Hayes. A brilliant inspiration! This beautiful anthem pairs the beloved Gaelic melody Bunessan with traditional texts that are a perfect match! The remarkable keyboard accompaniment supports the Irish folk flavor, which is further enhanced by the optional orchestration for flute or penny whistle, bass, guitar and percussion. Stunning message and music!
During the Offering at Pender UMC’s Traditional Service on August 21, 2022 we were treated to Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622: II. Adagio played by Director of Music Ministries, Brian Stevenson accompanied by Liz Eunji Sellers.
Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto was the last major instrumental composition he composed; it was likely premiered in Prague on October 16, 1791, less than two months before his untimely death at age 35.
From Wikipedia: “The slow second movement is a marvel of artful simplicity; its undisturbed, serene beauty make it one of Mozart’s loveliest creations. Reflecting Mozart’s skill as an opera composer, it is effectively a three-part aria for the clarinet, which assumes the role of a soprano singer. The movement begins with a long melody whose phrases are introduced by the clarinet and then echoed by the orchestra. A central section focuses completely on the soloist, whose part includes more ornamental figuration. The opening melody then returns in abbreviated form, followed by a coda.”
“How Beautiful” by Twila Paris was the offertory at Pender’s 9:00 am Traditional Service on July 9, 2023. It was sung by Rachel Kotiah Matos, accompanied on piano by Heidi Jacobs.
Twila Paris sings about the beautiful way Jesus demonstrated love to others while he was in this world. His love was more than warm sentiments. It was an embodied love – a love that expressed God’s compassion through physical actions. His hands served people food. His feet traveled to their homes and villages. His eyes looked upon sinners with joy and acceptance. With his body Jesus demonstrated love to others.
Paris sings about His hands and feet that served and walked to the cross, His heart that forgives all sins, and how His sacrifice inspires her to live a life that is willing to pay the price for her faith. She also talks about how beautiful it is when people spread the good news of His love through their actions and how the church is like a radiant bride waiting for her groom. Overall, the song celebrates the beauty of Christ and His body, the church.
After describing the beauty of Christ’s physical body on earth, the song describes the beauty of Christ’s communal body on earth – his Church. When Christians “live just as he died” – when, like our Savior, we serve others around us through physical expressions of love – the Church is beautiful, too. As the song says, “How beautiful is the body of Christ.”
For Pender’s offertory on August 6 2023 Brian Stevenson, Director of Music Ministries, played Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod version) on his harp. He was accompanied by Heidi Jacobs on the piano.
“Ave Maria” is a popular and much-recorded setting of the Latin prayer Ave Maria, originally published in 1853 as “Méditation sur le Premier Prélude de Piano de S. Bach”.
The piece consists of a melody by the French Romantic composer Charles Gounod that he superimposed over an only very slightly changed version of Johann Sebastien Bach’s Prelude No. 1 in C major, BWV 846, from Book I of his The Well-Tempered Clavier, 1722.
At Pender’s common ground contemporary worship on September 10, 2023 the Pender Praise Band sang 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord).
Led by AJ Rios on keyboards, the band consists of Megan Parker, Jane McKee (autoharp) and Arlet Williams.
“10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)” is a worship song co-written by Matt Redman and Jonas Myrin, first recorded by Redman for his 10,000 Reasons album, released in 2011 on Kingsway Music, and subsequently included on a number of compilations, covered by other artists and included as congregational worship music in English or in translation around the world.
In 2013, the song won two Grammy Awards for “Best Contemporary Christian Music Song” and “Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance”.
After the song’s success and impact, Redman also published a book: 10,000 Reasons: Stories of Faith, Hope, and Thankfulness Inspired by the Worship Anthem.
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