St. Andrew's United Methodist Church - Musical Musings

Greetings St. Andrew's Family Next Sunday we will join Christians all around the world in celebrating World Communion Sunday . Across nations, languages, and traditions, we gather at Christ’s Table, united in the same love, the same bread, the same grace. The Revs. Hemenway will guide us as we reflect on the theme of Grace —the gift we cannot earn, but that God freely gives, inviting us to come just as we are. Our music helps tell this story and carry us along the arc of worship. We begin with “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing” , a hymn that names God as the source of grace and tunes our hearts to sing God’s praise. Every good gift flows from God’s hand, including the grace that gathers us here. Then, “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” invites us to consider the depth and cost of God’s love. Grace is not cheap—it is sacrificial and transforming, revealed most fully in the cross. The choir will share the anthem “For By Grace” , a musical proclamation of Ephesians 2:8: “For b...

 This Sunday we continue our journey through the Beatitudes with these powerful words from Jesus: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6) Hunger and thirst are not polite desires—they are urgent, daily needs. To hunger and thirst for righteousness means to long deeply for God’s goodness and justice, not only in our own lives but in the world. And the promise is sure: God will fill us. Our worship this week follows this very arc—longing, surrender, and fulfillment: We begin with “Holy, Holy, Holy / Santo, Santo, Santo” (TFWS 2007) , lifting our voices in English and Spanish to praise the holiness of God. This opening reminds us that our yearning for God is shared by people of every language and culture. From there, we move into “Goodness of God” (CCLI) , singing of God’s faithfulness through every season of life. This is where we remember that the righteousness we seek is not something distant—it is rooted in the good...

 St. Andrew's Family  This Sunday we continue our journey through the Beatitudes, focusing on Jesus’ words: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5). Meekness is often misunderstood. It is not weakness or passivity, but strength that has been gentled by God—power surrendered to love. Our hymns this week weave together a story of worship that helps us live into this truth. We begin with “Holy, Holy, Holy / Santo, Santo, Santo” (TFWS 2007) . In singing of God’s holiness in both English and Spanish, we remind ourselves that God’s majesty is beyond language, culture, or nation. The opening hymn calls us to humility. When we declare that God alone is holy, we step into the first act of meekness: recognizing that our lives belong to the One who reigns above all. From there we sing “I Am Thine, O Lord” (UMH 419) , a hymn of consecration written by Fanny Crosby. This hymn invites us to draw nearer to God, to live in closeness with the One who guides our ...

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” One of the most powerful things music can do in worship is carry us on a journey. This week, our worship follows the path of Jesus’ words: through mourning into comfort, through grief into peace. We begin with the Gathering Song, “Holy, Holy, Holy / Santo, Santo, Santo” (TFWS 2007) , proclaiming the holiness of God in both English and Spanish. It is important that we start here—rooted in God’s majesty—before we take the tender step into sorrow. From there, our Opening Hymn, “Be Still My Soul,” invites us into trust, even when life feels stormy. At the heart of worship comes our Centering Song, “Agnus Dei” by Michael W. Smith —a quiet cry to Christ, the Lamb of God, who meets us in our mourning. From that place of honesty, the choir will offer an anthem, “You Raise Me Up with Be Still My Soul,” reminding us of God’s strength to lift us up and steady our souls when grief feels too heavy to bear. And finally, we close with o...