Here's what went down at the 9:00am service at Highland Community Church:
Call to Worship: Alive and Running (G) [Stanfill/Giglio/Younker]
Welcome & Announcements
Offering
GOD of Wonders (G) [Byrd/Hindalong]
Scripture Reading – Psalm 23
You Never Let Go (A) [Redman]
Reflection
How Deep the Fathers Love for Us (E) [Townend]
Reflection
How Deep the Fathers Love for Us (E) [Townend]
Communion
Message – the Good Shepherd – John 10:11-18
All the Way My Savior Leads Me (F) [Crosby - adapted by: Tomlin/Redman]
Dismiss
Alive and Running (G)
The Band:
Jonathan David Eckberg - guitar/vocals
Tim McDaniel - drums
Aaron McDaniel - electric guitar
Joe Szoke - bass
Notes:
Such a great morning at HCC. Some of it may be attributed to everybody getting that extra hour of sleep, but sometimes you just have to stop and look around and realize that GOD is pretty cool. Today was just one of those days where everyone was engaged in worship and you could feel the synergy of the voices of GOD's people rising up in adoration and thanks. Love it!
We ran our worship set a little different this week. Normally I try to put as much of the music together as possible and that is our way of "tuning in" to what GOD has to speak through the message that day. This week, however, we were more of the glue to the service. Each song tied us from one thing to the next. We opened with a new song, then came from the offering into the next, the third song tied the scripture in to the message, then we had the next song take us into communion and followed the message with the response. Again, a little different than what we are used to, but it flowed really well this morning.
We ran our worship set a little different this week. Normally I try to put as much of the music together as possible and that is our way of "tuning in" to what GOD has to speak through the message that day. This week, however, we were more of the glue to the service. Each song tied us from one thing to the next. We opened with a new song, then came from the offering into the next, the third song tied the scripture in to the message, then we had the next song take us into communion and followed the message with the response. Again, a little different than what we are used to, but it flowed really well this morning.
The Songs:
Alive and Running - I love this song. Such a great message of hope in Christ Jesus and a call to take that hope out into our world. This is a new one for the congregation (and most of the band). So to "break it in" we used this as a call to worship for the morning and the played it again as a dismissal. We play the arrangement straight off of Kristian Stanfill's "Attention" album. The only thing we change is that we play it in the key of G instead of B (where Stanfill plays it). I end up keying down most everything we play. It just seems that most of the "popular worship", or whatever you'd like to call it, is always WAY too high for the average person to sing. So, again, I end up keying most things down a bit (some of Tomlin's stuff I key down two or two-and-a-half steps!!!).
GOD of Wonders - We had a good bit of discussion as a band about this song at rehearsal. The way the other guys have always played this song was much bigger than the standard arrangement, it had a heavier rock feel to it. They like it that way, unfortunately I felt it needed the softer, smoother sound of standard version for service this week. It was a case of me having to step and say, "this is what we're doing". The guys have a great deal of say in what we do on any given song. For the most part I don't dictate what parts are played, or what sounds the guys should bring to the table, unless I feel strongly that a song needs something in particular. There is a fine line to walk as a worship leader. To get the best our of the other musicians you have to give them as much creative freedom as possible. At the same time, there are instances in which you have to step up as a leader and take charge. This will not always be a favorable decision to the other musicians, but you have to lead, so lead.
You Never Let Go - The scripture reading for the morning was Psalm 23. So we didn't really have a choice of any song other than this one (at least not in my head). This is a song we do on a regular basis. We always build it pretty big by the time it hits the bridge. Very theatrical and borderline over-the-top, but it works.
How Deep the Father's Love for Us - After "You Never Let Go", we gave people a few quite moments of reflection and preparation for our time of communion, no talking, no music, just silence. You can tell that this always makes some people really uncomfortable, but it's a such a wonderful tool that we don't know how to use anymore. We are constantly filling our days with noise - some good, some bad, but noise none the less. There is something beautiful about sitting silently before GOD and letting Him speak. After the reflection time I played "How Deep...". This is one of my all-time favorite worship songs. When I am sitting alone at home and having a time of personal worship this is one of the songs that gets played EVERY time. I don't know how you can sing the second verse and not be brought to the brink of tears - "Behold the man upon the cross/My guilt upon his shoulders/Ashamed I hear my mocking voice/Call out among the scoffers // It was my sin that held him there/Until it was accomplished/His dying breath has brought me life/I know that it is finished" Because I love this one so much, I always prefer to play this song with just the acoustic guitar and vocals. It brings a sharper focus to the words that are being sung. And when the words are as poignant as the ones here I don't see how you could desire anything more.
All the Way My Savior Leads Me - We sang this as a response to the message, which was about Jesus as the good shepherd. Pastor Wise was discussing our need to follow the shepherd and how he cares for us, protects us, and leads us. Our arrangement was pretty simple. But it was very spacious. I played the primary guitar part on the electric with a ton of delay and a touch of overdrive from an Ibanez Tube Screamer. It just beefed up the sound a ton. I ran a slow arpeggio, but with the delay it filled up the sound. The rest of the band added some really sweet touches, especially Aaron on the lead guitar. He was playing these great harmonic-swells that had almost a pedal-steel quality to them. It was beautiful.
So that how we rolled at HCC. To see what our brothers and sisters around the country are singing you can check out the Sunday Setlist at theworshipcommunity.com.
GOD of Wonders - We had a good bit of discussion as a band about this song at rehearsal. The way the other guys have always played this song was much bigger than the standard arrangement, it had a heavier rock feel to it. They like it that way, unfortunately I felt it needed the softer, smoother sound of standard version for service this week. It was a case of me having to step and say, "this is what we're doing". The guys have a great deal of say in what we do on any given song. For the most part I don't dictate what parts are played, or what sounds the guys should bring to the table, unless I feel strongly that a song needs something in particular. There is a fine line to walk as a worship leader. To get the best our of the other musicians you have to give them as much creative freedom as possible. At the same time, there are instances in which you have to step up as a leader and take charge. This will not always be a favorable decision to the other musicians, but you have to lead, so lead.
You Never Let Go - The scripture reading for the morning was Psalm 23. So we didn't really have a choice of any song other than this one (at least not in my head). This is a song we do on a regular basis. We always build it pretty big by the time it hits the bridge. Very theatrical and borderline over-the-top, but it works.
How Deep the Father's Love for Us - After "You Never Let Go", we gave people a few quite moments of reflection and preparation for our time of communion, no talking, no music, just silence. You can tell that this always makes some people really uncomfortable, but it's a such a wonderful tool that we don't know how to use anymore. We are constantly filling our days with noise - some good, some bad, but noise none the less. There is something beautiful about sitting silently before GOD and letting Him speak. After the reflection time I played "How Deep...". This is one of my all-time favorite worship songs. When I am sitting alone at home and having a time of personal worship this is one of the songs that gets played EVERY time. I don't know how you can sing the second verse and not be brought to the brink of tears - "Behold the man upon the cross/My guilt upon his shoulders/Ashamed I hear my mocking voice/Call out among the scoffers // It was my sin that held him there/Until it was accomplished/His dying breath has brought me life/I know that it is finished" Because I love this one so much, I always prefer to play this song with just the acoustic guitar and vocals. It brings a sharper focus to the words that are being sung. And when the words are as poignant as the ones here I don't see how you could desire anything more.
All the Way My Savior Leads Me - We sang this as a response to the message, which was about Jesus as the good shepherd. Pastor Wise was discussing our need to follow the shepherd and how he cares for us, protects us, and leads us. Our arrangement was pretty simple. But it was very spacious. I played the primary guitar part on the electric with a ton of delay and a touch of overdrive from an Ibanez Tube Screamer. It just beefed up the sound a ton. I ran a slow arpeggio, but with the delay it filled up the sound. The rest of the band added some really sweet touches, especially Aaron on the lead guitar. He was playing these great harmonic-swells that had almost a pedal-steel quality to them. It was beautiful.
So that how we rolled at HCC. To see what our brothers and sisters around the country are singing you can check out the Sunday Setlist at theworshipcommunity.com.
We did "How Deep" today too...
ReplyDeleteGreat set