Music – Page 21 – Lakewood United Church of Christ

Mov. 2 of 3 Preludes on St. Anne (Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past)

A while back I wrote three preludes based on the hymn tune, St. Anne, better known as “Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past.” This is the 2nd movement of that set. The hymn tune is stated twice. During the first half of the prelude, the melody (in G major) is the top note of the chords in triple meter (it’s usually in quadruple meter), in the second half of the piece, the melody’s in the top note of the chords in the right hand. The melody’s easier to hear in the second half.

Sweet, Sweet Spirit

This will be one of the selections I play for this coming Sunday’s in-person/Facebook Live service. It’s Charter Sunday, celebrating the founding of this church. At one time, this song by Doris Akers was the theme song for the parish so it seemed appropriate to do it.

Lotus Born

This is one of the movements of a collection of pieces I wrote for use during Lent on year at Lakewood UCC. The collection is titled Meditations & Reflections. The sheet music for the whole collection or for individual movements is available at SheetMusicPlus. The audio CD for the entire collections is available at BandCamp.

I’m enjoying getting back in the groove of using my little home studio after not having it available I’m enjoying getting back in the groove of using my little home studio after not having it available while we moved and after Lakewood went back to in-person services from only cyber. But absence really does make the heart grow fonder: I’ve come to realize just how much making music means to me! So, even though they’re not required at Lakewood, I’ve started back up making them for the pleasure of making them and hopefully for the pleasure of listeners.

Lift High the Cross (with trumpet descants)

I’ll be doing a piano version of this as part of this coming Sunday’s service. I love writing descants. I think every church I’ve ever worked at has hymnals with penciled in descants of mine! LOL

Jesu, Jesu

The move to a new home is behind us and I finally have my home studio set up enough to make a little music video. Here’s “Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love,” a Ghanaian love song and a hymn which I’ll play as one of the instrumental selections in this coming Sunday morning service. It is such a joy to be able to be making these again.