Letters

A Correction in “The Chief Cornerstone”

Thank you so much for sending me a copy of Reformed Worship (78, December 2005). I really enjoyed it all, especially, of course, the fine article by Gracia Grindal.

I was also writing to note that there is a small mistake [in the music of “The Chief Cornerstone” (p. 19)]. Namely, the melody on the second 1/8th note of the third full measure should be an “E” not a “D.” Anything you could do to mitigate this small error would be greatly appreciated!

Bradley Ellingboe
Professor of Music
Director of Choral Activities
The University of New Mexico

Editor’s Note: We regret the error, and it has been corrected online so you can hear the correct melody.

Thanks for Global Worship Resources

Our service yesterday morning was planned using the information compiled by Anne Zaki for All Nation’s Heritage Sunday (RW 77, “The Communion of Saints,” p. 31). It was wonderful! We had fun learning and singing new songs (“Halle, Halle, Hallelujah” was my favorite). The congregation truly enjoyed themselves and was able to experience how different cultures around the world worship our God. All I can say is “Wow!”

For those of us who plan worship at our church, which is currently without a pastor, the resources you provide are invaluable.

Deb Vander Weit Jennings
Faith Christian Reformed Church
Tinley Park, Illinois

China Connection

RW 77 (September 2005) included Roger Bergs’ wonderful new setting of “Lord, You Were Rich” (p. 22). Our church used this beautiful hymn arrangement in our 2005 Advent/Christmas worship services. In the accompanying notes, the arranger mentions that this text by Frank Houghton (originally “Thou Who Wast Rich”) was written in response to the severe persecution of Christians in China in the early 1930s.

Readers may be interested to know that the two missionaries who were martyred were my great aunt and uncle John and Betty Stam. John Stam had attended North Fourth Street Christian School in Paterson, New Jersey, before going to Moody Bible Institute to continue his training for missions. I have written a short photo/essay in tribute to John and Betty Stam. It can be found at www.carlstam.org/Stam_Family_Heritage/Stam_Family_Heritage.html. For more on Frank Houghton’s text and his work with missions in China, see www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2000-12-26.

Carl Stam, Director, Institute for Christian Worship
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Louisville, Kentucky

Thanks

I am a devoted RW user (as opposed to a mere “reader”). In the ever-growing smorgasbord of worship resources, RW remains the most helpful. Thank you.

Moffett S. Churn
Easton, Massachusetts

Thank you for making so much content available in digital form for free! It is a valuable service to many of us.

Pat Wadsworth, Pastor
Grace Presbyterian Church, Franklin, Louisiana, and
First Presbyterian Church of Iberia Parish,
New Iberia, Louisiana

Carl Stam (carlstam@aol.com) is the director of the Institute for Christian Worship at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and the part-time minister of music at Louisville’s Clifton Baptist Church. Since 1995, he has distributed a weekly e-mail devotional on worship and prayer, Worship Quote of the Week (www.wqotw.org).

 

Reformed Worship 79 © March 2006 Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church. Used by permission.