March 1996

The book of Isaiah is filled with poetry that has been set to music, more so than any other book of the Bible except for the Psalms. The gospel is clearly set forth in this Old Testament prophecy, which also includes visions remarkably similar to those of John in the book of Revelation. Last year was an "Isaiah year" for the Calvin Seminary Choir. The following service was part of the choir tour program. In addition to directing the choir, the choir director directed the congregation's entrances and gave cues for standing and sitting.

It may seem strange for someone whose ministry career has focused on new-church development and seeker-sensitive worship to be following the lectionary. But I have found the discipline of following the series of lessons from the Old and New Testaments an ongoing discovery of the rich relevance of the Bible for contemporary hearers.

This service was submitted by Nolan and Phyllis Palsma, copastors of Pitcher Hill Community Church {Reformed Church in America), North Syracuse, New York. This service was prepared to celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit in power to the disciples on the day of Pentecost. The sanctuary was graced with dozens of red geraniums and red balloons, and many in the congregation even wore red, all to symbolize the tongues of flame that accompanied the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

We usually provide three hymns in "Songs for the Season" (formerly "Hymn of the Month"). But for this issue we've asked Bert Polman to introduce us to Graham Kendrick, the composer of "Shine, Jesus, Shine," a hymn that has become enormously popular since Kendrick wrote it less than ten years ago.

Who is Graham Kendrick, and what else has he written?

PREPARATORY NOTES

It all started in the late 70s.

The dearest idol I have known,  whate'er that idol be,
help me to tear it from thy throne
and worship only thee.
William Cawper, 1772

We all know starry-eyed couples who are more "in love with love" than anything else. They are, alarmingly, hardly focused on each other at all. Their energies are more consumed with the details of the wedding day than with the ongoing realities of the life-long marriage afterwards.

In 1990 the congregation of Southern Heights Christian Reformed Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan (a thirty-year-old, largely white-collar congregation) had reached an important point in its history. By the members' own admission, the congregation had "stalled" for a number of years and needed to clarify its direction and begin moving forward. Some questioned whether it was good stewardship to continue paying the bills for a less-than-effective ninety-family congregation.

I've misplaced the survey . . . and it's driving me crazy! It was just one among the umpteen-dozen surveys we post-modern pastors are continually bombarded with—but it got my attention. And now I can't find it. Was it in The Christian Century or Christianity Today? Last year or three years ago? I can't remember, and that embarrasses me.

Q. In the new Psalter Hymnal the linguistic surgeons decided to cut out the phrase "Here I raise my Ebenezer" from "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing," thus depriving the reader/singer of a biblical allusion (at least they kept "Thou," for a change). Have any other hymn editors seen fit to do so?