Chuck SpanglerGrace Memorial Parishioner and former Youth Christian Formation Teacher "King of Kings" Album: On Tour Artist: Hillsong for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will bring about at the right time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. The following cut, “King of Kings”, was recorded live on July 11, 2019, in the presence of over 6,000 worshipping youth and adults. Brooke Ligertwood is lead singer on this cut. Grace Memorial youth attended the Hillsong Worship concert at the Smoothie King Center on November 6, 2019. "King of Kings" Lyrics: In the darkness we were waiting without hope, without light, Till from heaven You came running, there was mercy in Your eyes. To fulfill the law and prophets to a virgin came the Word, From a throne of endless glory to a cradle in the dirt. Praise the Father, praise the Son, praise the Spirit, three in one. God of Glory, majesty, praise forever to the King of Kings. To reveal the kingdom coming and to reconcile the lost, To redeem the whole creation, You did not despise the Cross. For even in Your suffering You saw to the other side, Knowing this was our salvation, Jesus, for our sake You died. Praise the Father, praise the Son, praise the Spirit, three in one. God of Glory, majesty, praise forever to the King of Kings. And in the morning that You rose, all of heaven held its breath. Till that stone was moved for good, for the Lamb had conquered death. And the dead rose from their tombs, and the angels stood in awe, For the souls of all who’d come to the Father are restored. And the church of Christ was born, then the spirit lit the flame, Now this Gospel truth of God shall not kneel…shall not faint. By His Blood and in His name, in His freedom I am free, For the love of Jesus Christ, who has resurrected me. Praise the Father, praise the Son, praise the Spirit, three in one. God of Glory, majesty, praise forever to the King of Kings…praise forever to the King of Kings. Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), Copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved
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Chuck SpanglerGrace Memorial Parishioner and former Youth Christian Formation Teacher "Your Words" Album: Lead Us Back – Songs of Worship (As featured in “Miracles from Heaven”) Artist: Third Day (Featuring Harvest) The grass withers, the flower fades; Third Day was established in 1993, and is an internationally acclaimed Christian Music group lead by Mac Powell, whose genuine commitment to Christ and distinctive baritone voice have contributed to the group’s popularity. They have sold 7 million albums, with 28 #1 hits; garnered four Grammys and 24 Gospel Music Awards. Third Day was awarded the 2008 American Music Award for “Favorite Contemporary Inspirational Artist”. “Your Words” is a reference to the Holy Bible. All of us need to embrace the Holy Scripture and strive to read and understand its messages. One could start becoming familiar with the Bible using one or more of the following: 1. Read the Psalms – there are 150 psalms and a start would be to read 1 psalm every evening before retiring. 2. Read the Gospel of John – this Gospel is inspirational and provides an outstanding window into the beauty and foundation of our Christian beginnings. 3. Read “Forward Day by Day” – this small pamphlet is available in the Narthex, and offers daily scripture readings, a short message, and a daily prayer. As a result of its intentional use, it also is an excellent exercise in learning the various books of the Bible. "Your Words" Lyrics: Let me hear Your words above all other voices, above all the distractions in this world. Let me hear Your words above all other voices, above all the distractions in this world. For Your words bring life, and Your voice speaks promises. Lord, Your love offers more than anything else in this world. Your words give us life that’s never ending, Your words bring us love that never fails. Everything else will fade away, but what will remain are Your words. Let us speak Your words, more than ours…more than ever. Let us share Your Love with all the world. Your words give us life that’s never ending, Your words bring us love that never fails. Everything else will fade away, but what will remain are Your words. Oh…Oh…Oh…Oh The grass will wither and the flowers will fall, but the Word of our God will last forever. The grass will wither and the flowers will fall, but the Word of our God will last forever. Your words give us life that’s never ending, Your words bring us love that never fails. Everything else will fade away, but what will remain are Your words. Your words give us life that’s never ending, Your words bring us love that never fails. Everything else will fade away, but what will remain are Your words. Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), Copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.
Chuck SpanglerGrace Memorial Parishioner and former Youth Christian Formation Teacher With the commencement of school each August, and the kids returning to Christian Education, I had a “stock” first Sunday: We would meet at PJ’s around 9:00. After visiting PJ’s and imbibing in the refreshments, we would pack up and cram into my Ford F-150 and drive to Books-A-Million (BAM has a wide array of Bibles available). I instructed them to pick out a Bible they might like. You would be amazed at how intense the search was for their “personal” Bible. Once we left BAM, I also instructed them to put their new Bible in a convenient, if not a personal, location where they could easily fetch it when (and if!) they wanted to read it. They were also given some other simple options for biblical study that is included on the “Your Words” handout. Each Sunday thereafter they were to bring their “personal” Bibles to our Christian Formation gathering so that they could find the scripture relevant to that day’s reflection. If they forgot their personal Bible, I had a half dozen Bibles with me for them to borrow. We took turns reading the scripture lines and discussed the message before embarking on the YouTube for that Sunday (I brought an IPad with me…and yes, occasionally the music did carry beyond our group and throughout PJ’s). The first Sunday YouTube selections were “Your Words” and “O Come to the Altar”. My purpose was to try to emphasize two important components in their journey toward Christ:
Note: I had to preface our viewing of “O Come to the Altar” with an explanation of the method used by Elevation Church for baptism (full immersion of a believer 12 years old and older) that differs from our (Episcopalian) baptism (usually sprinkling of Holy Water on the forehead of a newborn). I also wanted them to understand that some denominations raise their hands to symbolize welcoming the Holy Spirit. Most of the kids had never seen a worship service so animated. While my insistence to disregard deep theology may be frowned upon by the learned (and maybe that includes our Diocese), I discouraged the kids from engaging in deep theological discussions, especially with members of other established denominations. I explained it is relatively fruitless to attempt to “win the argument”, since nowhere in Scripture does our Savior exclude believers if those beings believe in Jesus Christ, confess and repent for their sins, and strive to achieve a close personal relationship with Him. Thus my two (2) recommendations above. Clearly it’s not really that simple, but a fledgling Christian believer should be able to turn to prayer, reading, and meditation…and the Bible is surely a viable starting point. Take it from my personal experience, your kids are not dummies! The discussions frequently surprised me based on the depth of these teenagers. Sometimes it took a couple of sessions for certain kids to open up, but there is no doubt that they were usually taking in the other comments and did not miss a beat. Our children are truly a blessing to all of us. They need (and want) spiritual direction. The Rev. Liz Embler-BeazleyPriest-in-Charge at Grace Memorial Episcopal Church Recently, I preached about how Christians are called to exercise their "faith muscles". These are the muscles we use to pray, care for one another, serve, and love in the ways God taught us through the life and ministry of Jesus Christ and as God continues to reveal God's self to us in the church and the world. One of the tools we have to build up our muscles comes from Ignatian Spirituality and is known as "The Examen". There are many ways to pray in this way, but whatever form you use, the purpose is to intentionally set time aside to be with God and to reflect on how and where God has been present in your life. When we work on seeing where and how God has been present with us, we will be able to experience God with us in every moment with more clarity and understanding. You can use this as a meditative prayer or as a prayerful journalling practice. Discern what method will work best for you at this time in your life and then commit to doing it on a regular basis. Mark it on your calendar in the same way that you mark lunch, doctor appointments, and anniversaries. Commit to showing up for yourself and for God, allow yourself to work unused muscles that may be a bit awkward, and observe how this time with God changes your heart, mind, and soul. Praying The Examen
Chuck SpanglerGrace Memorial Parishioner and former Youth Christian Formation Teacher "O Come to the Altar" Album: Here as in Heaven Artist: Elevation Worship ‘You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, “You shall not murder”; and “whoever murders shall be liable to judgement.” But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgement; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, “You fool”, you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Elevation Worship is a contemporary worship music band founded in 2010, from Charlotte, NC (Elevation Church). They have recorded six albums…five of which have reached #1 (“For the Honor”-2011, “Nothing is Wasted”-2013, “Wake Up and Wonder”-2014, “Here as in Heaven”–2016, and “There Is a Cloud”-2017). “O Come to the Altar”, sung with passion and conviction by lead singer, Chris Brown, was recorded live at an Elevation Church service with over 5,000 in attendance in November, 2015. "O Come to the Altar" Lyrics: Are you hurting and broken within? Overwhelmed by the weight of your sin? Jesus is calling Have you come to the end of yourself? Do you thirst for a drink from the well? Jesus is calling. O come to the altar. The Father’s arms are open wide. Forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Leave behind your regrets and mistakes…come today there’s no reason to wait. Jesus is calling. Bring your sorrows and trade them for joy…from the ashes a new life is born. Jesus is calling. O come to the altar. The Father’s arms are open wide. Forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. O come to the altar. The Father’s arms are open wide. Forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Oh what a Saviour…Isn’t He wonderful…Sing alleluia, Christ is risen. Bow down before Him, for He is Lord of all…Sing alleluia, Christ is risen. Oh what a Saviour…Isn’t He wonderful…Sing alleluia, Christ is risen. Bow down before Him, for He is Lord of all…Sing alleluia, Christ is risen. O come to the altar. The Father’s arms are open wide. Forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. O come to the altar. The Father’s arms are open wide. Forgiveness was bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Bear your cross as you wait for the crown…tell the world of the treasure you’ve found. Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), Copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.
Chuck SpanglerGrace Memorial Parishioner and former Youth Christian Formation Teacher “Dancing on The Waves” Album: Live at the Wheelhouse Artist: We The Kingdom For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost. We The Kingdom is a contemporary Christian music band consists of multiple generations of the Cash family. Ed Cash, the recognized leader, is well known for his songwriting abilities. Prior to the formation of WTK, Ed penned music for the likes of Chris Tomlin. The lone female vocalist, Franni Rae Cash, is Ed’s daughter; the drummer is Ed’s son; the lead guitarist is Ed’s brother; the keyboards are played by Ed’s nephew. Grace Memorial’s Christian formation travelled to hear WTK in concert in March, 2022. “Dancing on the Waves”, released November 7, 2020, is a message from God to all of us. Listen to it as though the Creator is singing it to you personally. A notable promise from God to each us is “…I have great plans for you…” Listen to this song as though GOD IS SPEAKING TO YOU! "Dancing on The Waves" Lyrics: I’m standing at your door, my heart is calling yours, come fall into my arms. You’re weary from it all, been running for too long, I’m here to bring you home. I'm reaching out…I'll chase you down…I dare you to believe how much I love you now. Don't be afraid…I am your strength…we'll be walking on the water dancing on the waves. Look up and lift your eyes, the future's open wide, I have great plans for you. Your past is dead and gone, your healing has begun, I'm making all things new. I'm reaching out…I'll chase you down…I dare you to believe how much I love you now. Don't be afraid…I am your strength…we'll be walking on the water dancing on the waves. I set every star into place so you would remember my name… I made it all for you. You are my masterpiece. You are the reason I sing…this is my song for you I set every star into place so you would remember my name… I made it all for you. You are my masterpiece. You are the reason I sing…this is my song for you I'm reaching out…I'll chase you down…I dare you to believe how much I love you now. Don't be afraid…I am your strength…we'll be walking on the water dancing on the waves. Scripture readings are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), Copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved.
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