Planted and Singing

I had occasion this summer, on two Sundays, to attend services with our church plant congregations. I'm glad to report that congregational song is alive and well in these newer, younger, churches. Fellowship was warm and vibrant, the preaching was good, and I felt very much at home in both settings.

Many of you know that our first church plant, Holy Trinity Church, Chicago (Hyde Park) has now rhizomed (not a real verb, sorry) three additional congregations: Downtown, West side and North side. More are sure to come as the church reaches into more and more of the city's neighborhoods and communities. I have yet to visit the newest, on the north side. But in every setting of Holy Trinity I have sensed the "DNA" of College Church, expressed appropriate to their settings, membership, and outreach focus. And they all have music presented with satisfying quality.

Our closest church is New Covenant, in Naperville. This church is closest in several ways: chronologically, geographically, service structure and feel, and personnel! You will recall that a significant number of musicians were core members in New Covenant, and it really shows in their services. Even in the middle of July, the service had a nice "College Church" feel to it.

The musical styles were quite different between these two experiences. But in both places, music worked as ministry of the Word, and at the Holy Trinity service Downtown I was reminded of a great Charles Wesley hymn text which we need to be sure to sing in the coming weeks. Now, I have to say ... we will not be singing it to the tune and arrangement used downtown. (That's another issue altogether!) But it is a potent hymn, and I am eager to have our own congregation sing it soon. (Yes, I'll say it ... to a better tune.)

Arise, my soul, arise,
shake off your guilty fears;
the bleeding Sacrifice
in my behalf appears;
before the throne my Surety stands,
my name is written on his hands.
    He ever lives above,
    for me to intercede,
    his all-redeeming love,
    his precious blood to plead;
    his blood atoned for every race,
    and sprinkles now the throne of grace.
Five bleeding wounds he bears,
received on Calvary;
they pour effectual prayers,
they strongly plead for me.
"Forgive him, oh forgive," they cry,
"nor let that ransomed sinner die!"
    My God is reconciled;
    his pardoning voice I hear;
    he owns me for his child,
    I can no longer fear;
    with confidence I now draw nigh,
    and "Father, Abba, Father!" cry.

Charles Wesley, 1742 (alt. 1961)

And now, as I type these words out, I realize why they have stuck with me so strongly over the past month. They resonate, they come from, they echo, the Romans 8 passage of our Anchor Memory program!

Our newest church plant is beginning to pick up steam. It will be in Lombard, with Pastor Jeff Brewer. Jeff is warm-hearted, dynamic, engaging ... and a real hymn lover. We can look forward to hearing, and singing, the ministry of the Word, with our friends in Lombard from this coming Easter.

By the way, in case you didn't click the link above: a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant, growing beneath or along the ground, from which new shoots of a plant take root and grow. Rhizomes are why it's almost impossible for us to get rid of the ribbon grass in my back yard. On the positive side, rhizomes are how certain herbs and perennial flowers keep flourishing. It is a good metaphor for a church plant, and for our own witness of the gospel.

Sing on!