by Crawford UMC | Jun 4, 2021 | Conversations, Music Meditations
This week’s Musical Meditation will be the final installment before taking a break for the summer. With late, warm evenings upon us, I’m thinking of Sure On This Shining Night by the quintessential and vastly underrated American composer, Samuel Barber.
The text, by James Agee, invites us to turn our gaze upward and reflect on what we have endured. It is my sincere prayer that these long, warm summer evenings find you with the late year behind you, healed and in good health.
– Logan Henke, Music Minister
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by Crawford UMC | May 20, 2021 | Music Meditations
Crown Him with Many Crowns is an epic hymn, rich with imagery honoring the kingship of Jesus after his ascension to the throne. Across twelve(!) stanzas, written by two separate hymnodists, the text is reflecting upon the many divine honors Christ the King possesses as He wears them upon His brow.
Crown Him with many crowns
the Virgin’s Son
the Lord of love!
the Lord of peace!
the Lord of years!
the Lord of Heaven!
with crowns of gold,
the Son of God
the Lord of light,
the Lord of life
of lords the Lord,
the Lord of Heaven…for He is King of all.
Set to the tune of Diademata by Sir Elvey, this rendition is by the Huddersfield Choral Society, led by Joseph Cullen.
– Logan Henke, Music Minister
by Crawford UMC | May 7, 2021 | Music Meditations
As this Sunday is Mother’s Day, I’m thinking of the most famous, exemplary mother in Christendom. The words of Mary as she learns that she will bear the Son of God are full of awe and hope.
Bringing a child into the world is a radically hopeful act. Bringing the Hope & Light of humanity into the world is the most radically hopeful act of all.
The English composer Herbert Howells sets the words of Mary in an incomparably powerful way. Happy Mother’s Day.
This week’s Musical Meditation was performed by the Choir of Kings College Cambridge, directed by Stephen Cleobury
– Logan Henke, Music Minister
by Crawford UMC | Apr 23, 2021 | Music Meditations
As we take a moment to pause and acknowledge the beauty of the Earth, this most precious and grand gift, I am reminded of a quintessential piece of choral music: Earth Song, by Frank Tichelli. Growing up in rural Montana, I first encountered this work as a student in High School. I was instantly captivated by it.
Tichelli’s treatment of tension, resolution, pain, relief, all a reminder of our stewardship of this irreplaceable planet. All a reminder of the rhythm of life and, indeed, our own lives.
This week’s Musical Meditation was performed by Roots in the Sky (
rootsinthesky.org), a Montana-based professional choir, under the direction of Andrew Major.
– Logan Henke, Music Minister
by Crawford UMC | Apr 16, 2021 | Music Meditations
Pastor Anne’s April 18 sermon, loosely, addresses the apparent paradox of evil existing in an existence governed by a God who is Love. I have wrestled with this myself for my entire life, as I am sure many before and many after me shall.
I am left with the reality that I cannot control, or really begin to prevent, evil and suffering in the world. All I have and can control is my reasoned response to evil and suffering. I think of the work that God has given us to do, day by day.
In the 8th movement of Kyle Smith’s masterpiece, The Arc in the Sky, the narrator encounters a group of fishermen:
I would stand and watch them
as they sat at their work.
“what are you doing?” i’d say.
“we’re mending our nets,” they’d say.
“mending?”
“yes. mending our nets.”
“why must you mend them?”
“they’re torn. they’ve been broken into.
the night-fish have leapt through them
in the sea. every night they break them;
and every day, we mend.”
The night of suffering will continue to fall. Every day, we mend.
This week’s Musical Meditation was performed by The Crossing under the direction of Donald Nally.
– Logan Henke, Music Minister
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by Crawford UMC | Apr 9, 2021 | Music Meditations
As spring beckons us outdoors and we finally enjoy the fruits of fellowship before the Doric columns and doors of the church, my mind is drawn to the words of the 133rd Psalm.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Arvo Pärt’s setting in Russian (despite the title in Latin) is bright and open, leaving space to breathe. The music beckons the sun to warmly shine through like the first light that illumines the spring dew of which the Psalm speaks.
It is like the precious ointment…as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life forever more.
This week’s Musical Meditation was performed by Vox Clamantis.
– Logan Henke, Music Minister
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