Holy Cross Music Notes with Adelaide

Music abounds at Holy Cross during most of our services for Holy Week and Easter.  Our faithful music minister, Ethan, will be there to lead us through each one.  Many thanks to Ethan for his leadership and dedication to our music.

Maundy Thursday’s music is soft and reflective.  It will begin with Taizé music, Ubi Caritas which means “live in charity”.  Jesu, Jesu is our sequence hymn, a Ghanaian folk song adapted by Tom Colvin in 1969.  The hymn's lyrics are based on the biblical account of Jesus washing His disciples' feet.  We will also sing The Servant Song, a Holy Cross favorite written by Richard Gillard.  This hymn is centered around service, humility, and our journey of faith. 

The Good Friday service features Jesus Remember Me, from the Taize community; Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord) is a famous African American spiritual; Robin Mark’s Highly Exalted, which we sang last Sunday; and The Cup of Life Outpoured by Jim Cowan, which we sang 2 Sundays ago.  Soft and reflective.

At the Saturday Easter Vigil, we will sing more Taizé music along with some traditional hymns.  The closing hymn is Crown Him with Many Crowns, a grand 19th-century hymn that celebrates the eternal majesty of Jesus Christ.  It was written by Matthew Bridges in 1851.

EASTER SUNDAY is a celebration of great music.  We will gather with In Christ Alone, a contemporary Christian hymn composed in 2001 by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend.  Its four verses recount the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Next is the traditional hymn, Hail Thee Festival Day, a classic processional hymn used primarily for the major feasts of the Christian year: Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost. Another classic hymn that we will close with is Jesus Christ is Risen Today.  It’s one of the most famous and jubilant hymns in the Christian tradition, and it is widely celebrated for its triumphant "Alleluia" refrain after every line, which serves as a call-and-response of praise.  Alleluia No. 1 (also known as "Alleluia, Alleluia! Give Thanks to the Risen Lord") is a beloved contemporary Easter hymn written by Donald Fishel in 1971. The hymn is called "Alleluia No. 1" because it was the very first song composed by Fishel.  The sequence hymn, Now the Green Blade Rises (also known as "Love Is Come Again"), is a widely popular Easter hymn that uses nature as imagery to describe the Resurrection of Jesus. It was written in 1928 by John Macleod Campbell Crum, an Anglican priest and canon.  The offertory, You Are My King (Amazing Love), is a contemporary Christian hymn written by Billy James Foote in 1997.  The lyrics "I'm forgiven because You were forsaken; I'm accepted, You were condemned" contrasts the sinner's saved life with Jesus' death sentence. The "amazing love" response is a commitment to honor Jesus as King in all daily actions. 

The Holy Cross band hopes to see everyone this weekend.  Please joyfully sing with us.  And one more shout out to Ethan – thanks for your dedication.  We love you and are so glad for your faithful leadership!