Holy Cross Music Notes with Chuck

 As we have entered the period of Lent, our music for this Sunday will reflect a more contemplative mode, combined with songs that pay tribute to our Cub Scouts and the scouting program.

As we gather for worship, we begin with a salute to scouting by singing The Scout Vespers, Words will be on the screens and are sung to the familiar tune of “Oh Tannenbaum”. It invites reflection on one’s actions, honor, and adherence to the Scout Oath and Law. It’s traditionally sung as the campfire fades, creating a moment of unity and thoughtful closure for Scouts.

Our Processional is Led by the Spirit, a hymn that traces Jesus’ journey into the wilderness, inviting believers to follow Him with courage, humility, and trust. It weaves together themes of temptation, repentance, and divine guidance, reminding the church that the Spirit who led Christ also strengthens us for faithful living.

Our Sequence hymn is 40 Days and 40 Nights – a traditional Lenten hymn that reflects on Jesus’ time of fasting and temptation in the wilderness. It calls believers to repentance, discipline, and faithful endurance as they follow Christ through their own spiritual trials.

During our Offertory, we will sing Jesus Loves Me, a simple, tender hymn affirming Christ’s love, originally written as a poem by Anna Bartlett Warner for her sister Susan Warner’s 1860 novel Say and Seal, where it was sung to comfort a dying child. Its now‑familiar melody and the beloved refrain “Yes, Jesus loves me” were added in 1862 by composer William Batchelder Bradbury, helping the song become one of the most enduring children’s hymns in Christian tradition. .

Our Communion, song is Lord of All Hopefulness, a beloved hymn that asks God to be present in every part of daily life, from waking to working to resting. Its gentle, poetic text by Jan Struther pairs with the traditional Irish tune Slane, creating a prayerful song of trust, strength, and peace.

We can express joy during Lent, and so we shall as we conclude our worship with This Little Light of Mine. It literally bursts with joyful confidence, celebrating the call to let God’s love shine boldly in every part of life. Its upbeat, repeating lines turn simple faith into a bright, contagious invitation to share hope with the world.