I love the following poem by the hymn writer Thomas Troeger.  It is one I’ve shared before, and one I think is important to hold close.   I love the beautiful imagery in the poem and how it captures not only the power and communal aspect of the songs we sing together in worship, but also the power of standing together to proclaim the love of Jesus in our worship and our daily lives.   I give thanks regularly for each of you, and our singing together each time we worship as we raise our songs of love and praise to God.

We need each other’s voice to sing,
each other’s strength to love,
each other’s views to help us bring our hearts to God above.
 
Our lives like coals placed side by side
to feed each other’s flame,
shall with the Spirit’s breath provide a blaze of faith to claim.
 
We give our alleluias
To the church’s common chord:
Alleluia! Alleluia!  Praise, O Praise, O Praise the Lord!
-Thomas Troeger

Soli Deo Gloria!
Ben Keseley, Minister of Music

© 1994, Oxford University Press.  Reprinted with permission OneLicense.net # A71721