The Still Point, Vol. II – Sandra McCracken and Ben Shive
****

Sandra McCracken (“We Will Feast in the House of Zion”) and Ben Shive (“Is He Worthy”) are back with a second The Still Point EP, featuring four new songs. Both are members of the Getty Music writing team. McCracken has said that the songs were born in quiet moments – piano, strings, stillness, and words to help the listener breathe. The songs were written to help the listener slow down and remember what matters most.
The songs were written by both artists, and the EP was produced by Shive. McCracken plays guitars and provides vocals, while Shive plays piano, arranges, and also provides vocals. This beautiful project is best enjoyed by sitting back and relaxing with headphones on.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

More of this review and a review of Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years (John’s Version) – John FogertyMusic NewsSong of the Week Lyrics ~ The God We Love (Nicene Creed) by CityAlight, featuring Matt Redman

Here are a few brief comments about each song:

Hand of the Healer, Pt. 1.  – This is a beautiful song driven by acoustic guitar and strings that references Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” We are led by hand of the Healer. We will ascend to Zion, see the kingdom of light and God upon His throne.

Arise – This song features piano, strings, acoustic guitar, and drums. It references Revelation 21 where  the sun will no longer be our light by day, and the brightness of the moon will pass away. We will see by Christ, the one true lasting light. Arise, shine for your light has come.

Your Eyes – This song features piano, and strings and references having her father’s eyes, and getting older and grayer. She references a friend who had passed away. She wonders what it will be like to see Christ’s eyes. The song mentions that our tears are bottled (Psalm 56:8), and reflects on Christ’s sufferings.

Hand of the Healer, Pt. 2 – This instrumental song features piano and strings.

Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years (John’s Version) – John Fogerty
****

Creedence Clearwater Revival was constantly on the radio during my junior high and early high school days. Between 1969 and 1971 the band had an incredible 14 consecutive top 10 singles, and five consecutive top 10 albums in the United States, two of which Green River (1970) and Cosmo’s Factory (1970) topped the Billboard 200 chart. The band which formed in 1959, recorded 7 albums between 1968 and 1972, and broke up in late 1972 with bad relations among the band members. Several lawsuits followed – between band members and with their record label.

This new project features newly recorded versions of 20 of Creedence Clearwater Revival classic songs by lead singer, lead guitarist, and principal songwriter John Fogerty. The album marks Fogerty’s 80th birthday, and comes after he won a long legal batter over the songs’ publishing rights two years ago. He subtitled the album John’s Version as an ode to Taylor Swift, who has rerecorded Taylor’s Version of some of her early albums. The project includes Fogerty’s sons Shane and Tyler Fogerty.

At 80 years old, Fogerty’s voice is still powerful, and the performances are faithful to the original versions. Fogerty even plays the same Rickenbacker Fireglo 325 guitar he played on the original recordings. Fans of Creedence Clearwater Revival and classic rock will enjoy this album. Here is the album track list:

Up Around The Bend
Who’ll Stop The Rain
Proud Mary
Have You Ever Seen The Rain
Lookin’ Out My Back Door
Born On The Bayou
Run Through The Jungle
Someday Never Comes
Porterville
Hey Tonight
Lodi
Wrote A Song For Everyone
Bootleg
Don’t Look Now
Long As I Can See The Light
Down On The Corner
Bad Moon Rising
Travelin’ Band
Green River
Fortunate Son

The Stories I Tell Myself. Here is an acoustic version of “The Stories I Tell Myself” from Matt Maher.Go Rest High On That Mountain (Extended Version). Vince Gill wrote “Go Rest High On That Mountain” in 1995. He recently released an extended version with a new verse that he has played in concert, but never before recorded.Sing! Conference Music. You can now find all of the Sing! Conference albums on your music streaming platform by entering “Sing!”.“Rise with the Sun”: A New Song with CityAlight. Tim Challies introduces “Rise with the Sun”, a new song he created with CityAlight – a song that wonderfully complements the new book he wrote with Tim Keesee From the Rising of the Sun: A Journey of Worship Around the World . The song was launched recently with a debut performance at the Getty Music Sing!Why We Created a New Hymnal: Keith and Kristyn Getty. On this episode of the Crossway podcast, Keith and Kristyn Getty explore the purpose behind The Sing! Hymnal and how each of the individual components contribute to a helpful resource for the congregation, the family, and the individual. Keith and Kristyn discuss how a hymnal instills great truths, helps us study Scripture, and nourishes the soul.Just the Right Hymnal for You, Your Family, and Your Church. Tim Challies reviews the new Sing! Hymnal. He writes “The Sing! Hymnalis a great product and one that may have its place in personal devotion, family worship, and the corporate gathering.”Best of Getty Music|Worship Together Session. Watch the best of Getty Music Worship Together Session featuring Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell and Matt Papa.Momma Loves Me. Here is the lyric video for “Momma Loves Me” by NEEDTOBREATHE, featuring the Red Clay Strays.Sing with Getty and Other Greats in This New Hymnal. Collin Hansen writes “You know Keith Getty as songwriter of some of your most beloved songs. A choir director. A musician. A movement leader. Hopefully you’ve sung with Keith and Kristyn at one of several TGC national conferences. He joins me today on Gospelbound to discuss changes in church music, liturgy, and the legacy of this hymnal.”Jesus Saves. Watch the Worship Together session of “Jesus Saves” with Chris Tomlin.Singing Is for Everyone and Every Day: Kristyn Getty. In this episode of the Crossway podcast, Kristyn Getty talks about her new book We Sing!, which teaches kids that singing is for everyday, for everyone, and forever. Kristyn discusses how singing shapes children’s wellbeing, as well as her own practical methods for teaching her own children to sing so they have songs to carry with them through their whole lives.

The God We Love (Nicene Creed) by CityAlight, featuring Matt Redman

This year marks the 1700-year anniversary of the birth of the Nicene Creed, a beautiful statement of faith. Here is “The God We Love (Nicene Creed)”, new from CityAlight, featuring Matt Redman. The song was written by Rich Thompson, Jonny Robinson and Matt Redman. Watch the video here.

VERSE 1
We believe in one God, the Father
The Almighty, the Maker of all
The One who rules the seen and unseen
We believe, and we adore

Jesus Christ, one Lord of creation
From the Father, begotten not made
He is the Light from Light eternal
And the God of every age

CHORUS
All glory to the Father now
All honour to the Son
And praise the Spirit, now and always
This is the God we love

VERSE 2
For this world and for our salvation
He came down from the heavens above
Born of a virgin and the Spirit
Truly man and truly God

He was crucified under Pilate,
Suffered death and was laid in the grave
And in accordance with the scriptures
On the third He rose again

Repeat CHORUS

BRIDGE
And Christ has made His ascent
Into the heavens above
Where He sits at the Father’s right hand now
But He will come back again
And He will judge in truth

The Holy Spirit has come,
Voice of the prophets of God
Sent to us, he has given us new life
Forgiven, now and baptised
One holy church, we rise, we rise

Repeat CHORUS twice

LAST LINE WITH TAG:
This is the God we love
This is the God we love

VERSE 3:
Now we wait to be resurrected
And we look for the world without end
This is our creed, our faith, our anthem
This is the God we love
This is the God we love