Dr. Nancy Hall serves as a professor at ABSW and as pastor of First Baptist Church of Berkeley, CA. The congregation is resident at the seminary. Each week Dr. Hall shares the musical selections the congregation will offer in worship. We hope you enjoy the ongoing series.
FEBRUARY 1, 2015
What we’re singing at First Baptist Church of Berkeley this Sunday
Hymn of Praise: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”
(words: Thomas O. Chisholm, 1923; tune: faithfulness, William M. Runyan, 1923)
Psalm 111, with congregational sung response (refrain from previous hymn)
Gospel text, Mark 1:21-28 (Jesus casts a demon from a man in the synagogue at Capernaum) Chant in response to the text:
“Our darkness is never darkness in your sight: the deepest night is clear as the daylight.” (words and music – Taizé Community/Jacques Berthier, 1981)
Hymn in response to the preached message: “O God of Life, Your Healing Touch”
(words: Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, 1991; tune st. columba, ancient Irish melody)
Sample stanzas:
1. O God of life, your healing touch brings wholeness and salvation!
In you, this world you love so much becomes a new creation.
2. Through Jesus Christ you blessed the poor, unleashed your gifts of healing.
You gave new sight, new strength, new life — to all, your love revealing.
© 2004 The Center for Christian Ethics, Baylor Univ., Waco, Texas, Used with permission
Hymn of Dedication: “Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness”
(words: Rusty Edwards; music: nettleton, John Wyeth, 1813)
Sample stanzas:
1. Praise the one who breaks the darkness with a liberating light.
Praise the one who frees the prisoners, turning blindness into sight.
Praise the one who preached the Gospel, healing every dread disease,
calming storms and feeding thousands with the very bread of peace.
2. Praise the one who blessed the children with a strong yet gentle word.
Praise the one who drove out demons with a piercing two-edged sword.
Praise the one who brings cool water to the desert’s burning sand.
From this well comes living water, quenching thirst in every land.
Words © 1987 by Hope Publishing Co. (OneLicense #A-716222)
Song of Commitment: “We Are Marching in the Light of God”
This lively Zulu/Zhosa freedom song originated in South Africa and has gone on to be sung around the globe (translation of words: Gracia Grindal, 1984; tune: siyahamba)
FBC Berkeley worships at 10:00 am every Sunday in Crouch Classroom, Hobart Hall, on the ABSW campus. Rev. Dr. Nancy E. Hall (ABSW faculty) is the pastor. Our preacher this Sunday is Associate Minister Sharon Allen. Come sing with us! We are a Welcoming and Affirming congregation.
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