Cum Sancto Spiritu – Come, Holy Spirit

From Vivaldi’s Gloria

‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ declares the LORD Almighty. (Zech. 4:6).

This magnificent piece of music from Vivaldi’s Gloria, reminds us how much we need the Holy Spirit in our lives at all times. He is not an impersonal life force, but an integral part of the Holy Trinity. He empowers our worship and witness, and is our Comforter and Helper, as well as the One who inspires our words.

He it is who convicts us of our sin, and who opens our hearts and minds to the things of God. He it is who enables us to bear the many-fold fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22), and who empowers us to discern between different types of spirits, and to grasp the spiritual dynamics that are at work in different situations.

He it is, too, who enables us to work miracles, participate in the ministry of healing, and understand and interpret unknown tongues. He is the One who tells us things that we could not possibly have known by any other means. (See 1 Cor. 12 and 14).

We see the redeeming and renewing work of the Holy Spirit throughout the Scriptures, equipping judges, inspiring artists, and empowering both prophets and warriors for their work – whether for external projects such as building the temple of God (Haggai 2:5) or for sanctifying and empowering individual souls. (Ezekiel 3:24a, 27a). He is likewise the One from whose all-seeing eye we can never hide! (Ps. 139:7)

No wonder David prayed that, so far from taking His Spirit from him, the Lord would renew a right and willing spirit within him. (Ps. 51:10-12) In all this work, the Holy Spirit (who Jesus calls ‘the Spirit of Truth’) does not operate on His own, but always in tandem together with the other members of the Holy Trinity as He unveils and reveals God’s heavenly truths to us. (John 16:13-14)

He is the breath and wind of God, who renews and gives life to all living things, as well as renewing the face of the earth. (Ps. 104:30). May we seek with all our heart to honour the Holy Spirit in our daily life by trusting in His nearness, and by calling on His help. Yes, Lord, cum Sancto Spiritu: with and in the power of the Holy Spirit, we offer all that we are and all that we do to Jesus for the glory of God the Father.

Musicians: Nicola Gerrard, Peter Richards, Anthony Thompson, Francis Cummings, Philippa Barton, Christiane Max, Jo Garcia

How great is the cry of grief and pain rising up from the Earth today – the howl of mothers whose children have been killed by hunger and violence and sickness; the wounded and dying sons and fathers and husbands crying out for comfort in trenches and POW camps; the refugees weeping for the loss of their unique distinctives to be tossed into a nameless mass of people who must be helped; the breadwinner whose winnings no longer pay for a loaf; the Creation which groans and writhes under the burdens of pollution and raped treasures and spilled blood . ..

The list goes on and on. How deep the ache in the heart of God for this, the home He planned made for Himself, and the people He made to dwell with Him. How profound the lament: may this song by Grace Nadine help us to sound it.

As we seek to tune in to the particular sound the Lord is laying on our hearts, it is clear from both the state of the world around us, and how the lord himself feels over it, that deep must call to deep and prayer and heart cry be offered to Him. Grace Nadin’s beautiful song is just such a cry from deep within the heart. May He use it to stir our desire to lift our heart and voice in prayer for many who are in urgent need of His reassuring touch and profound intervention.

Musicians: Megan Topper, Nicola Gerrard, Shirley Richards, Jo Garcia, Christiane von Albrecht.

Hallelujah and Fare Well

At the very end of our recent Sounds of Heaven recording event, we laid all prepared pieces aside and simply worshipped. Given the theme that Megan found as she sang, we originally called this piece Hallelujah, but we have added Fare Well, because all of us surely desire to 'fare well' in our service for God's kingdom and to finish our time on earth as well as we can - confident that He who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus as we devote ourselves to seeking to do the will of Him who sent us and to finish the work He has given us to do on Earth. (Phil. 1:6. John 4:34, cf 5:36)

O Lord our God by Ruach Breath of Life

Jesus for love of You (Come Closer) by Ruach Breath of Life

A Sound of Hope for Ukraine by Ruach Breath of Life

Of the Father’s love begotten

Scripture offers many examples of prayers of intercession in a time of national crisis. Yet they all manage to keep their primary emphasis on the Lord, even as those praying bring before Him the troubles they face. And so, as we lift the nation of Ukraine yet once more to the One who is King over all the nations, we begin with a wonderful translation of a Latin hymn celebrating the mystery of the incarnation, and the Father’s love for His Son.

It was penned in the late 4th century by Marcus Aurelius Clemens Prudentius, a lawyer from the north of Spain, but it would be many centuries before it was translated into English. In our recording, we read the words over an exquisite rendition of the music played by Christiane von Albrecht on keyboard, and Shirley Richards on the violin.

1 Of the Father's love begotten

ere the worlds began to be,

he is Alpha and Omega,

he the source, the ending he,

of the things that are, that have been,

and that future years shall see

evermore and evermore.

2 Oh, that birth forever blessed

when the virgin, full of grace,

by the Holy Ghost conceiving,

bore the Savior of our race,

and the babe, the world's Redeemer,

first revealed his sacred face

evermore and evermore.

3 This is he whom seers and sages

sang of old with one accord,

whom the voices of the prophets

promised in their faithful word.

Now he shines, the long-expected;

let creation praise its Lord

evermore and evermore.

4 Let the heights of heav'n adore him,

angel hosts his praises sing,

pow'rs, dominions bow before him

and extol our God and King.

Let no tongue on earth be silent,

ev'ry voice in concert ring

evermore and evermore.

5 Christ, to thee, with God the Father,

and, O Holy Ghost, to thee

hymn and chant and high thanksgiving

and unending praises be,

honor, glory, and dominion

and eternal victory

evermore and evermore.

The Lord upholds the righteous even in the face of wickedness: verses from Psalms 35 and 37

It is always good to declare Scripture, and perhaps especially so in times of crises. We have set these verses to the stately music of a sarabande by Handel, and they lead into the first of our prayers for Ukraine.

A prayer for the deliverance of Ukraine

There came a time when Jerusalem was under siege by Sennacherib. The king and the prophet ‘cried out to heaven in prayer’ and the Lord delivered them. (2 Chronicles 32) Our own cry for the deliverance of Ukraine is set to the intense and relentless music of Mussorgsky’s piano piece, The Oxcart.

A prayer concerning a spiritual imposition on the Russian soul

Our prayer begins with the Lord looking with pleasure upon the land of the steppes, and seeks the renewal of His purpose and calling for the region. It is set to two pieces by Mussorgsky: Une Larme (A Tear) and In the Village.