Choral Stuff

Riverside Ward Easter Program 2011

Sorry for the delay... I never did figure out how to create a playlist, but here's the Easter Program in its entirety.

“[and many] when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.” (Jn 12:12-13)

"Hosanna" by Rita S. Robinson performed by the Mills Family

Hosanna let our voices ring, with praises to our Heavenly King
Let every living creature sing to him who life did bring.
Hosanna! Hosanna! All hail triumphant King!

Multitudes welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem with palm leaves and Hosannas, eager to see the man whose miraculous power had fed thousands with a few loaves, tamed the elements and healed the sick. Many followed his miracles, only to turn away from him when his teachings required them to look beyond the things he did to understand the greater truths he was teaching.

“I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world...As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even shall he live by me...Many therefore of his disciples when they heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?...from that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.” (Jn 6)

Like his faithful disciples, we must each consider who is this Jesus and will we follow him?

"The Shepherd of My Soul" by Sally DeFord performed by Kimber Whanger, voice; Nate Wood, violin; Katrina Noble, piano
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Who is this Jesus whose voice the winds obey? What manner of man is this? Who with a word can calm the angry seas, and still the tempest in my breast?
Who is this man who opens sightless eyes, and gives my longing spirit light?
At whose command the multitude is fed? Who fills me with the bread of life?

He is my shepherd, he calls me by his name, and bids me rest safe within his fold.
And I will stand as witness of his everlasting love. My Lord, my God, the Shepherd of my soul.

Who is this Jesus the world has set at naught? The healer whose power I know?
At whose command the lame rise up and walk? Whose mighty hand has made me whole?
Who is this man who seeks me when I stray? Who hears my every anguished cry?
Who bears my grief, who suffers all my pain? And returns me to unmeasured joy?

He is my shepherd, he calls me by his name, and bids me rest safe within his fold.
And I will stand as witness of his everlasting love. My Lord, my God, the Shepherd of my soul

Knowing his time time was at hand, Jesus gathered his apostles around him to share the passover. Though what he taught them they could not yet understand, he promised them the companionship of the comforter and gave to them the covenant that if they would obey, He would always be with them.

He speaks the same words to us and invites us to share the same covenant:

"In the Upper Room" by Russell Nagy performed by the ward choir and Katrina Noble, piano

Children, I am with you but a little while. Where I go, you cannot follow.
You will seek, but will not find me; still you know that I am the Way.

Don't be troubled that I say I go away; it is best for you I go now.
If I go, I make a place for you; and I'll come to take you someday.

I will send the Holy Spirit to you to lead you in truth, to guide what you do.
He'll remind you then of all I have said; and I will always be with you.

Take and eat my body broken now for you, take and drink the blood I offer.
What I do for you you know not. If you love me, you will obey.

I will send the Holy Spirit to you to lead you in truth, to guide what you do.
He'll remind you then of all I have said; and I will always be with you.

Children, I am with you but a little while. Where I go, you cannot follow.
You will seek, but will not find me; still you know that I am the Way.

“I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am ye may be also...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.” (Jn 14:3,6,16)

In 1847, Reverend Henry Francis Lyte was dying of tuberculosis. At the end of his long life, he penned the words of a prayer to the Lord he’d spent his life serving.

“Abide with me, fast falls the eventide; the darkness deepens, Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee, help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.”

Just a few years later, a young organist named William Monk wrote the familiar tune that accompanies the poem. Reverend Lyte’s prayer must have echoed his own, as he and his wife mourned the death of their three-year-old daughter. As his wife later described, “this tune was written at a time of great sorrow--when together we watched, as we did daily, the glories of the setting sun. As the last golden ray faded, he took some paper and penciled that tune which has gone over all the earth”.

In our sorrow, loneliness, fear, anger or doubt, the Lord’s promise is constant. If we will turn to Christ and follow His Way, the comforter will abide with us, whatever darkness we face. 

"Abide With Me" by Francis Henry Lyte and William Monk. Arranged by Leslee Wood performed by Robyn Taylor, Kimber Whanger and Leslee Wood

Abide with me fast falls the eventide; the darkness deepens, Lord with me abide!
When other helpers fail and comforts cease, help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out lifes little day. Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see, oh Thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need thy presence every passing hour. What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine Lord, abide with me.

In his own time of sorrow and trial, the Savior stood alone. While his disciples slept, he prayed to his father in the Garden of Gethsemane. He felt our anguish and our guilt. He bore our infirmities and our sins. He was betrayed and rejected. His disciples fled, his followers turned, and in the midst of scorn and derision, he gave his life with love to fulfill his divine mission.

"Mid the Stillness of the Night" by Sally DeFord performed by the ward choir and Katrina Noble, piano

Mid the stillness of the night, kneeling in Gethsemane,
love unmeasured fought our fight and claimed our victory.

His the anguish of our grief, his the pain of countless years,
ours the contrite heart's relief thus born of blood and tears.

'Neath the burden of a cross, 'neath the weight of all our debt,
Calvary's way he walked for us, and ne'er shall we forget.

Jesus, Lord, unfailing friend, thou who lovest ceaselessly,
thou who givest life to men, we do remember thee.

At the time of Christ’s death, neither his disciples nor his enemies completely understood what he meant when he told them that he would come again. In spite of the miracles, in spite of the raising of Lazarus and the daughter of Jairus, they mourned. He said to them then, as he says to us now, “Be not afraid, only believe.” (Mark 5:36)

"I Believe in Christ" by John T. Longhurst performed by Whitney Sowby, piano

(I believe in Christ, he is my King! With all my heart to him I'll sing;
I'll raise my voice in praise and joy, In grand amens my tongue employ.
I believe in Christ, he is God's son. On earth to dwell his soul did come.
He healed the sick; the dead he raised. Good works were his; his name be praised.

I believe in Christ; oh blessed name! As Mary's son he came to reign
'mid mortal men, his earthly kin, to save them from the woes of sin.
I believe in Christ, who marked the path, who did gain all his Father hath,
who said to men "come follow me, that ye, my friends, with God may be".

I believe in Christ--my Lord, my God! My feet he plants on gospel sod.
I'll worship him with all my might; he is the source of truth and light.
I believe in Christ; he ransoms me. From Satan's grasp he sets me free.
And I shall live with joy and love in his eternal courts above.

I believe in Christ; he stands supreme! From him I'll gain my fondest dream;
and while I strive through grief and pain, his voice is heard: "ye shall obtain."
I believe in Christ; so come what may, with him I'll stand in that great day
when on this earth he comes again to rule among the sons of men.)

“Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre...and they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments...and they said unto them, ‘Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen’.” (Luke 24)


"He is Risen!" by Cecil Alexander and Joachim Neander, arranged by Nate Wood performed by Scott Bean, Doug Mills, Isaac Fjeldsted and Nate Wood

He is risen! He is risen! Tell it out with joyful voice.
He has burst his three days' prison; Let the whole wide earth rejoice.
Death is conquered; man is free. Christ has won the victory.

Come with high and holy hymning; Chant our Lord's triumphant lay.
Not one darksome cloud is dimming yonder glorious morning ray,
Breaking o'er the purple east, Symbol of our Easter feast.

He is risen! He is risen! He hath opened heaven's gate.
We are free from sin's dark prison, Risen to a holier state.
And a brighter Easter beam on our longing eyes shall stream.

The glorious resurrection of our Saviour conquered death for all of God’s children. As stated in Isaiah, “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” (Isaiah 25:8-9)

Christ’s disciples joyfully received their risen Lord and went abroad to proclaim the good news to all the world. Because of the atoning sacrifice and triumphant resurrection, all the darkness and sorrow in the world will eventually be swallowed up in victory and like Job we can say “I know that my Redeemer liveth and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God”! (Job 19: 25-26)


"I Know That My Redeemer Liveth" by G.F. Handel from The Messiah performed by Nate Wood, double bass

(I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.
And though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.
For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first fruits of them that sleep.)

At this Easter time let us remember and rejoice in the words of comfort he gave to his apostles. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”. (Jn 14:27)

As the Lord gives us his peace, may we share his peace with those around us, lifting heavy hearts, strengthening the feeble knees, and lightening the spirits of our brothers and sisters.
"Dona Nobis Pacem" by J.S. Bach from Mass in B-Minor performed by the ward choir

(Dona nobis pacem.) (Grant us peace.)