Thursday, July 31, 2008

A Heart & Voice update....

Friends,

Heart & Voice will be heading up to Troy, NY next weekend for our first Singing School and conference with our good friends at Oakwood Bible Church. If you are in the area why not join us?
Here's the schedule:

August 9th, 2008
8:30 - 9:30
Registration ~ Coffee and Donuts
9:30 - 10:30
Session #1 Reformation Roots: Let God's People Sing! ~ Rev. John Fleischmann
10:30 - 10:45
Morning Break

10:45 - 11:45
Session #2 Singing School ~ Singing in 4-Part Harmony ~ Neil Shah

12:00 - 1:00
Lunch Break

1:00 - 2:00
Session #3 Shaping the Hymnody of American Voices ~ Rev. Ron Weinbaum

2:00 – 2:15 Afternoon Break

2:15 - 3:15
Session #4 Singing School ~ Singing in 4-Part Harmony (continued)

3:15 Closing

On Sunday I will be teaching the adult Sunday school class and preaching...continuing the theme of worship music that pleases Almighty God.



And furthermore, we are in the midst of planning a sacred music benefit concert, scheduled for December 6th. We hope to raise a nice donation for this worthy cause...Mercy Children's Home in Myanmar. If you can't make the concert, donations can be made through Sabbath House, a ministry of Christ Church, Moscow, ID.





Of course, you should click on over to Heart & Voice and try your hand...er voice at part-singing! We have a new song you can practice. Enjoy!

Blessings,

Pastor Brian L. Penney
Christ Covenant Church

Tuesday, July 29, 2008



God Has Done Great Things for Us ~ Psalm 126

When the Lord brought back His people,
We were like the ones who dream;
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue rejoiced in song.
To the nations we now say,
"God has done great things for us!"

As the southern streams are flowing,
May the captive ones return;
Bring them back, O Lord, to Zion,
Bring them back from heathen lands.
To the nations we now say,
"God has done great things for us!"

Those who went forth with much weeping,
Bearing seed with which to sow;
Now shall come again rejoicing,
Bringing a rich harvest home.
To the nations we now say,
"God has done great things for us!"

______________________
Tune: Gott Des Himmels, Heinrich Albert, 1643
Lyrics: Brian L. Penney, 2008

Tuesday, July 22, 2008


Like the Holy Mount of Zion
Psalm 125

Like the holy mount of Zion,
Are those who trust in God;
By faith they stand immovable,
Forever they abide.

And like the everlasting hills,
Is Zion's strength and pow'r;
For so the Lord surrounds His own,
Now and forevermore.

For the scepter of wickedness
Shall ne'er on Zion rest;
Lest the righteous reach out their hands,
And turn from righteousness.

Do good, O Lord, to all the good,
Bless the upright in heart;
But those who turn to crooked ways,
The Lord shall send afar.

O may the peace of God above,
Upon His people rest;
O may we know His love and grace,
As we His name confess.


________________________________
Tune: Northfield, Jeremiah Ingalls, 1805
Lyrics: Brian L. Penney, 2008

Tuesday, July 15, 2008


Behold, My Son, My Servant

"Behold, My Son, My Servant,
in Whom My soul delights;
My Spirit is upon Him,
And He shall do what's right.
A bruised reed He will not break,
Nor quench a smoking flax;
For truth He brings forth justice,
By all His gracious acts."

Thus says the Lord Almighty,
Maker of heav'n and earth,
Creator of all people,
The One Who gives them breath;
"In righteousness I called You,
And I will hold Your hand;
I give You as a cov'nant,
A light to ev'ry land."

"Behold, My Son, My Servant,
In Whom My soul delights;
For those who sit in darkness,
He has become their light.
And new things I shall declare:
His foes shall Christ assail,
With zeal like a man of war,
Against them He'll prevail."

_____________________
Tune: Au Fort de Ma Detresse, French Psalter, 1539
Lyrics: Brian L. Penney, 2008, (from Isaiah 42)



Thursday, July 10, 2008

Another for VBS


The Song of Darius

To ev'ry tribe and nation,
To all who dwell on earth;
May peace be granted to you,
O, hear now your king's word:
In all parts of my kingdom
Let this be the decree--
Before the God of Daniel,
All men must bow the knee.

He is God ever-living,
And steadfast, always sure;
His kingdom's ever-lasting,
It shall fore'er endure.
Behold His rule is endless,
And who can stay His hand?
For His dominion's boundless,
And covers ev'ry land.

Lo, God works signs and wonders,
In heav'n and on the earth;
He has delivered Daniel,
Whom lions could not hurt.
Now ev'ry tribe and nation,
All peoples, hear your king:
Praised be the God of Daniel,
To Him your honors bring.

______________________________
Tune: Du Meine Seele Singe, Johann Ebeling, 1666
Lyrics: Brian L. Penney, 2008


Wednesday, July 9, 2008




Upon the Serpent's Head He Stands

Upon the Serpent's head He stands,
Jesus Christ, the Son of Man;
Seed of the woman here below,
He has crushed our ancient foe.

(Chorus)
Now with joyous anthems singing,
We assemble at His throne;

We sing praise to our Redeemer,

We sing praise to Him alone.

Christ now plunders Satan's kingdom,
Binds the strong man in his home;
All the demons bow before Him,
Lord of lords, He rules o'er them.

(Chorus)

Let all nations beneath the sun,
Praise the King, the Holy One;
For Hell is vanquished, death is slain,
Earth and Heav'n are Christ's domain.

(Chorus)
_____________________________
Tune: Llansannan, Welsh Melody, harm., David Evans
Lyrics: Brian L. Penney, 2008



Tuesday, July 8, 2008


Belshazzar’s Feast

There was a king of Babylon,
Belshazzar was his name;
In the mighty halls of Babylon the great--O!
He held a feast for all his lords,
A thousand of them came;
To the mighty halls of Babylon the great–O!
They drank wine and praised their gods of gold and silver,
In the mighty halls of Babylon the great–O!

But that same hour God’s hand appeared
And wrote upon the wall;
In the mighty halls of Babylon the great–O!
Now King Belshazzar shook with fear,
His wise men he did call;
To the mighty halls of Babylon the great–O!
But the wise men could not understand the writing,
In the mighty halls of Babylon the great–O!

And then the Queen of Babylon
Spoke these words to the king;
In the mighty halls of Babylon the great–O!
“Remember Daniel, man of God?
For he can tell this thing!”
In the mighty halls of Babylon the great–O!
So the king called Daniel there to solve the riddle,
In the mighty halls of Babylon the great–O!

So Daniel spoke, he told the king
The judgment of the Lord;
In the mighty halls of Babylon the great–O!
“Your kingdom’s days are finished now,
It shall not be restored”
In the mighty halls of Babylon the great–O!
On that night the king was slain, he lost his kingdom,
In the mighty halls of Babylon the great–O!



Tune: Jordan’s Shore, J.T. White, 1854
Lyrics: Brian L. Penney, 2008
(This song was written for Vacation Bible School...obviously not for corporate worship on the Lord's Day.)

Anthology of the American Hymn-Tune Repertory




Monday, July 7, 2008


The House of Wisdom ~ Proverbs 9

The house of wisdom has been built
On seven pillars strong;
Her table set with meat and wine,
At this feast we belong.

She sends her maidens out to call,
And from the city's heights:
"Whoe'er is simple, turn in here,
Come learn of my delights."

"Come eat my bread and drink my wine,
Forsake the foolish way;
In understanding, guide your heart;
Live in the light of day.

The knowledge of the Holy One
Shall bless the wise man's ways;
The fear of God gives wisdom birth,
And shall increase your days.

________________________
Tune: St. Anne, William Croft, 1720
Lyrics: Brian L. Penney, 2008


Tuesday, July 1, 2008


See the Living Stone
Psalm 118

See the living stone
That the builders did refuse;
Yet God has built His Church thereon:
Behold, good news!

Angry priest and scribe
Reject God's beloved Son;
Yet on this rock shall Zion rest,
This cornerstone.

This is of the Lord,
What a wonder to our eyes;
Then on this day the Lord has made,
Let joy arise!

Save now, Lord, I pray,
O Lord, send prosperity;
Hosanna to the King of kings,
God Almighty.

For God is the Lord;
To us He has given light.
You are my God, I will praise You,
With my might.

____________________________
Tune: Boze litosciwy, Mikolaj Gomolka
Lyrics: Brian L. Penney, 2008