TMG
Hello, Crossroads Family!
One of the songs we’ll sing this Sunday is an older one called “Heaven Came Down and Glory Filled My Soul.” It came to my mind the other night when a few of us were discussing poetry … and I remembered how important poetry had been during my kids’ growing-up years, as was the memorizing of hymns.
Church music has undergone many changes over the centuries, and Christian songs have gone by different kinds of names:
- hymns
- Gospel songs (which may be more the category “Heaven Came Down” falls in)
- choruses (I can remember as a kid when in our church the hymnbook gradually was replaced by the overhead projector, transparencies, and new songs we called “choruses.”)
- Contemporary Christian Music
I suppose before all that there were Gregorian chants and many other kinds of songs! My daughter Emma and her husband Jason recently taught an adult Sunday school class on hymns! I would have liked to have been part of that class! When our own kids were young, we memorized Christian songs as a family, and if it was a hymn, we usually memorized all the verses! (Because you know me, that probably doesn’t surprise you!) Singing those memorized songs of worship was a part of our breakfast or dinner routine most days.
I wonder what the music will be like in heaven. I’m going to guess it will be like nothing we’ve ever heard or experienced here. “As it is written, eye has not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).
Like many of our favorite worship songs, “Heaven Came Down” got lodged in my mind somewhere during my childhood. Here are the lyrics (all three verses) — good poetry and sweet words:
O what a wonderful, wonderful day, day I will never forget.
After I’d wandered in darkness away, Jesus my Savior I met!
O what a tender, compassionate friend; He met the need of my heart.
Shadows dispelling, with joy I am telling, He made all the darkness depart!
Born of the Spirit with life from above into God’s family divine.
Justified fully through Calvary’s love, O what a standing is mine!
And the transaction so quickly was made when as a sinner I came,
Took of the offer of grace He did proffer, He saved me, O praise His dear name!
Now I’ve a hope that will surely endure after the passing of time.
I have a future in heaven for sure, there in those mansions sublime.
And it’s because of that wonderful day when at the cross I believed,
Riches eternal and blessings supernal, from His precious hand I received.
Chorus: Heaven came down and glory filled my soul
When at the cross the Savior made me whole.
My sins were washed away, and my night was turned to day,
Heaven came down and glory filled my soul!
(Good vocabulary too — it’s not every day you get to use the word “supernal”!)
The composer of this song, John W. Peterson, was inspired to write it after hearing the testimony of a man known as “Old Jim” at a Bible conference in Pennsylvania in 1961. When Old Jim told how he had come to faith in Christ, he said, “It seemed like Heaven came down and glory filled my soul.”
Missionary Updates
What a great visit we had last weekend with Tyrell Shoemaker. Thanks for welcoming him so warmly. Please pray for Tyrell, Rachel, and their children as they transition to two new ministry works within the city of Chicago!
Heather Hall does a good job of updating us on missionaries and missions in the bulletin insert each Sunday. I hope you’ll take time to read those updates. Also, if you have a prayer need you would like the church family to be praying for, please let Heather know so she can include it in the bulletin insert.
Going on at Crossroads
Worship this Sunday morning.
10:00 at the Community Center, 200 N. Ash Street. I hope you’ll be there ! Our sermon will be from Revelation 14-16.
Elders meeting this Sunday.
Our elders will meet following worship. Thank you for your prayers for our elders and their families. If you have something for the elders to include in their meeting this Sunday, please be sure to contact one of us ahead of time. Thank you.
Graduation celebration Sunday, May 14
We’ll have a short reception following worship on May 14 to celebrate Kourtnee Vestal’s upcoming graduation from Nevada High School. Please plan to hang around for a few minutes following worship on the 14th!
No Children’s Church / Nursery May 14
Exceptionally, there will be no class for children during the sermon on Sunday, May 14. Thanks to all our great volunteers who serve children Sunday after Sunday!
Church Directory
Be sure to verify the information we have for you in the new church directory. A copy will be available this Sunday morning in the back of the room. Thank you!
I’ll be preaching the Senior Sermon (Baccalaureate) on Sunday evening, May 14, at Nevada High School. I would appreciate your prayers for me as I prepare that message. Thank you!
— Tom
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