One of the ensembles I have the privilege of conducting is Union Harmony. They are a select ensemble of eight singers and sing a variety of music. One of the pieces we are working on this semester is
"All of Grace" a work for SATB chorus with keyboard accompaniment.
The piece is an original work by Larry Shackley, composer/arranger for numerous music publishers. Larry is also the author of the text. Now, I don't know if Larry is someone who embraces The Doctrines of Grace (also known as The Five Points of Calvinism, although I much prefer the aforementioned designation), but the text of this work speaks to me as someone who does embrace this doctrine. In examining the text, I find that much of it seems to "speak" from a reformed point of view, although, there are some few passages that are ambiguous.
One of the passages that I am drawn to is found in the opening line, "Nothing I could say, nothing I could do / could have earned the saving love that freely flows from you" (Shackley). Another passage reads, "It was all Your grace, more than I deserve, / that took away my heart of stone and gave a heart to serve" (Shackley). It is "took away my heart of stone" with which I so identify. Indeed, unmerited favor, grace alone changed my heart of stone. If you are looking for a piece of music for your choir about grace, this may be the piece for you. It is published by Glory Sound, A Division of Shawnee Press.
Cited: Shackley, Larry. All of Grace. Delaware Water Gap, PA: Glory Sound, 2003.
"All of Grace" a work for SATB chorus with keyboard accompaniment.The piece is an original work by Larry Shackley, composer/arranger for numerous music publishers. Larry is also the author of the text. Now, I don't know if Larry is someone who embraces The Doctrines of Grace (also known as The Five Points of Calvinism, although I much prefer the aforementioned designation), but the text of this work speaks to me as someone who does embrace this doctrine. In examining the text, I find that much of it seems to "speak" from a reformed point of view, although, there are some few passages that are ambiguous.
One of the passages that I am drawn to is found in the opening line, "Nothing I could say, nothing I could do / could have earned the saving love that freely flows from you" (Shackley). Another passage reads, "It was all Your grace, more than I deserve, / that took away my heart of stone and gave a heart to serve" (Shackley). It is "took away my heart of stone" with which I so identify. Indeed, unmerited favor, grace alone changed my heart of stone. If you are looking for a piece of music for your choir about grace, this may be the piece for you. It is published by Glory Sound, A Division of Shawnee Press.
Cited: Shackley, Larry. All of Grace. Delaware Water Gap, PA: Glory Sound, 2003.