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• Called to Serve Adam Geibel; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Our God Is a God of Love Robert Cundick
• On This Day of Joy and Gladness Leroy J. Robertson; arr. Clay Christiansen
• A New Commandment I Give Unto You Crawford Gates
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• Softly and Tenderly Will L. Thompson; arr. Mack Wilberg
• How Firm a Foundation Attr. to J. Ellis; arr. Mack Wilberg

• I Sing the Greatness of Our God Fred Bock
• More Holiness Give Me Philip P. Bliss; arr. Ronald Staheli
• All Things Bright and Beautiful English Folk Tune; arr. Dale Wood
• Judge Eternal Malcolm Archer
• There Is a Balm in Gilead African American Spiritual; arr. Douglas L. Ipson
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• Whither Goest Thou. Pilgrim Stranger? Two American Folk Hymns; arr. Ronald Staheli
• All People that on Earth Do Dwell Louis Bourgeois; arr. Florence Jolley

• Fight the Good Fight with All Thy Might John Gardner
• The Lord's Prayer Albert Hay Malotte; arr. Carl Deis
• Lied Louis Vierne
• How Wondrous and Great Attr: Johann Michael Haydn; arr. John Longhurst
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today John R. Sweney; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Praise, Praise, Praise the Lord! Cameroon Processional Song; arr. Ralph M. Johnson
• O Be Joyful in the Lord Gilbert M. Martin

• O Be Joyful in the Lord John Rutter
• My Song in the Night American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• In Heavenly Love Abiding Finnish Melody Nyland; arr. Dale Wood
• Rejoice, the Lord Is King Malcolm Archer; orchestrated by Nathan Hofheins
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• Look to the Rainbow from Finian's Rainbow Burton Lane; arr. Arthur Harris
• High on the Mountain Top Ebenezer Beesley; arr. Mack Wilberg

• On Great Lone Hills from Finlandia Jean Sibelius; arr. H. Alexander Matthews
• As the Bridegroom to His Chosen John Rutter
• Processional in E Flat Major David N. Johnson
• Be Thou My Vision Traditional Irish Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• On a Clear Day from On a Clear Day Burton Lane; arr. Arthur Harris
• Hymn of Praise Mack Wilberg; Incorporating Old Hundredth by Louis Bourgeois

• Morning Has Broken Traditional Gaelic Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place from Requiem Johannes Brahms
• Brother James' Air James Leith Macbeth Bain; arr. Dale Wood
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• We Give Thee But Thine Own Anonymous; arr. Lowell Mason and George J. Webb
• Down to the River to Pray American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Love Divine, All Loves Excelling Rowland Hugh Prichard; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Glory to God on High Felice de Giardini; arr. John Longhurst
• Glory to God in the Highest Sergei Rachmaninoff
• Pavane from Rhythmic Suite Robert Elmore
• Psalm 100 Heinz Werner Zimmermann
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• Lead, Kindly Light John B. Dykes; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Ride the Chariot Spiritual; arr. Wm. Henry Smith
• From All that Dwell Below the Skies John Hatton; arr. Mack Wilberg

• O God, Our Help in Ages Past William Croft; arr. Mack Wilberg
• How Bright Is the Day American Folk Hymn (Sawyer's Exit); arr. Mack Wilberg
• Annie Laurie Scottish Melody; arr. Andrew E. Unsworth
• Some Folks Stephen Foster; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Home, Sweet Home Henry K. Bishop; edited by Don Ripplinger
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• Father, Whate'er of Earthly Bliss arr. Andrew E. Unsworth
• Battle Hymn of the Republic William Steffe; arr. Peter J. Wilhousky

• I'm Runnin' On Spiritual; arr. Mack Wilberg
• I Want Jesus to Walk with Me Spiritual; arr. Moses Hogan
• Every Time I Feel the Spirit Spiritual; arr. Richard Elliott
• Deep River Spiritual; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Rock-A-My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham Spiritual; arr. Howard Roberts
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• He's Got the Whole World in His Hands Spiritual; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Let There Be Light! Gilbert M. Martin
• He, Watching Over Israel from Elijah Felix Mendelssohn
• Achieved Is the Glorious Work from The Creation Franz Josef Haydn
• All Through the Night Welsh Melody; arr. Clay Christiansen
• Simple Gift Shaker Song; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• Ching-A-Ring-Chaw American Folk Song; adapted by Aaron Copland; arr. Irving Fine
• The Whole Armor of God K. Lee Scott

• O Clap Your Hands John Rutter
• Children of the Heavenly Father Swedish Melody, arr. Mack Wilberg
• Precious Lord, Take My Hand Emma Lou Diemer
• Gloria Antonin Dvorak; Trans. By Warner Imig
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• God's Daily Care Willy Reske
• Over the Rainbow Harold Arlen, arr. Arthur Harris
• Rejoice the Lord is King John Darwell, arr. Mack Wilberg

• When In Our Music God is Glorified Hymn Tune: Sine Nomine, arr. Emily Crocker, Brass arr. John Moss
• O Lord God Paul Tschesnokoff
• Let Us With a Gladsome Mind Alan Ridout
• Excerpt from "Toccata" from Symphonie V C. M. Widor
• Dearest Children, God Is Near You John Menzies Macfarlane
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• No Man Is An Island Joan Whitney & Alex Kramer, arr. Michael Davis
• My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music Rogers & Hammerstein, arr. Art Harris
• All Creatures of Our God and King German Hymn Tune, arr. Mack Wilberg

• Redeemer of Israel Freeman Lewis; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee John B. Dykes; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Awake the Harp Franz Josef Haydn
• Come, Ye Disconsolate Samuel Webbe, Sr., arr. Dale Wood
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• Climb Every Mountain Richard Rodgers-Oscar Hammerstein II, arr. Arthur Harris
• Call of the Champions John Williams

• Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise Anonymous; arr. James C. Kasen
• Consider the Lilies Roger Hoffman; arr. A. Laurence Lyon
• In Thee Is Gladness Giovanni G. Gastoldi; arr. Daniel Kallman
• Prelude on an English Folk Song English Folk Song; arr. Andrew Unsworth
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• Ring Out, Wild Bells Crawford Gates
• Old Time Religion Spritual; arr. Moses Hogan; adapted by Benjamin Harlan
• Glorious Everlasting H. Thomas Cousins

• Ring Out, Wild Bells Charles Gounod; arr. Frederic W. Root
• New Year John Rutter
• All Beautiful the March of Days English Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• In Christ There Is No East or West Dale Wood
• The Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• Come, Let Us Anew Attributed to James Lucas; arr.Mack Wilberg
• Fill the World with Love from "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" Leslie Bricusse; arr. Mack Wilberg

• I Saw Three Ships English Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Once in Royal David's City Henry J. Gauntlett; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Good Christian Men, Rejoice Wilbur Held
• While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks Yorkshire Carol
• The Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• The Glory of Christmas Douglas E. Wagner; Orchestration by Brant Adams
• White Christmas Irving Berlin; arr. Arthur Harris
• Hallelujah! From Messiah George Frideric Handel

• Procesional on "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" Mack Wilberg
• The Friendly Beasts English Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Come All Ye Shepards Andrew Unsworth
• Longfellow's Christmas
• Angels, from the Realms of Glory Felix Mendelssohn; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Ding Dong! Merrily on High French Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Away in a Manger William J. Kirkpatrick; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Angels' Carol John Rutter
• Silent Night, Holy Night Franz Gruber; arr. Dale Wood
• The First Noel Traditional English Carol
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• Do You Hear What I Hear? Gloria Shayne Baker; arr. Arthur Harris
• Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Felix Mendelssohn; arr. Mack Wilberg

• O Come, Emmanuel Traditional; arr. Arthur Harris
• And the Glory of the Lord from "Messiah" G. F. Handel; edited by Mack Wilberg
• Whence Is that Goodly Fragrance Flowing? French Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Prelude on "Noel Nouvelet" Malcolm Archer
• O Little Town of Bethlehem Lewis H. Redner
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful Attr. John F. Wade; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Come, Ye Thankful People, Come George J. Elvey; arr. Mack Wilberg
• For the Beauty of the Earth John Rutter
• Prelude on "Simple Gifts" Shaker Song; arr. Rulon Christiansen
• Prayer of Thanksgiving Anon., The Netherlands, ca. 1625; arr. Edward Kremser
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep from "White Christmas" Irving Berlin; arr. Michael Davis
• Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing Melody from Wyeth's Repository of Sacred Music, 1813; arr. Mack Wilberg

• I Sing the Greatness of Our God Fred Bock
• How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place John Leavitt
• All Things Bright and Beautiful English folk tune; arr. Dale Wood
• The Lord My Pasture Will Prepare Dmitri Bortniansky; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• You'll Never Walk Alone from "Carousel" Richard Rodgers; arr. Arthur Harris
• Sourwood Mountain American folk song; arr. John Rutter
• Thou Lovely Source of True Delight Mack Wilberg

• God of Our Fathers George W. Warren; arr. Mack Wilberg
• The Pledge of Allegiance Charles Osgood; arr. Michael Davis
• The Washington Post March John Philip Sousa; arr. Joseph Linger
• Distant Land John Rutter
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• Who Are the Brave Joseph M. Martin; Orchestration by Chad A. Steffey
• Cohan's Big Three George M. Cohan; arr. Floyd E. Werle

• Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah John Hughes; arr. Mack Wilberg
• My Shepherd Will Supply My Need American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• In Joyful Praise Laurence Lyon
• With Songs of Praise Newel Kay Brown
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• Somewhere from "West Side Story" Leonard Bernstein; arr. Arthur Harris
• Canticle of Faithfulness Daniel Bird; Based on "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" by William M. Runyan

• Rejoice, the Lord Is King Malcolm Archer
• Deep River Spiritual; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Sicilienne Maria-Theresia von Paradis
• I Will Sing with the Spirit John Rutter
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• There but for You Go I from "Brigadoon" Frederick Loewe; arr. Arthur Harris
• The Morning Breaks George Careless; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Hallelujah Chorus from "Christ on the Mount of Olives" Ludwig van Beethoven
• This Earth was Once a Garden Place Anon., Southern Harmony, 1835; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Carillon De Westminster Louis Vierne
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• We Give Thee But Thine Own Anon. ; arr. Lowell Mason and George J. Webb
• The Sound of Music from "The Sound of Music" Richard Rodgers; arr. Arthur Harris
• The Spirit of God German Hymn Tune; arr. Mack Wilberg

• A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Martin Luther; arr. John Rutter, Verses, 1, 3, 4 ; J. S. Bach, Verse 2
• Nearer, My God, to Thee Lowell Mason; arr. Arthur Harris
• The Ash Grove Traditional Welsh folk song; arr. John Longhurst
• Jehovah, Lord of Heaven and Earth Oliver Holden
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• Holy, Holy, Holy John B. Dykes; arr. Arthur Harris
• O Mary, Don't You Weep Spiritual; arr. Albert McNeil
• All Creatures of our God and King German Hymn Tune; arr. Mack Wilberg

• O Come Ye Nations of the Earth Based on the tune "Ellacombe; arr. Mack Wilberg
• For I Am Called By Thy Name Crawford Gates
• Take Time to Be Holy Irish Melody; arr. John Longhurst
• Lord, I Would Follow Thee K. Newell Dayley; arr. Andrew Unsworth
• God Is Love Thomas C. Griggs
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell
• Where Love Is Joanne Bushman Doxey & Marjorie Castleton Kjar; arr. Sam Cardon
• I Believe in Christ John Longhurst; arr. Mack Wilberg

• When In Our Music God Is Glorified, Charles Villers Stanford; arr Hal H. Hopson
• Laudate Nomen Carlyle Sharpe
• A Highland Ayre Richard Purvis
• Pilgrims' Hymn from "The Three Hermits" Stephen Paulus
• Spoken Word Lloyd Newell
• Somewhere Out There from "An American Tale" James Horner, Barry Mann, & Cynthia Weil; arr. Michael Davis
• Standin' in the Need of Prayer arr. Valerie W. Stephensen
• Good News Celebration! Based on the American Tune "Invitation" ; arr. Dale Wood

• Redeemer of Israel Freeman Lewis; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Goin' Home based on the Largo from the "New World Symphony" Antonin Dvorak; arr. Jay Welch
• (Organ Interlude)
• Lead, Kindly Light John B. Dykes; arr. Mack Wilberg
• The Impossible Dream from "Man of LaMancha" Mitch Leigh
• Spoken Word Big Dreams on a Small Island Delivered By: Lloyd D, Newell

  Every great endeavor starts small, sometimes as little more than a dream.

  Lucy Maud Montgomery was raised on Canada’s beautiful Prince Edward Island and loved the sights and sounds of nature. From an early age she had a vivid imagination and a burning desire to be a writer. A biographer said, “She was very much an individual, with strong opinions, even stronger emotions, and a heart full of hopes and dreams that sustained her through a lifetime of disappointments and hardships.”1

  For many years she had tried to publish her poems and stories, receiving one rejection after another. She finally sold a few, saw her name in print, and that kept her going—reading and writing, learning more about writing, and then writing some more.

  Writing was hard work, and rejection was not easy. She said, “People envy me these bits of success and say, ‘It’s well to be you,’ and so on. I smile cynically when I hear them. They do not realize how many disappointments come to one success. They see only the successes and think all must be smooth travelling.”2

  One of Maud’s fondest dreams was to publish a story about an imaginative orphan girl named Anne Shirley. Numerous publishers rejected the manuscript. Discouraged, she packed it into a hatbox and stuffed it in a closet. A year later, Maud was housecleaning when she came across the hatbox and reread her old novel. She decided that it wasn’t bad, after all. So after making some revisions, she sent it out again. This time a publisher accepted it.

  Anne of Green Gables was published more than a hundred years ago and continues to be among the world’s most beloved books. Maud Montgomery would go on to publish scores of novels, stories, and poems. But it all began with her big dream while living on a small island.

  How easy it is to say, “Well, it’s easy for her because she’s so talented.” The truth is that it’s not smooth traveling for any of us. But even small beginnings, after all of the roadblocks and the dead ends, can lead to great things when they ride on the wheels of a dream.
  1 1. Catherine M. Andronik, Kindred Spirit: A Biography of L. M. Montgomery, Creator of Anne of Green Gables (1993), xii.
  2 In Kindred Spirit, 49.

  The Wheels of a Dream from "Ragtime" Stephen Flaherty

• Judge Eternal, Throned in Splendour Malcolm Archer
• For the Beauty of the Earth Conrad Kocher; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Achieved Is the Glorious Work from "The Creation" Franz Josef Haydn
• Nimrod from "Enigma Variations" Edward Elgar; arr. W.H. Harris
• Spoken Word Immeasurably Significant Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

  Who doesn’t want to be successful? Who doesn’t want to achieve in their field and find fame, fortune, or power? This kind of success is about achieving measurable results. But there’s another kind of success that is not so measurable—the success of being significant in someone else’s life.

  American swimmer Michael Phelps has won more gold medals than any Olympic athlete in history. By so many measures, he is successful. But his experience with Kristin Koch, a 12-year-old girl with Down syndrome, was in some ways more significant than his victories—both for him and for Kristin.

  Shortly after the 2004 Summer Olympics, Michael spent a day with Kristin and her family. The chance to swim with an Olympic gold medalist was a dream come true for Kristin, but equally significant was the influence Kristin had on him. He later recounted that seeing Kristin swim with so much joy and enthusiasm changed his perspective. Kristin helped him rediscover his love for swimming and reminded him to swim for the love of the sport.

  All of us yearn to make a difference, to live a life measured by more than what we hang on the walls, what we stuff in safe deposit boxes or park in the garage. Think about those who have been significant to you. Perhaps, like Kristin, they exuded a simple love for life when you had lost that spark, or maybe they found the right words to say at just the right moment. Perhaps they were simply at your side when you needed someone.

  Isn’t that what life is all about? There is striving and achieving, yes. But reaching into someone’s life and leaving an imprint on the heart is immeasurably significant.

  Each Life That Touches Ours for Good A. Laurence Lyon

  Oh, What a Beautiful Morning from "Oklahoma" Richard Rodgers; arr. Arthur Harris

  Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven John Goss; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Arise, O God, and Shine John Darwell; arr. Mack Wilberg
• All Things Bright and Beautiful John Rutter
• In Paradisum Enrico Rossi
• Lead Me Into Life Eternal Alexander Schreiner
• Homeward Bound Marta Keen Thompson; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word How Firm A Foundation Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

  We don’t know exactly who wrote the words or music to “How Firm a Foundation,” one of the most beloved hymns of the past 200 years, but we do know that its message of hope in the present and faith in the future is both timely and timeless.

  During the American Civil War, people on both sides of the conflict sang this hymn. It was a favorite of American presidents Andrew Jackson and Theodore Roosevelt. Robert E. Lee requested that it be sung at his funeral. Who knows how many people, past and present, have taken comfort from these vigorous words:

  In every condition—in sickness, in health,
  In poverty’s vale or abounding in wealth,
  At home or abroad, on the land or the sea—
  As thy days may demand, . . . so thy succor shall be.

  Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
  For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
  I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
  Upheld by my righteous, . . . omnipotent hand.[1]

  Truly, a firm foundation can reassure us as we deal with the difficulties of life. In a world where personal fortunes and physical health can change in a moment, it’s good to remember the moral foundation that can help us stay standing amid life’s instabilities. When we build our lives on principles that stand the test of time, we find strength. We feel hope. History has shown us how building on a firm foundation can see us through difficulties and help us find purpose in life.

  “In every condition,” in life’s ups and downs, a firm foundation will help us to “fear not” and stand strong.
  1 Hymns, no. 85.

  How Firm a Foundation Attr. J. Ellis; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Praise God! Fred Bock; Based on "Old Hundredth" by Louis Bourgeois
• He, Watching Over Israel from "Elijah" Felix Mendelssohn; edited by Robert Shaw
• Morning Mood from "Peer Gynt" Edvard Grieg; transcription by Clay Christiansen
• Nearer, My God, to Thee Lowell Mason
• Spoken Word And So We Endure Delivered By: LLoyd D. Newell

  Much of the work in this world is done by those who had good reasons to give up, but didn’t.

  Michelangelo ascended a scaffold 68 feet high and worked day after day, from first light until dark, painting the 343 figures and 10,000 square feet that would make of the Sistine Chapel an enduring world masterpiece. His arms and neck ached after four years of reaching and stretching and craning his head. His eyes blurred from dripping paint. By the time he was finished he was “exhausted, emaciated, [and] prematurely old.”1  But he endured.

  In 1775, when the British army marched on Concord and Lexington, Massachusetts farmer Samuel Whittemore was close to 80 years old. But to him, that was no reason not to get involved. So he packed up a rifle, two pistols, and a saber and joined the fight. Although he was wounded 14 times, Samuel survived and lived another 18 years. He endured.

  When Marie Curie’s husband died suddenly in an accident, she was devastated. But instead of becoming paralyzed by her sorrow, she devoted herself to her work—the study of radioactive elements. Later in life, Marie suffered the painful effects of her exposure to radiation, but still she continued. Twice she was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics. She endured.

  It’s easy to find reasons to give up or even not to try. We all have worries, fears, and weaknesses. Most experience physical pain of one kind or another. But whenever we are tempted to give up, it may be helpful to remember that problems and limitations need not stand in the way of accomplishment, large or small. We can all contribute, regardless of our circumstances. And so we endure.
  1 Will Durant, The Renaissance: A History of Civilization in Italy from 1304–1576 a.d. (1953), 474.

  Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel Will L. Thompson; arr. Mack Wilberg

  Let Me Fly Spiritual; arr. Robert DeCormier

  Joy in the Morning Natalie Sleeth

• Glory Nikoly Rimsky-Korsakov; edited by Gregory Stone
• Our God Is a God of Love Robert Cundick
• Processional in E Flat Major David N. Johnson
• I Feel My Savior's Love K. Newell Dayley; arr. Sam Cardon
• Spoken Word Fact or Fable? Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

  A beloved fairy tale tells the story of an emperor who loved fine clothing. One day, two tailors appeared claiming they could make clothing so beautiful and delicate it would be invisible to all except those with refined tastes. The emperor was naturally intrigued and, although the price was extravagant, he commissioned the tailors to make such clothing for him.

  At last when the task was complete, the tailors presented the invisible clothing to the emperor. They raved about the colors, they exulted in the exquisite textures, and they gushed about how perfectly it fit—well aware all along that there was no fabric, no clothing; it was all a hoax. But they knew that no one would dare speak out and risk being branded as unrefined. The emperor himself played the charade through to its end and marched around proudly wearing nothing but his underwear.

  We may think we could never fall for something like that, yet sometimes people believe things that have about as much substance as the emperor’s clothes. Some things are false no matter how many people believe them, while others are true whether we believe them or not. Even if we firmly believe that the earth is flat, it remains a sphere. Even if others question the value of integrity, honesty is still the best policy. And it is always true that pure love softens hatred and that kindness towards others fosters kindness in others.

  There are stories that entertain and teach—like the story of the emperor and his clothes—and then there are stories that deceive and masquerade as truth. It’s up to us to see through illusion and hold on to that which we know is true. Only then can we discern between fact and fable.

  Sweet Is the Work John J. McClellan

  Fill the World with Love Leslie Bricusse; arr. Mack Wilberg

• How Wondrous and Great Attributed to Johann Michael Hayden; arr. John Longhurst
• Chichester Psalms Mvt. I Leonard Bernstein
• How Great Thou Art arr. Dale Wood
• On this Day of Joy and Gladness Leroy J. Robertson
• Spoken Word The Simple Joys of Life Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

  The city park was humming with activity—businesspeople were hurrying to their lunch breaks, and shoppers were briskly walking by with their packages. A mother with a stroller was rushing back to her parking meter, when her young child called to her to wait. Exasperated, she stopped, and the child pointed up to the trees. “Listen,” he said.

  Baby birds were chirping from several nests as brightly feathered parents darted in to feed them. It was a magical moment of song and color, nature unfolding one of its glorious images just above their heads. But it took a young child to notice it.

  How often do we rush through our lives, stacking our appointments back to back, and miss the simple joys that surround us all?

  It could be the echo of laughter from a playground, the sway of a tree in the breeze, or even the gleam of a polished pair of shoes. Simple joys are everywhere—all we have to do is take a moment to find them.

  Appreciation for simple things is a direct path to happiness. Look around in your own home—a picture on the wall, a cherished book, a clean countertop, a vase of flowers. Gratitude for these little touches can lighten our step and bring a smile to our faces.

  By slowing down, by savoring all the senses, and by deliberately searching for the good, we can find dozens of simple pleasures that lift our spirits and remind us how blessed we are. Problems and trials will not disappear, but they will no longer dominate if we choose to look up at the branches, where magic happens, instead of below, where humdrum living can distract us.

  Enjoyment of life need not happen in sweeping events of fun and entertainment; it can surround us every day as we seek and appreciate the simple joys of life.

  Simple Gifts Shaker Song; arr. Mack Wilberg

  The Battle of Jericho Spiritual; arr. Moses Hogan

  Psalm 148 Gustav Holst

Rebroadcast of #4071 due to listener request

• Sing Praise to Him Tune from Bohemian Brethren's Songbook, 1566, alt.; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Be Still, My Soul Jean Sibelius; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Ye Simple Souls Who Stray Evan Stephens; arr. Andrew Unsworth
• Spoken Word This Is My Father's World Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

  Maltbie Babcock of Syracuse, New York, probably could have had any job he wanted. He was a brilliant scholar, an outstanding athlete, a dynamic leader, and a gifted musician. Some thought he was the most talented student Syracuse University had ever seen.

  Choosing to bless others with his gifts, Babcock became a pastor. He began his ministry in the picturesque Great Lakes region of western New York. Though he loved his job, it could never seem to keep him indoors on a beautiful day. Besides, he felt that it was in nature that he could best commune with God. “Telling his secretary, ‘I’m going out to see my Father’s world,’ he would run or hike a couple of miles into the countryside where he’d lose himself in nature.”[1]Babcock expressed his feelings about life, nature, and deity in beautiful poetry, including a verse he called “This Is My Father’s World.”

  When he was 42 years old, he left for an overseas pilgrimage and died suddenly from a bacterial fever. His grief-stricken wife, Catherine, honored his memory by collecting his writings and publishing many of them. A close friend, Franklin L. Sheppard, arranged a tune to go with “This Is My Father’s World,” which is now a well-known hymn. Babcock never lived to hear his poem performed as a hymn, but his love for God—enhanced by his love of nature—lives on through this song.

  Just as we better appreciate a song by becoming acquainted with its author, we better appreciate the beautiful world in which we live by coming to know its Creator. In Babcock’s beloved words:

  This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
  All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
  This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
  Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
  His hand the wonders wrought.
  1 Robert J. Morgan, Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World’s Greatest Hymn Stories (2003), 255.

  This Is My Father's World Traditional English Melody; adapted by Franklin L. Sheppard; arr. Mack Wilberg

  The Hundredth Psalm Ralph Vaughan Williams

• Fanfare Alleluia/Praise to the Lord, the Almighty From "Stralsund Gesangbuch," 1665; arr. Mack Wilberg
• He Shall Feed His Flock John Ness Beck
• Praise the Lord with Drums and Cymbals
• How Gentle God's Commands Hans Georg Nageli; arr. Lowell Mason
• Are You Up There?/ I Believe Alan, Wayne & Merrill Osmond/Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl & Al Stillman/arr. Sam Cardon
• Spoken Word A Star That Never Dims Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

  After half a century of entertaining audiences around the world, the Osmond family are well known for their musical talent and showmanship. Less well known, however, is the story of how they got their start.

  It all began in the 1950s, when four of George and Olive Osmond’s sons started singing to raise money to buy hearing aids for their two deaf older brothers. They were good, and people noticed. They performed at Disneyland and then on The Andy Williams Show in the early 1960s, and the rest, as they say, is history. Over the next 50 years, the singing Osmond family just kept singing, delighting audiences of all ages around the world and recording 51 gold records along the way—truly remarkable in a business where many stars shine brilliantly for a time, then dim and fade away.

  The Osmonds have achieved something more important than stardom. They have kept their family strong. As they continue to entertain us, their love and support for each other show us true family solidarity. The eight sons and one daughter of George and Olive Osmond, along with their scores of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, are an enduring testament to the power of unity, the strength of faith, and the security of love in a family.

  Like each of us, the Osmonds have known heartache and disappointment as well as success and happiness. But rising above it all is a star that hasn’t dimmed—their love for each other still shines warm and bright.

  He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother Sidney Keith Russell & Robert William Scott; arr. Sam Cardon

  Come, Come, Ye Saints English Folk Song; arr. Mack Wilberg

• They, the Builders of the Nation Alfred M. Durham; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Wayfarin' Stranger American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Zion's Walls Revivalist Song; adapted by Aaron Copland; arr. Glenn Koponen
• Andante Molto from Concerto in C Major, RV 472, F. VIII, No. 7 Antonio Vivaldi
• Spoken Word Keep Going Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

  We’ve all heard the saying that “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” And the truth is, sometimes the best way to get through a trial is simply to keep going. Choosing not to become emotionally or spiritually stuck actually helps us summon the strength we need to move forward with life.

  No one knows this better than pioneers who blaze new trails. Whether making their way across fields of discovery, over rocky ridges of prejudice, or through mountains of misunderstanding, pioneers make better trails for those who follow by forging ahead, even when the way seems impossible. Today we recognize such pioneers who have made our world a better place.

  More than 150 years ago, a band of brave pioneers walked more than 1,000 miles to find a place of peace in the Rocky Mountains. Faith was the fuel that drove the covered wagons and the handcarts across a barren landscape. Remarkable are the stories of their courage and unflagging determination as they toiled across the seemingly endless western prairie.

  Agnes Caldwell, only nine years of age at the time, never forgot how it felt to walk so far. Later in life she recounted: “I can yet close my eyes and see everything in panoramic precision before me—the ceaseless walking, walking, ever to remain in my memory.”1 The strength she gained at a young age from enduring to the trail’s end served her well for the rest of her long life.

  When life gives us our own trails to blaze, when the going gets tough, we can draw strength from those pioneers and so many others who chose to keep going. Chances are that we’ll find we are stronger than we may think, and we’ll keep going too.
  1 In Andrew D. Olsen, The Price We Paid: The Extraordinary Story of the Willie and Martin Handcart Pioneers (2006), 77.

  Faith in Every Footstep K. Newell Dayley

  Saints Bound for Heaven Melody from Walker's Southern Harmony, 1835; arr. Mack Wilberg

• When In Our Music God Is Glorified Sine Nomine; arr. Emily Crocker
• Now We Sing Thy Praise Paul Tschesnokoff; arr. Noble Cain
• Recessional Robert Cundick
• I Will Sing with the Spirit John Rutter
• Spoken Word Cultivate an Attitude of Understanding Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

  For centuries, people have separated each other by setting up barriers and boundaries—the divisions we call “us” and “them.” In our interconnected society, we interact almost daily with people whose heritage, religion, skin color, gender, language, or choices are different from ours. The challenge lies in how we treat each other when we have little in common except our humanity.

  Small children seem to be especially good at this. When you smile at a child, she smiles back. When you make a face, she giggles. When you wave good-bye, she waves too. Barriers disappear in this simple, satisfying exchange. Perhaps children haven’t yet learned to see those barriers. Or maybe they see more clearly what’s really important.

  Anne Frank, a child herself and a victim of persecution because of her heritage, wrote that “we’re all searching for happiness; we’re all leading lives that are different and yet the same.”1

  “I still believe,” she observed, “in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.”2

  Accepting one another—no matter our differences—is a measure of our character and our hearts. Acceptance is not about changing “us” or “them”; it’s about a friendly gesture, a smile, an appreciation for interesting company or new ideas. It is learning to accept others despite mistakes, weaknesses, or bad choices and still loving them for who they are. Acceptance comes more easily when we are at peace, confident of our own place, our beliefs and direction.

  “Cultivate an attitude of understanding, and come to genuinely like people,” religious leader Thomas S. Monson has said. “I’ve rarely met a person that I didn’t want to get to know better. ... It doesn’t matter who they are.”3
  1 The Diary of a Young Girl, ed. Otto H. Frank and Mirjam Pressler, trans. Susan Massotty (1991), 324.

  2 The Diary of a Young Girl, 332.

  3 In Gerry Avant, “Church President to Be Sustained in Solemn Assembly,” Church News, April 5, 2008, 4.

  Beautiful Zion, Built Above Joseph G. Fones; arr. Mack Wilberg

  All My Trials Spiritual; arr. Albert McNeil

  Onward, Ye Peoples! Jean Sibelius; arr. Channing Lefebvre

• This Land Is Your Land Woody Guthrie; arr. Percy Faith/Michael Davis
• Deep River Spiritual; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Bound for the Promised Land American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Songs of the Land Delivered By: Lloyd D, Newell

  When we sing “songs of the land,” we celebrate the great diversity and unique contributions of peoples from all corners of the world. Music of the common man is everyone’s music; it comes from the heart and inspires audiences both young and old. In traditional hymns and folk tunes we can hear the voices of everyday people—and maybe even find our own voice.

  Over a century ago, the poet Walt Whitman praised the laboring people of the land using the metaphor of music. He wrote of the sweeping strains and pulsating rhythms of a mighty nation at work and at play. “I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,” Whitman proclaimed. He acknowledged mechanics, carpenters, masons, shoemakers, woodcutters, mothers, “each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else, ... singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.”1

  We all sing unique songs. We each make contributions that only we can make. Listen to any one of millions of voices, and you will hear the “varied carols” that Walt Whitman heard. You will hear the glorious sound of personal achievement in harmony with the common good. You will hear sweet sounds of hope, of possibility, of longing for good things to come. And you will hear in those words and melodies deep feelings of the heart.

  Our words may be accented with regional and ethnic flavor, and our opinions and beliefs may not always be the same, but as we sing the songs of the land—of the freedom, dignity, and opportunity we share—we sing with one voice and one heart.
  1 “I Hear America Singing,” Leaves of Grass (1921), 9–10.

  When the Saints Go Marching In American Traditional Song; arr. John Rutter

  Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing Melody from Wyeth's Repository of Sacred Music, 1813; arr. Mack Wilberg

• God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand George W. Warren
• America the Beautiful Samuel A. Ward; arr. Mack Wilberg
• So Many Voices Sing America's Song Robert F. Brunner
• Stars and Stripes Forever John Philip Sousa; arr.
• My Country, 'Tis of Thee From Thesaurus Musicus, London, 1744
• Spoken Word Symbols of Freedom Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

  The symbols of our freedom—the flags, statues, uniforms, anthems, and other emblems of our inspiring history—are not just relics of ancient heroism. They continue to inspire us today, keeping the promise of freedom alive for present and future generations.

  Nearly 200 years ago Francis Scott Key wrote words that became America’s national anthem. All through the night, enemy war ships bombarded Baltimore’s Fort McHenry. But by “dawn’s early light,”1 Francis Scott Key saw his country’s flag still flying proudly. We feel that same pride when this anthem brings stadiums full of people to their feet in grateful remembrance of their liberty.

  Our souls are likewise stirred when we see symbols like the Liberty Bell. Thousands wait in line, day after day, to view the now-silent bell near Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Its inscription still resounds in our hearts: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”2

  The Statue of Liberty is another symbol that rallies our resolve for freedom. Its torch kindles hope in people from all nations who are welcomed by the words engraved in its pedestal:

  “Give me your tired, your poor,

  Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”3

  Symbols such as these are so much more than cloth or metal. They remind us of the ideals for which so many have united and worked and sacrificed. They fill us with thanksgiving for the land we love. These symbols remind us to protect and promote freedom—for a land that was free and brave in the past is only as strong as the free and the brave who call it home today.
  1 “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Hymns, no. 340.
   
  2 Leviticus 25:10.
   
  3 Emma Lazarus, “The New Colossus.”

  God Bless America Irving Berlin; arr. Roy Ringwald

  Battle Hymn of the Republic William Steffe; arr. Peter J. Wilhousky

• Praise Ye the Lord John Rutter
• O Holy Jesus Jonathan Willcocks
• How Excellent Thy Name from "Saul" George Friderich Handel
• Toccata from "Symphonie V" Charles Marie Widor
• Come, We That Love the Lord Aaron Williams
• Spoken Word The Challenge of Change Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

  In a tragic accident, a young man was suddenly paralyzed from the neck down. Later, from his wheelchair, he observed with optimism, “My life changed in an instant. All of a sudden it seemed like everything was different. Since then, I’ve learned that change happens to everyone. It’s how we handle it that counts.”

  Not all change comes as quickly or dramatically as it did for this young man, but change does come to us all. Be it sudden or gradual, change is inevitable.

  For some it may be a layoff that makes a job change necessary. Children grow up and go off on their own, and a home that was once a busy hub of family activity becomes a quiet and sometimes lonely place. Loved ones pass away, and those left behind must learn to do without their cherished companionship. Coping with change can be a real challenge. But the young man was right—“it’s how we handle it that counts.”

  If we dwell too long on the past when change occurs, we place the future in jeopardy. We should treasure our memories and speak fondly of past good times, but as one wise man put it, we shouldn’t let “yesterday hold tomorrow hostage.” 1

  Change can provide opportunities for learning and personal growth. It forces us to look at things in a new and perhaps better way. In coping with change, we can find strengths and abilities we never knew we had. And the support we feel from things that have not changed—like family or friends or faith—becomes even more valuable to us.

  Although change is often difficult, with hope and determination we can turn it into something positive and meaningful. As we do, we will see that just as the night gives way to the brightness of each new sunrise, the challenges of today can bring a happier tomorrow.
  1 Neal A. Maxwell, in Conference Report, Oct. 1994, 46; or Ensign, Nov. 1994, 36.

  Sunrise, Sunset from "Fiddler on the Roof" Jerry Bock; arr. Arthur Harris

  Hymn of Praise Mack Wilberg

• For the Beauty of the Earth John Rutter
• We'll Shout and Give Him Glory Melody from The Olive Leaf, 1878; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Down By the Salley Gardens; Irish Folk Tune; arr Andrew Unsworth
• How Will They Know? Natalie Sleeth; adapted for orchestra by Nathan Hofheins
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellFatherhood - The Perfect Gift

  Most fathers will tell you that becoming a father changes everything. You feel more love, more gratitude, more responsibility, and more desire to do right and be an example to your child. It’s a job that may seem daunting at times. One father said: “I thought I never wanted to be a father. A child seemed to be a series of limitations and responsibilities that offered no reward. But when I experienced the perfection of fatherhood, the rest of the world remade itself before my eyes.”

  Fatherhood, of course, is not easy or without heartache and worry. The wise father continues: “This is not to say that becoming a father automatically makes you a good father. Fatherhood, like marriage, is a constant struggle against your limitations and self-interests. But the urge to be a perfect father is there, because your child is a perfect gift.”1 Fatherhood has the potential to make you better than you are: more patient and kind, more loving and forgiving, more tender and strong.

  For every father, there are those rare, precious moments of inexpressible joy when your daughter writes you a note that says, “Dad, thanks for all you’ve done” or your son says that he loves you, that he’s proud to be your son. And then there are days when you feel like a failure, days when you feel like giving up. But you don’t. You stay with it, you hope and pray for strength, and you trust that if you do your best things will work out.

  Especially on those difficult days of fathering, remember the words “your child is a perfect gift.” The situation may not be perfect right now; your son or daughter may not be perfect now—but neither are you. We’re all changing, hoping, and striving to become better people, and fatherhood—the perfect gift—can help us do that.
  1 Kent Nerburn, in Susan Ginsberg, comp., Family Wisdom: The 2,000 Most Important Things Ever Said about Parenting, Children, and Family Life (1996), 85.

  Turn Around Harry Belafonte, Alan Greene & Malvina Reynolds; arr. Michael Davis

  And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth from "Elijah" Felix Mendelssohn; edited by Robert Shaw

• Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah John Hughes; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Thank Thee, Lord, for This New Day Philip Lawson
• Awake the Trumpet's Lofty Sound from "Samson" George Frideric Handel; edited by Richard P. Condie
• Norwegian Rustic March Edward Grieg
• Oh, May My Soul Commune with Thee Lorin F. Wheelwright
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellBegin Again Tomorrow

  When troubles, heartaches, and disappointments weigh us down, how we cherish the companionship of friends who lift us up. Their patience and good cheer, even in the most stressful situations, can help us see beyond threatening clouds to clearer skies on the horizon.

  An incident in the life of Amos Bronson Alcott, educator and father of famed author Louisa May Alcott, illustrates the positive influence we can have on each other. The Alcott family finances were meager, and expectations were placed on Mr. Alcott to replenish the coffers with his winter lecture series. When he returned home one cold night, the family circled around him close to the fire. A hush fell on the gathering as daughter May asked the question weighing on all their minds and hearts: “Father, did they pay you?”

  Mr. Alcott opened his pocketbook, slowly pulled out a one-dollar bill, and laid it on the table. “Another year I will do better,” he said. There was silence. And then Mrs. Alcott threw her arms around her husband’s bent shoulders and said stoutly, “I call that doing very well.”1

  Mrs. Alcott understood how to master disappointment. She chose to be encouraging and optimistic instead of critical, bitter, or resentful. Without minimizing the problem, she kept the family’s focus on what really matters. She couldn’t make the family’s troubles go away, but she could contribute positively to the situation by lifting the burden from her husband with her patience and confidence. The Alcotts still had a difficult winter ahead, but they also had the strength and courage to face it together.

  Marmee, the mother in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, gives this advice: “Don’t let the sun go down upon your anger; forgive each other, help each other, and begin again to-morrow.”2
  1 See Clifton Fadiman, ed., The Little, Brown Book of Anecdotes (1985), 9.
  2 (1872), 71.

  There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today John R. Sweney; arr. Mack Wilberg

  Halle, Halle, Halle Traditional Caribbean Tune; arr. John Bell & Graham Maule; adapted by Marty Haugen

  All People that on Earth Do Dwell Louis Bourgeois, arr. Florence Jolley

• Glorious Everlasting M. Thomas Cousins
• The King of Love My Shepherd Is Irish Tune; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Rejoice, the Lord Is King Malcolm Archer
• Achieved Is the Glorious Work Franz Joseph Haydn; arr. Miller
• God Is Love Thomas C. Griggs; arr. Clay Christiansen
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellWillingness to Wait

  A young woman decided to plant a flower bed, determined to make it lush and overflowing. She planted numerous seedlings side by side until the bed was full. But instead of thriving, her garden died. If she had given her seedlings room to grow at their own rate, eventually they would have filled her garden with glorious flowers. But because she was not willing to wait for her plants, she lost their potential.

  How often we try to rush our own growth—and the growth of those around us—instead of letting time bring the desired results. Too quickly we get discouraged, forgetting to take the long view, forgetting that all of us are works in progress. As our own worst critics, we sometimes give up on ourselves just as we reach the brink of progress.

  Patience is essential if we are to enjoy the best life has to offer: happy marriages, fulfilling careers, developed talents, peace and contentment. Without patience, we rip open the bud, forever robbed of a blooming flower. Without patience, we fail to forgive and deny ourselves loving relationships. Without patience, we cannot conquer our own weaknesses and wind up avoiding anything we can’t do easily or quickly.

  Patience is the loving restraint with which we watch a child try a new task—and try again. Patience with others is a form of charity, a loving willingness to wait. When we show faith that improvement will come, children and loved ones blossom with hope. Patience is giving power to others, letting them grow at their own pace.

  When we choose to hold back a hasty judgment or pause before reacting, we step into a calmer sphere of peace and contentment. Our stress levels drop; our joy levels rise. And everyone around us feels the warmth of acceptance that allows growth to occur.

  All beautiful gardens began as patches of soil. They became glorious only because someone was willing to wait.

  God Is Love Thomas C. Griggs

  Old Time Religion Traditional; Arr. Moses Hogan; Adapted by Benjamin Harlan

  Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand John B. Dykes; arr. Arthur Harris

• God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand George W. Warren; arr. Mack Wilberg
• America, the Dream Goes On John Williams; arr. Michael Davis
• America the Beautiful Samuel A. Ward; arr. Andrew Unsworth
• Hymn to the Fallen John Williams
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellNow I See

  Life is a great teacher. The longer we live, the more we realize how much we’ve yet to learn. Perhaps that’s why so many memorial services include renditions of John Newton’s beloved song “Amazing Grace.” The words reverberate in our souls: “I once . . . was blind and now I see.”

  Hasn’t life taught us all, at some time, that we were wrong? Who, through life experience and the process of maturity, hasn’t had his or her eyes opened?

  This happened quite literally to one little girl who insisted that she did not need glasses. “I can see!” she protested. And she could, but not as well as she would when fitted with her first pair of glasses. Slowly, carefully, she rested the glasses on her nose and opened her eyes to a whole new world. She saw details she’d never seen before: the veins on leaves, the pockmarks in brick, the pointed grass blades that before were blurred. Now that she could truly see, she rejoiced in her newfound vision!

  And so can we. Instead of resisting life’s lessons, we can begin to see with new eyes. John Newton knew what it was like to be once blind. Early in his career, he was a slave trader; later he became a clergyman and eventually an influential abolitionist who regretted his spiritual blindness of days past. Even though it took years for Newton to see things correctly, he resolved to help others recognize such blindness of heart. He wrote, “We think we know a great deal, because we are ignorant of what remains to be learnt.”1

  Someday, when those we love honor our memory, they may be proud of all the times we were right. But they will be inspired most by the times we admitted we were wrong, when we realized we were blind and were willing to see.
  1 In William E. Phipps, Amazing Grace in John Newton: Slave-Ship Captain, Hymnwriter, and Abolitionist (2001), 209.

  Amazing Grace Traditional; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Saints Bound for Heaven American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• His Voice as the Sound American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• How Bright the Day American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Land of Rest American Melody; arr. Dale Wood
• Adam-ondi-Ahman Anonymous; Southern Harmony, 1835
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellMusic of the Heart

  Sometimes the most important work we do is never attributed to us, and often it is our anonymous efforts that do the most good. So it was for the unknown authors of folk music. Passed down by oral tradition, their musical treasures ring with authenticity and passion. In many cases, both authorship and origin have been lost to the ages; yet such anonymous songs often have the greatest appeal.

  Perhaps because they are not tied to a specific time or person, folk songs express thoughts and feelings that transcend generations, enriching lives for centuries.

  One type of folk music is the venerable folk hymn, which was made up of simple, familiar tunes that “everybody could sing and . . . words that spoke from the heart . . . in the language of the common man.”1 People love this traditional music of the heart because it resounds with their culture, their beliefs, and the feelings they hold most dear.

  One scholar has observed that these unknown composers of the past considered their “noble musical heritage” to be “their most loved and treasured possession,” which they reverently laid “on the altar of their worship.” “There is a strong probability,” he says, “that this practice has continued unbroken for at least thirteen centuries.”2

  We can keep that chain of heartfelt contributions unbroken in our own day. We may not be musicians—we may not even be able to carry much of a tune—but we all have contributions to make. Whether or not we get credit for those offerings is not so important as the fact that we give our best and share our hearts with others.
  1George Pullen Jackson, ed., Spiritual Folk-Songs of Early America (1975), 6.
  2John Powell, in Spiritual Folk-Songs of Early America, vii.

  Down to the River to Pray American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Morning Has Broken Traditional Gaelic Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Softly and Tenderly Will L. Thompson; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Simple Gifts Shaker Melody; arr. Richard Elliott
• I Often Go Walking Jeanne P. Lawler; arr. Nathan Hofheins
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellThe Queen Mum

  No matter where life takes us, a mother’s love and guidance can help us become secure, compassionate, and contributing individuals. Few if any mothers feel they measure up to that accolade. Yet their love and influence are undeniable. And that’s why we honor them. A mother’s love can be so powerful that it can influence a child, a family, a community, and even a nation.

  Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon is a good example. By title, she was the Queen Consort, wife of King George VI and mother of today’s Queen Elizabeth. Her royal position could have made her aloof and out-of-touch with the people. But history says otherwise. For good reason, the Brits endearingly called her the Queen Mum.

  During the Second World War, England faced relentless aerial bombing; even Buckingham Palace was hit in the raids. Officials urged the queen to flee to Canada, but she refused to leave the land and people she loved. She became the symbol of the British fighting spirit, inspiring her subjects to courage and optimism.

  The queen willingly sacrificed along with her people. She participated in food rationing, used space heaters to conserve fuel, and allowed only one bare bulb to light each room at Windsor Castle. She frequently visited bombed-out areas, offering hope to those whose lives were buried in rubble.

  Sounds like a mother, doesn’t it? On the front lines and battlefields of life, they can rally the best in us. They build with courage, sacrifice, dedication, determination, and service—and above all, love. May we each so live that our lives reflect the powerful influence of our mothers’ love.

  My Mother's Love Janice Kapp Perry; arr. Nathan Hofheins

  Come to My Garden Lucy Simon; arr. Kurt Beston

• Canticle of Faithfulness Daniel Bird; Based on the Hymn "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" by William M. Runyan
• He Shall Feed His Flock John Ness Beck
• The Heavens Are Telling from "The Creation" Franz Josef Haydn
• Wondrous Love American Folk Hymn; arr. Andrew Unsworth
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellThe Real Thing

  At a recent magic show, the audience gasped in disbelief at the illusions the magician so skillfully presented. More than just pulling a rabbit out of a hat, he seemed to conjure up out of midair doves, flowers, and even people—and then make them disappear again. The audience could hardly believe their eyes. At the end of the show, one observer commented, “You know it’s not really happening, but it sure looks real.”

  Things aren’t always what they seem—in magic shows and in people. True character is often disguised, as people are made to appear authentic even when they are not. Great amounts of time and money are spent in manufacturing a good reputation, even when there may not be a good character to match it.

  With great insight, Abraham Lincoln said: “Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.”1 Our lives are more peaceful and secure when we learn to pay less attention to the shadows and focus on “the real thing.”

  Authenticity is essential in human relationships. Anyone can profess love, but it will never mean as much or be so sweet as sincere, heartfelt affection. Fair-weather friends are easy to find, but a genuine friend who can be counted on to remain true is a treasure worth searching for. No self-serving show of compassion will ever equal authentic goodness.

  As the tree differs from the shadow, so does the authentic differ from the fake. There is no magic quite so wonderful as a genuinely good person. When you find someone who is authentic, someone who is true, you have found “the fairest gem that the riches of worlds can produce.”2  
  1 In Burton Stevenson, sel., The Home Book of Quotations (1934), 234.
  2 “Oh Say, What Is Truth?” Hymns, no. 272.

  O Say, What Is Truth? Ellen Knowles Melling

  Rock-A-My Soul In the Bosom of Abraham Spiritual; arr. Howard Roberts

  A Gaelic Blessing John Rutter

• O Be Joyful in the Lord John Rutter
• My Song in the Night American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Aria on "Jewels" Dale Wood
• For the Beauty of the Earth Conrad Kocher; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellOpen Our Hearts in Abundance

  We live in a competitive culture. Most of the time it takes the form of harmless fun—we enjoy sporting events, board games, and other contests that pit one against another. But when a competitive spirit invades our daily lives and our relationships with others, it can lead to feelings of jealousy, resentment, and self-doubt.

  Those who have found true peace have learned to step off the merry-go-round of competition. It’s not easy—quick fixes seldom work. But there are a few things we can do, a few truths we can remember, that can make a difference in our life and in our heart.

  Not long ago, a learned professor needed to have some plumbing work done in his home. He was amazed at how much the plumber knew about pipes—and how little he, with all his academic training, knew about the subject. No one knows everything about every topic; it’s not possible—or even necessary, if we’re willing to work with instead of against each other. We each have areas of strength and expertise. Search for yours, and then build on them.

  Be committed to lifelong learning. Instead of competing with others, learn from them, appreciate them. You can always expand your knowledge, develop a skill, and share a talent. This can open your heart to others and create a sense of humility, as you learn that everyone you meet can teach you something you didn’t know.

  When we’re tempted to compare ourselves to others, it helps to remember that we never know the whole story of anyone’s life. All we can do is love, be patient, and be kind. We’re all in this together, and we need each other.

  In sports, there can be only one winner, and in order for one to win, everyone else has to lose. But life doesn’t have to be that way. Truly, we can all win when we open our hearts in abundance to others.

  God of Power, God of Right Tracy Y. Cannon

  On a Clear Day Burton Lane; arr. Arthur Harris

  On Great Lone Hills from "Finlandia" Jean Sibelius; arr. H. Alexander Matthews

• Sing Praise to Him Tune from Bohemian Brethren's Songbook, 1566; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Pilgrims' Chorus from "Tannhäuser" Richard Wagner
• Prelude on "Brother James's Air" arr. Searle Wright
• Be Thou My Vision Traditional Irish Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellThe Joys of Creation

  Nancy was eight years old when a teacher looked at her drawing and spoke six words Nancy would never forget: “You’re not very talented, are you?”

  The words not only embarrassed her, they burrowed inside her, creating a firm resolve never to make a fool of herself by attempting to draw or paint again.

  It took more than five decades for Nancy to outgrow this image of herself as a clumsy, artless, and uncreative person. Today Nancy knows something she wishes she could have understood when she was eight: the reason we create is not for the praise of others but because we love something so much we want to see it exist.

  That’s what creative people do. They bring to life things that didn’t exist before.

  Creativity is one of the great, mysterious hungers we all have as mortal souls, and there are as many ways to express this divine drive as there are people who feel it. Some of the most creative people in the world never pick up a paintbrush, sit down at a piano, or fill a page with words. Yet because of them, the world is filled with scented gardens, warm quilts, and loving relationships. Sometimes the most important thing we create is as simple as a smile.

  Many of us have something we’ve always wanted to try to do but never quite got around to it—perhaps because we lacked the confidence, or maybe because we were afraid we would fail. The good news is this: when we set aside our fears and begin to create, we make not only our lives but our world more meaningful and more wonderful.

  One wise man put it this way: “God left [the] world unfinished. . . . He left the problems unsolved and the pictures unpainted and the music unsung that man might know the joys and glories of creation.”1
  1 Attributed to Alan Stockdale by Sterling W. Sill in Conference Report, Apr. 1960, 70.

  Never Never Land Jule Styne; arr. Mack Wilberg

  High On the Mountain Top Ebenezer Beesley; arr. Mack Wilberg

• O Come Ye Nations of the Earth Based on the tune Ellacombe; arr. Mack Wilberg
• As the Bridegroom to His Chosen John Rutter
• Sanctus from "Requiem" Giuseppe Verdi
• Chanson de Matin Edward Elgar
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellA Lifetime of Learning

  An elderly man sat in his easy chair carefully cradling a book. Magazines and newspapers lay on the table in front of him. “My books are like friends to me,” he said. “I share so many memories with the old ones, and I enjoy learning from the new ones. And there is always so much to learn!” This from a man for whom learning had been a constant practice for the better part of a century.

  Some feel they have outgrown their chance to learn. “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” goes the saying, but that seems not to be true. Many older people are still reaping a rich harvest of knowledge. Lifelong learning is no longer a luxury for just a few of us but something that all can pursue.

  To consume a good book, to digest a report of current events, to savor the words of great thinkers past and present is to feed the soul and nourish the heart. We are never too old for such a feast.

  And learning is found not just in books. People and places are great sources of new information and experience. We can ask questions and enjoy discussions with friends and family members, learning from their points of view. We can visit a local museum to hear the story of a historic landmark or inquire at a public library about any topic we choose. Or we can visit the Internet, where a world of information is right at our fingertips.

  Formal education may be designed for the young, but the young at heart can enjoy a lifetime of learning. And when we leave this life, though our earthly goods will be left behind, the knowledge we have gained will be ours forever.

  Dearest Children, God Is Near You John Menzies Macfarlane

  The Battle of Jericho Spiritual; arr. Moses Hogan

  Redeemer of Israel Freeman Lewis; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Praise to the Lord, the Almighty "Stralsund Gesangbuch" 1665; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Consider the Lilies of the Field Roger Hoffman; arr. A. Laurence Lyon
• I Sing the Mighty Power of God English Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• I Need Thee Every Hour Robert Lowry; Improvisation by Richard Elliott
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellPeace of Heart

  Sometimes peace comes in the most unexpected ways. A long time ago, when the ancient Israelites were battling the Philistines in the valley of Elah, peace must have seemed impossible. Each day for 40 days, the Philistines’ nine-and-a-half-foot giant, Goliath, wearing a helmet of brass and heavy armor, challenged the Israelites to fight, but the Israelites were afraid to take any action, immobilized with fear.1  Surrender and slavery to the Philistines seemed to be the only hope for peace.

  But young David showed them another way. He assured King Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of [Goliath]; thy servant will go and fight.”2  David, a mere boy, refused the king’s armor and sword and refused to believe that he would be defeated. Instead, he carried the slingshot he used to defend his father’s sheep and, with great confidence born of faith, faced the giant. The rest is history. He was victorious, and his people at last had peace.

  We all face giants of other forms that can fill us with fear—giants that might make peace seem out of reach for a time. Perhaps we need to have an important conversation that we’ve been putting off; perhaps we need to seek forgiveness from someone we love. Maybe we need to seek medical attention, overcome a personal weakness, or pay a mounting debt. It may be tempting to do as the Israelites did and cower in fear on the other side of the hill. But how much peace did they have there?

  Peace is not just the absence of adversity; peace of heart comes when we face up to the battles of life all around us. Even when circumstances seem overwhelming, we can do as David did and, with faith unshakable, confront our problems and face our fears, depending on the Lord for strength.
  1 See 1 Samuel 17:1–11.
  2 1 Samuel 17:32.

  Our Savior's Love Crawford Gates; arr. Robert Cundick

  The Spirit of God Like a Fire Is Burning Anonymous; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Let There Be Light, Gilbert M. Martin
• Lord, Speak To Me, Jeffery H. Rickard
• I'm Goin' Home, Leonard P. Breedlove; Arr. Pepper Choplin
• Toccata in Seven John Rutter
• With Songs of Praise, Newel Kay Brown
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellThe Door of Opportunity

  In the early years of the Revolutionary War, things did not look good for the fledgling American navy. In a period of three months, they had lost seven ships, including their two largest. In the midst of the gloom, however, was a shining light: Captain John Barry.

  He was so successful with his first military command that he was promoted to captain a frigate still under construction. While waiting, he volunteered to serve in the army during a bitterly cold winter. But his frigate was never completed, leaving Barry a captain without a ship.

  Meanwhile, enemy transports were sailing unchallenged along the Delaware River resupplying their forces. Not content to wait for another ship to command, Captain Barry proposed a daring plan—to take a few of the rowboats from some of the larger ships, mount small cannons in their bows, and challenge the enemy transports.

  Many thought the idea of outfitting what they called “washtubs” and sending them against armed ships was foolish. But Barry felt confident he could do it, and he was right.

  Because Barry’s boats were small, they were able to escape enemy fire. The cannons on the rowboats hit their mark, and Captain Barry’s brave little fleet forced three British ships to surrender.

  By the end of the war, Barry had captured more than 20 ships. As a consequence of his bravery and leadership, he was later named chief naval commander and is widely recognized as the father of the American navy.

  It’s easy to become discouraged when the storms of life bring misfortune or distress. But Captain John Barry knew that adversity often opens the door of opportunity. He recognized it, acted on it, and, as a result, became a national hero.

  From him and many others like him we learn an important lesson: Often the very adversity that plagues our lives is, in disguise, an opportunity for greatness.

  Eternal Father, Strong to Save John B. Dykes, arr. Mack Wilberg

  Ain' A That Good News! Spiritual; Arr. William Dawson

  Thou Gracious God, Whose Mercy Lends English Folk Tune; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Christ the Lord Is Risen Today Melody from "Lyra Davidica;" arr. John Rutter
• If a Man Die, Shall He Live Again? from "The Redeemer" Robert Cundick
• The Almighty God Gave His Only Begotten Son from "The Redeemer" Robert Cundick
• He Is Risen! Joachim Neander, arr. Andrew Unsworth
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellNew Life and New Hope

  The coming of spring is a change we anticipate and welcome. After a cold winter, we rejoice in longer days and warmer temperatures. And as the snow begins to melt, we watch for splashes of color and for those first brave blossoms. But perhaps it’s more than good weather we’re looking forward to—it’s the abundance of new life and new hope offered in spring.

  Somehow, the hope of spring can make it easier to believe in unseen realities. Yet even in spring we may grapple with discouragement, despair, or anguish of soul. Like Job of old, we may sincerely wonder, “If a man die, shall he live again?”1 At such times, when we need new hope, when we yearn for the nurture of charity, we might find seedlings of faith in our own souls.

  Almost in an instant, the trials of life can strip away the superficial and help us discover who we really are and what we really believe. C. S. Lewis said:

  “You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you. It is easy to say you believe a rope to be strong and sound as long as you are merely using it to cord a box. But suppose you had to hang by that rope over a precipice. Wouldn’t you then first discover how much you really trusted it? . . . Only a real risk tests the reality of a belief.”2

  Sometimes only in the winters of our lives can we truly appreciate and believe in the miracles of spring. Like children who run through grassy fields in search of hidden eggs, adults too can search and find new life and new hope as we turn our hearts to God.3
   
  1 Job 14:14.
  2 A Grief Observed (1961), 25.
  3 See John 17:3.

  O Light Of Life, Mack Wilberg

  Hallelujah from "Messiah" George Frideric Handel

• All Glory Laud and Honor
• Behold, This Is the Way from "The Redeemer" Robert Cundick
• Let Us Go Into the House of the Lord Z. Randall Stroope
• Antiphon No. 5
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellThe Next Generation

  In every family, each generation passes stories and traditions to the next. The knowledge and experiences that are transmitted in this way become a family’s collective memory. It not only is a history of who they have been but also a constitution of who they are and a road map for what they can become. If families don’t continue to pass along these memories, stories, knowledge, and skills, they become lost to the next generation.

  Much of what is worth remembering is simple and prosaic, not dramatic and spectacular. Who would ever want to forget the family vacations filled with mishaps and adventures? or the many experiences of rearing a family—with all its joys and heartache? What about a skill learned at the hand of a grandfather? a poem learned in the lap of a mother? These family connections are more vital to a family’s identity than the more obvious physical traits they may share.

  We may think we’ll never forget the tender moments, the funny times, and the poignant exchanges that stir our souls. But memory can fade.

  Today, with the marvels of modern technology, it’s easier than ever to preserve and share such memories. It still takes effort and desire, but in a matter of minutes we can create a lasting record of the past and present, send it on to others, and keep the memories alive.

  We all hope that something will outlive us, something will linger for a while after we’re gone. The things of this world will soon be forgotten and turn to dust, but stories and memories, skills and knowledge can last forever. The present always becomes the past for someone else. If we are wise, and we take the time and make the effort, we can leave a remarkable legacy that will teach, inform, and inspire the next generation.

  Lord, We Come Before Thee Now Harry A. Dean

  Every Time I Feel the Spirit Traditional; arr. Moses Hogan

  Sing Praise to Him Bohemian Brethren's Songbook; arr. Randall Kempton

• All Creatures of Our God and King German Hymn Tune; arr. Mack Wilberg
• The Lord My Pasture Will Prepare Dmitri Bortniansky; arr. Mack Wilberg
• In Joyful Praise Laurence Lyon
• Holy Felix Mendelssohn; edited by Gregg Smith
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellA Chain of Goodwill

  One act of kindness often leads to another—and another. Recently a man was waiting for his order in a drive-through lane when the driver behind him, impatient and in a rush, began to honk and holler at the man to hurry up. The man at the drive-through window could have reacted with anger or spite, and from there who knows how this confrontation might have escalated.

  Instead, the man chose to respond with what must have been unexpected kindness. He gave the employee at the drive-through window money to pay the bill for the man in line behind him.

  When the impatient driver learned that the customer in front of him had paid for his order, he in turn decided to pay for the order of the next customer in line. The result was a chain of goodwill that continued throughout the day. Some thought it was a joke, all were greatly surprised, and most reacted in kind—paying for the orders of those behind them. And it all started because one customer decided to respond with kindness.

  Each day we have opportunities to choose kindness. Rather than reacting in anger, taking offense, or returning animosity, we can decide to send out goodwill. In the face of hostility, we can try to be helpful. Instead of becoming bitter, we can strive to do better. As we think of others and respond with kindness, something magical happens, something that blesses both the giver and receiver.

  So, today, do an unexpected good deed. Instead of getting upset, get up and do something to help someone else. Pass along some small kindness and bless another’s life. As you do, you’ll come to know the deepest kind of joy—a joy that ripples from one heart to another without end.

  Because I Have Been Given Much Phillip Landgrave

  I'm Runnin' On Spiritual; arr. Mack Wilberg

  All Hail the Power To the tune "Miles Lane" by W. Shrubsole; arr. R. Vaughan Williams

• How Great Thou Art Swedish folk melody; arr. Nathan Hofheins
• Behold! He Shall Be Born of Mary from "The Redeemer" Robert Cundick
• Because He Dwelleth in the Flesh from "The Redeemer" Robert Cundick
• How Beautiful Upon the Mountains from "The Redeemer" Robert Cundick
• Festival Voluntary Flor Peeters
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellTime to Connect

  We live in a day of remarkable communication tools. New technologies allow us to connect with people anywhere in the world. Yet the irony is that many of us feel cut off, disconnected from other people, even the people who matter most to us. Too often we use modern conveniences to make our lives busier instead of better; somehow we become more distant from, not closer to, those we love.

  If we sometimes feel isolated, there is much we can do to bridge the gap. We could take a moment to write a note, send an e-mail, make a phone call, or just stop to chat. We run the risk of becoming strangers in our neighborhoods or even our homes if we don’t seek out opportunities for personal connection.

  One man noted that in his busy office, it seemed that no one ever stopped to visit. Dozens of co-workers shared a building but didn’t share anything else. Yes, work needs to be done, and time is precious. But when he took just a brief but authentic moment to say hello, to ask, to get an update, he noticed a big difference in the office and in his heart.

  Perhaps we need to rethink the notion that a moment spent connecting is a waste of time. On the contrary, it can be one of the richest aspects of life.

  This same principle applies to our relationship with our Maker. No matter how disconnected we may feel from Him, the great Governor of the Universe is never too busy to reconnect with us. Of course, we don’t need modern technologies to communicate with God. Sometimes the best way is through a simple hymn of praise: “Still all my song shall be nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!”1
  1 “Nearer, My God, to Thee,” Hymns, no. 100.

  Nearer, My God, to Thee Lowell Mason; arr. Arthur Harris

  Rejoice, the Lord Is King Malcolm Archer

• How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place John Leavitt
• And What Is It We Shall Hope for from "The Redeemer" Robert Cundick
• Take Time to Be Holy Irish Melody; arr. John Longhurst
• Every Time I Feel the Spirit Improvisation by Richard Elliott
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellA Timeless Longing for Dignity and Freedom

  On the first day of December 1955, a prim, middle-aged woman riding a bus home from work made a decision that would shake the country. Rosa Parks, a black seamstress who was tired after a long day’s work, refused to give up her seat on the bus so a white man could sit down. As a result, she was arrested and jailed. This act of civil disobedience triggered a series of events considered now to be the beginning of the American civil rights movement.

  Martin Luther King Jr. said of Rosa Parks’s resolve: “It was an individual expression of a timeless longing for human dignity and freedom. . . . She was anchored to that seat [on the bus] by the accumulated indignities of days gone and the boundless aspirations of generations yet unborn. She was a victim of both the forces of history and the forces of destiny.”¹

  Her resolute decision in behalf of dignity and freedom began to tear down the walls of bigotry. Years later, Rosa Parks would be awarded the two highest civilian awards in the United States: the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. She would be called the mother of the modern-day civil rights movement.

  Part of her success in advancing human rights was found in the quiet strength of her character. Rosa Parks refused to become bitter or vengeful when she was denied justice; instead she believed that “a heart filled with love could conquer anything,” even prejudice.²

  And love is something all of us can have. It can motivate us to stand up for what’s right, as Rosa Parks did, and promote the common welfare of all peoples. It can inspire us to see past differences and treat all of God’s children with dignity and respect. As we do so, we’ll find that both people and the times can change for the better.
  1 In Douglas Brinkley, Rosa Parks: A Life, (2000), 141.
  2 Douglas Brinkely, Rosa Parks, 14.

  I Want Jesus to Walk with Me Spiritual; arr. Moses Hogan

  When the Saints Go Marching In Traditional; arr. John Rutter

• Hymn of Praise Mack Wilberg (Incorporating the hymn tune "Old Hundredth" by Louis Bourgeois)
• For I Am Called By Thy Name Crawford Gates
• Awake the Harp from "The Creation" Franz Josef Haydn
• Arioso (Darwin Wolford)
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellFinding Joy

  One of the most popular courses taught at Harvard University is a class called “Positive Psychology.” In essence, the professor teaches how to find joy in living. One semester more than 800 students enrolled.1 What does it say about our society that we must teach “finding joy” at the highest levels of academia?

  Many myths and misconceptions swirl about how and where to find joy. For so many, it is elusive. Some think that joy comes from money or material possessions, so they conclude that adding more of them will surely bring increased joy. Or we may think we can only have joy if our relationships are always stable and our careers are always successful.

  But real joy does not depend on our social status or our bank account, and it can even be found in times of turmoil and disappointment. Joy springs from our attitude and outlook. It comes from simple gestures, like making time for family members or friends, clearing up a misunderstanding, expressing gratitude for the efforts of others, celebrating their successes, or taking time to listen to their worries.

  This kind of joy is available not only during times of peace, when all is going well, but also when we face challenges, heartache, or pain. In fact, that’s when joy does its greatest service—it brings balance and peace to the harshness and stresses of everyday living. It lifts our sights and settles our souls.

  Ask yourself where you find joy, and then diligently look for it there. If, at the end of the day, we remember and prize each moment of real joy, we will learn for ourselves the truth of what the Psalmist promised: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”2
  1 See Leon Neyfakh, “The Science of Smiling,” The Harvard Crimson, Feb. 16, 2006.
  2 Psalm 30:5.

  On This Day of Joy and Gladness Leroy J. Robertson

  As I Walked Through London City English Folk Song; arr. Mack Wilberg

  He's Got the Whole World In His Hands Spiritual; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Thanks Be to God! From "Elijah" Felix Mendelssohn
• I Need Thee Every Hour Robert Lowry; arr. Mack Wilberg
• In Thee Is Gladness Giovanni G. Gastoldi; setting by Daniel Kallman
• Annie Laurie Scottish Melody; arr. Andrew Unsworth
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellA Delicate Love

  One of the best gifts parents can give their children is to love each other. When children notice that their parents like being together, when they observe an enduring affection between Mom and Dad, it gives them a deep sense of security.

  Mother Teresa, leader of the Missionaries of Charity, remembered the glee she felt as a child when she watched her mother anticipate the arrival of her father. In her own words, Mother Teresa recounts: “[My mother] used to move very fast to get ready to meet my father. At that time, we didn’t understand, we used to smile, we used to laugh and we used to tease her. But now I remember what a tremendous, delicate love she had for him.”

  Even though many years had passed, Mother Teresa still cherished the memory of her mother’s love for her father and wondered how such love could be felt by more families today. She continued: “Today we have no time. The father and the mother are so busy. . . . That’s why . . . I always say: Family first. If you are not there, how will your love grow for one another?”1

  No wonder some of literature’s most famous metaphors compare love with flowers. Love can be both strong and delicate. At times, love can endure extreme conditions, and yet, even in favorable circumstances, it can wither and die when not properly nourished.

  In the same way, when parents take time to love each other, to nourish their relationship, their love grows. And because the rest of the family draws strength from that relationship, their children’s love—for them and for others—grows too.

  Even if memories of home life are not so sweet, adult children can begin a legacy of love to give to the next generation of children. They can nurture relationships and help children believe that love can last forever.
  1 The Joy in Loving: A Guide to Daily Living with Mother Teresa, comp. Jaya Chaliha and Edward Le Joly (1996), 146.

  Where Love Is Joanne Bushman Doxey & Marjorie Castleton Kjar; arr. Sam Cardon

  From All That Dwell Below the Skies John Hatton; arr. Mack Wilberg

• How Firm a Foundation Attributed to J. Ellis; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Lift Thine Eyes from "Elijah" Felix Mendelssohn
• He Watching Over Israel from "Elijah" Felix Mendelssohn
• Improvisation on "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet Caroline Sheridan Norton; Improvisation by Richard Elliott
• Danny Boy Irish Folk Tune; arr. Mack Wilberg
• My Redeemer Lives G. Homer Durham; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellPresident Gordon B. Hinckley - A Leader and a Friend

  The recent passing at age 97 of President Gordon B. Hinckley moves us to pay tribute to his remarkable life and leadership. We respectfully refer to him as “President” because for nearly 13 years he served as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We lovingly call him “friend” because of his extraordinary supervision of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for so many decades.

  No one has loved this Choir more; few have had a greater influence upon it. President Hinckley has overseen the Choir since 1971. He has been its champion and visionary leader for over three decades. But more than that, he has been our beloved associate and dear friend.

  His accomplishments are too numerous to mention. His love of family, friends, and all people around the world will inspire generations yet unborn. His legacy of faith and service will continue to stand as a beacon to follow.

  With an outstretched hand and a big heart he traveled the world, inspiring everyone to greater good, testifying of God’s love for all people. He raised his voice in condemning evil. He encouraged us to stand a little taller, be a little better, and go forward with faith. He taught, “There is no obstacle too great, no challenge too difficult, if we have faith.”1

  President Hinckley’s strength of character, devotion to truth, and optimistic outlook comfort our souls even as we mourn his passing. “If [he] had a personal motto it was, in his own words: ‘Things will work out. If you keep trying and praying and working, things will work out. They always do. If you want to die at an early age, dwell on the negative. Accentuate the positive, and you’ll be around for a while.’ ”2

  With gratitude that he was with us for so long, we raise our voices in remembrance and love for a giant among men, President Gordon B. Hinckley.
   
   
   
  1 Stand a Little Taller: Counsel and Inspiration for Each Day of the Year (2001), 7.
   
  2 Sheri Dew, Go Forward with Faith: The Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley (1996), 423.

  God Be with You Till We Meet Again William G. Tomer; arr. Mack Wilberg

• I Sing the Greatness of Our God Fred Bock
• All Beautiful the March of Days English Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• A Trumpet Minuet Alfred Hollins
• My Shepherd Will Supply My Need American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellThe Sunnier Side of Doubt

  In the middle of a cold winter it’s difficult to believe that summer’s warmth will ever come. Likewise, when we’re in the midst of heartache, when our difficulties seem to outweigh our joys, it’s easy to lose hope for today and wonder about tomorrow.

  It’s natural to doubt, to wonder about that which we cannot see or prove to be true. But as the well-known English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson, urged:

  Nothing worthy proving can be proven,

  Nor yet disproven: wherefore thou be wise,

  Cleave ever to the sunnier side of doubt.1

  It takes a leap of faith to cleave to the sunnier side of doubt. We live in a day when some disparage belief; a day when doubt and cynicism are sometimes valued above conviction. But when we choose to hope despite our doubts, when we decide to trust in spite of questions, we begin to feel power in the present and faith in the future. The sunnier side of doubt leads us to see the world through a lens of trust and confidence. It helps us to discover a higher power and higher purpose in life.

  Everlasting things like love, truth, and faith are real and good—not because they are visible or tangible, but because they speak to our hearts and they can be depended on to stand the test of time. They have been tried in the furnace of skepticism and doubt and have come out strong.

  So while summer’s warmth seems distant during the winters of our lives, we can hope and trust that it will surely come, things will work out, and life will go on—everlastingly.

  I will not doubt, I will not fear;

  God’s love and strength are always near.

  His promised gift helps me to find

  An inner strength and peace of mind.2
  1 “The Ancient Sage,” in Poems of Tennyson, ed. Henry Van Dyke and D. Laurance Chambers (1903), 263.
   
  2 “When Faith Endures,” Hymns, no. 128.

  When Faith Endures Stephen M. Jones

  Old Time Religion Traditional; arr. Moses Hogan; adapted by Benjamin Harlan

  The Whole Armor of God K. Lee Scott

• How Excellent Thy Name from Saul George Friderich Handel
• David's Lamentation William Billings; arr. Elie Siegmeister
• How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place from Requiem Mack Wilberg
• All Creatures of Our God and King arr. David Chamberlin
• I Will Sing with the Spirit John Rutter
• Primary Colors from Deepest Desire Jake Heggie
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellJust a Few Simple Notes

  The immortal words of Oscar Hammerstein inspire us today with their truth:

  My heart will be blessed
  With the sound of music. 1

  From the popular tunes we enjoy, to sacred hymns, holiday music, and patriotic songs of every nation, we are a world of music lovers. Hearing even just a few strains of a song from our youth seems to transport us to another time and place. Music evokes memories, lifts spirits, and inspires good deeds.

  No one can deny the immense power in music. Yet if you look at its components, from a stirring masterpiece to a simple jingle, all music is made from variations on just a few notes. Throughout history, composers have used seemingly infinite combinations of a limited set of sounds to soothe a crying infant, to express romantic love, to rally troops, to honor heroes, to worship, and to express the feelings of the heart. What a miracle it is that so much power can come from something so simple.

  We are not so different from those notes ourselves. Individually we may seem ordinary, but each of us contributes uniquely to the groups we join and the causes we support. To leave out any one of us would be like denying a composer the use of one note.

  Whether it’s in our families, our work, our neighborhoods, or our countries, we make the most beautiful music when we unite with others in good causes. Just as one note alone doesn’t become a song until it is joined by others, so we cannot make a symphony of love and caring until we invite others into our efforts. That’s when the masterpiece unfolds. It only takes the efforts of a few, but the outcome can truly be magnificent.
  1. “The Sound of Music” (1959).

  The Sound of Music from The Sound of Music Richard Rodgers; arr. Arthur Harris

• The Last Words of David Randall Thompson
• Let the Whole Creation Cry Robert Leaf
• Carillon De Westminster Louis Vierne
• The King of Love My Shepherd Is Irish Tune; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell What Really Matters

  At the scene of a disastrous house fire, a television news journalist interviewed a woman who had lost her home and all her belongings. “How are you doing?” he asked. She responded, “Well, everything is gone, but we’re OK. No one was hurt. We still have our family, and that’s what really matters.”

  Of course, there was sorrow at the loss of treasured possessions, but this woman was still able to feel gratitude for what remained. She knew that material things come and go, but the people around us, the intangibles of life, matter most.

  Deep down, we all know that. But sometimes our property and possessions get more of our attention than they deserve. Because material things are widely advertised and promoted, we tend to pursue them with zeal; because friends and family members are forgiving and loyal, we sometimes take them for granted.

  We are right to be thankful for the comforts and conveniences that surround us, but it’s good to remember that with the spark from a match, a rush of wind, or a torrent of water, all of those familiar things can be taken away in a moment. Despite the grief that victims of disasters feel, they often realize that the material things they have lost are far less important to them than they ever knew. As one observer put it, “Things are just things.”¹

  Even if we lose the very roof over our heads, our loss can be softened by the embrace of loved ones who are still there to support and comfort us. Material goods can be replaced, or life can go on without them. If we still have our friends, our family, and our faith, then we have what really matters.
  1 Michael Josephson, “Things Are Just Things,” http://www.charactercounts.org/michael/2007/09/things_are_just_things_5304.html

  Love at Home John Hugh McNaughton; arr. Mack Wilberg

  Let Me Fly Spiritual; arr. Robert DeCormier

  All People that on Earth Do Dwell Louis Bourgeois; arr. Florence Jolley

• Arise, O God, and Shine John Darwell; arr. Mack Wilberg
• The Lord Is My Shepherd Thomas Koschat; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Ring Out, Wild Bells Robert Hebble
• Come, Let Us Anew Attributed to James Lucas; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Beginning Again

  New beginnings are all around us. They come as the beginning of new days, weeks, months, or even years. With them come opportunities to improve our lives, master a skill, or pursue a dream.

  Sometimes, though, the dream dissolves or slips out of our reach—often because of forces beyond our control. We’ve all been there. Those who are faint-hearted falter and wait for another season or a seemingly better hour. And then there are those who, undeterred, take one step and then another as they move forward with their lives.

  Take John Bushman for example. He was a settler in the late 1800s who put down roots in a desolate part of the northern Arizona desert. Water was scarce, irrigation a necessity. Bushman and a handful of others built a dam by dragging rocks, broken branches, and stumps from the hillsides, hoping to channel a small stream into a makeshift reservoir.

  But the dam never held. Year after year they built the dam, and each time it failed. One day, after another disappointing collapse, Bushman wrote in his journal: “Dam washed out again. We are not discouraged.”

  Those lines tell us much about the strength and vision of John Bushman and his neighbors. They did not give up. They mustered patience, courage, and sheer grit to build and rebuild in that barren land.

  We learn from their experience that goals and dreams are not always measured in outcomes but often in attitudes. We gain a lot from beginning and then having to push on by beginning again.

  So even if you feel that your dreams and goals have washed out in the past, build them up again. Each new day is a fresh start, a clean slate, a new chance to change, improve, and try again. In the very process lie opportunities immeasurable for growth and good fortune.

  When You Wish Upon a Star Leigh Harline; arr. Michael Davis

  Come, Come, Ye Saints English Folk Song; arr. Mack Wilberg

• And the Glory of the Lord
• For Unto Us a Child Is Born
• Pastoral Symphony
• There Were Shepherds Abiding in the Field
• And the Angel Said Unto Them
• And Suddenly there was with the Angel
• Glory to God
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Handel's Messiah

  In 1741, swimming in debt and out of favor as a composer, George Frideric Handel accepted a commission for a benefit concert in Dublin, Ireland. On August 22 the 56-year-old sequestered himself in his London home and began to compose music to biblical texts heralding the life of Jesus Christ. Just 23 days later he completed the 260-page oratorio. He titled this extraordinary outpouring of inspiration Messiah. Without question, this brilliant masterpiece has thrilled and inspired listeners from Handel’s time to our own.

  But Handel’s work has done more than just please the ear. Its premier performance in Dublin on April 13, 1742, raised 400 pounds and freed 142 men from debtor’s prison. Before long, the charity sponsors began asking the ladies to refrain from wearing hoop skirts to performances in order to make room for more patrons and raise more money for the poor.

  In the final few years of his life, Handel conducted charity concerts of Messiah for the London Foundling Hospital, a much-needed home for abandoned infants and children. The thousands raised for charity led one 18th-century biographer to state, “This great work has been heard in all parts of the kingdom with increasing reverence and delight; it has fed the hungry, clothed the naked, fostered the orphan.”1

  This history of doing good for those in need continues to follow Handel’s Messiah. It is sung and enjoyed by more people today than ever before. But it’s not just the work’s musical quality that makes it a masterpiece. If its message inspires us to bear another’s grief or to carry another’s sorrow, then, long after the last hallelujahs, our hearts will resound with those immortal words “peace on earth, goodwill towards men” because we’ve done more than just sing them—we’ve put them into practice.
  1 Charles Burney, An Account of the Musical Performances at Westminster-Abbey (1785; reprinted 1979), 27.

  Lift Up Your Heads, O Ye Gates

  I Know that My Redeemer Liveth

  Since By Man Came Death

  Hallelujah

• One December Bright and Clear Catalonian Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Wexford Carol Traditional Irish Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Ding, Dong, Merrily on High arr. Andrew Unsworth
• How Far Is It to Bethlehem? English Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell One Still and Shining Moment

  Bethlehem seems so far away from much of the world. A relatively small town, not much different from other communities near Jerusalem, Bethlehem is a fairly quiet place. Although it was the family home of the ancient King David, Bethlehem might largely be forgotten to the world today had it not been the birthplace of another King. On a starry night two thousand years ago, a baby was born, and neither Bethlehem nor the rest of the world would ever be the same.

  As we think of that silent, holy night, we yearn for the serenity of Bethlehem. So much of our life today is noisy, confusing, and busy. But to some extent, it must have been that way two millennia ago as well. People had families, businesses, and commitments to keep. Yet for one still and shining moment, the world stopped, a star shone, a choir of angels sang, and heaven came to earth. Christmas invites us to hear again the sweet sounds of love and feel the quiet assurances of peace that once settled on the little town of Bethlehem.

  Perhaps we need to separate ourselves from the clatter of crowds and the hustle of hectic lives and be still. Pause for a moment. Ponder the wonders we celebrate. Consider the extraordinary gift of life that was given to each of us that day. Remember how joy came to the world, and believe that life has meaning and can be so good.

  No matter where we live, our hearts can draw near to Bethlehem and to the newborn babe who brought good tidings of great joy to the whole world.

  “Still, still, still,
  One can hear the falling snow.
  For all is hushed,
  The world is sleeping,
  Holy Star its vigil keeping.
  Still, still, still.”

  Still, Still, Still Austrian Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg

  O Come, All Ye Faithful John F. Wade; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Processional: Rejoice and Be Merry Traditional English Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• The Little Drummer Boy Harry Simeone, Henry Onorati & Katherine K. Davis; arr. John McCarthy
• Sussex Carol Traditional English Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day John Baptiste Calkin; arr. Clay Christiansen
• O Holy Night Adolphe Charles Adam; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell O Holy Night

  “O Holy Night” is one of the most beloved Christmas carols of our time. But most people have never heard the curious story of how it came to be.

  In 1847 a parish priest of a small French village asked a local amateur poet, Placide Cappeau, to write a poem for Christmas Mass. Cappeau was known more for attending to business than for attending church, but he felt honored by the request and agreed.

  Once he was finished, Cappeau felt his poem was more of a song, and so he contacted an accomplished Parisian composer, Adolphe Adam, who agreed to write music for it.

  A few years later, in the United States, the carol was discovered by John Dwight, editor of Dwight’s Journal of Music, who translated the lyrics into English.

  These three personalities—writer, composer, and translator—make up an interesting trio. The writer, Placide Cappeau, turned out to be more interested in politics than religion. Adolphe Adam, the composer of this classic among Christian carols, was of Jewish ancestry. And John Dwight, the translator, was a Unitarian minister who, seized by panic attacks whenever he spoke in public, had turned to music to express his devotion. Together these three very different people created a masterpiece that has thrilled and inspired millions.

  When Placide Cappeau penned the words of his poem, he tried to imagine what it must have been like to be present on that holy night of Jesus’s birth. As he did, the words flowed.1

  As we, in turn, seek to understand the meaning of that sacred night, we discover a love strong enough to melt away differences. We learn that despite our diverse backgrounds and beliefs, we can work together to create something beautiful and lasting, and each time we do, we bring the world closer to a “new and glorious morn.”
  1. See Ace Collins, Stories behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas (2001), 132–38.

  Angels, from the Realms of Glory French Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg

• The Spirit of the Season Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri; arr. Sam Cardon
• What Child Is This? English Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella Traditional; arr. Keith Chapman
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell As Christmas Comes

  Christmas excitement is so much a part of being a child. Who doesn’t remember counting down the days, eagerly anticipating the big event, asking, “When will Christmas be here?” To parents, the calendar seems to move faster and faster; the years speed by, and last Christmas seems but a few months ago. But the excitement, the joy of the season, can brighten grown-up hearts too. As the poet said:

  “At Christmas play and make good cheer,

  For Christmas comes but once a year.”1

  And while that’s true, Christmas is a season we can carry with us always. We keep the spirit of the season throughout the year when we’re more concerned with what we can give than what we get. We continue the joy of the season when we savor the simple delight, the abundant happiness, the exquisite contentment that can radiate in our homes and hearts as Christmas comes.

  These timeless words, spoken on this broadcast more than 50 years ago, still capture what the season is about:

  “As Christmas comes, let it be a time that lights the eyes of children and puts laughter on their lips. Let it be a time for lifting the lives of those who live in loneliness; let it be a time for calling our families together, for feeling a nearness to those who are near to us, and a nearness also to those who are absent. Let it be a time of prayers for peace, for the preservation of free principles, and for the protection of those who are far from us. Let it be a time for re-examining ourselves, and for dedicating our lives to the values that endure.

  “As Christmas comes let it be a new witness to the world of the mission and message of . . . the Prince of Peace. Let it be a time for thanksgiving, for faith in a finer future that ever comes closer as each Christmas comes.”2
  1. Thomas Tusser, “The Fermers Dailie Diet,” in Five Hundred Pointes of Good Husbandrie, ed. W. Payne and Sidney J. Herrtage (1878), 28; spelling modernized.
  2. Richard L. Evans, May Peace Be with You (1946), 200. © 1946 Richard L. Evans. Used with permission of the Richard L. Evans family.

  The Many Moods of Christmas Arr. Robert Shaw and Robert Russell Bennett

• O Come, Emmanuel Traditional; arr. Arthur Harris
• The First Nowell Traditional English Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• In Dulci Jubilo Johann Sebastian Bach
• Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine German Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell The Love of God

  The greatest story ever told needs no embellishment. It occupies little more than a page of holy writ. It begins with the mundane duty of paying taxes. It continues with a journey that was not unusual for the time. The plot thickens when no room can be found in the inn. And it ends with some of the most glorious pronouncements ever heard: “good tidings of great joy,” “peace on earth,” and “good will toward men.”

  How could something so wonderful happen with such little adornment? No decorations were necessary. No one needed to wear fancy clothing or prepare special foods. No glittering tinsel lit up the manger; one bright star in the heavens was more than enough.

  Perhaps the reason the simple story of the first Christmas inspires us is because everyone acted out of love: Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the wise men, and especially the newborn babe. No imitations, no substitutions, nothing less than real love came to earth that night.

  Ever since, we’ve remembered and retold the Christmas story countless times. Each in our own way, we try to re-create the wonder of it all. Sometimes our efforts seem to fall short of the feeling we had hoped for. At such moments, perhaps we need to ask ourselves why we do the things we do.

  Are we motivated by love? If love—real, authentic love—is the force that moves us to deck the halls, bake the cookies, or give the gifts, then Christmas will feel like a blessing, not a burden. The Christmas story will enliven our efforts—or maybe inspire us to simplify them. We will feel the majesty of that holy night because we know that “he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God” (1 John 4:16).

  Away in a Manger William J. Kirkpatrick; arr. Lowell J. Durham

  Sing We Now of Christmas Traditional; arr. Michael Davis

• Psalm 150 Cesar Franck
• By the Waters of Babylon Philip James
• Exultate Justi Lodovico Viadana; arr. Leland B. Sateren
• Psalm XVIII (I will praise Thee, O Lord, my strength) Benedetto Marcello; arr. E. Power Biggs
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Hymns of Praise

  The psalms are hymns of praise to God written in poetic style. Their authors lived thousands of years ago in a culture that would be unfamiliar to many modern readers. Some of the psalms were meant to be sung, but we can only guess at the music and meter that once accompanied them.

  Yet there’s something about the psalms that speaks to the heart and transcends time and culture. Their messages have inspired gifted musicians throughout the world to set them to their own music, and as a result the psalms have a larger audience today than ever before. What is it that makes these ancient poems such an inexhaustible source of inspiration?

  Perhaps it’s the range of emotions they so eloquently express. Some are psalms of rejoicing and gladness; others are poignant prayers for relief from suffering. Some express reverent awe for God’s creations; others express comforting reassurance of His love.

  Choirs today sing the psalms because these themes are universal. Even if we’ve never seen a flock of sheep, somehow we all can relate to these words from the 23rd Psalm: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters” (vv. 1–2). In our own way, we, like the psalmist, must “walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” but we can say with him, “I will fear no evil: for [the Lord is] with me” (v. 4). Maybe our world today isn’t so different from the world of the psalmist who wrote these beautiful words.
  
  

  That seems to be a central message of the 150 hymns in the Book of Psalms. In spite of our differences, we all have feelings that can only be expressed in a song of praise. The last verse of the last psalm says it best: “Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord” (Psalm 150:6).

  Psalm 100 Heinz Werner Zimmermann

  I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes Leo Sowerby

• Prayer of Thanksgiving Edward Kremser
• Holy Art Thou (Largo from Xerxes) Georg Frederic Handel; arr. Leigh Kingsmill
• Festival Toccato on "St. Anne" William Croft; arr. Frederick Swann
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Blest Pilgrims

  In September 1620 a determined band of British citizens filed down worn stone stairs to board the Mayflower, moored in Plymouth harbor. The ship set sail from England carrying 102 men, women, and children, along with their hopes, their convictions, and their dreams. Crossing the Atlantic, beset by autumn storms, took 66 days and claimed two lives.

  They intended to plant a colony in Virginia, but storms drove them north and landed them at Cape Cod. Two hundred years later, famed orator Daniel Webster described their situation with these words: “A new existence awaited them here; and when they saw these shores, rough, cold, barbarous, and barren, as then they were, they beheld their country.” 1 Undeterred, they made a home of those rough shores and laid the foundation for a grateful nation.

  The words of William Wordsworth remind us of their great legacy:

  Well worthy to be magnified are they
  Who, with sad hearts, of friends and country took
  A last farewell, their loved abodes forsook,
  And hallowed ground in which their fathers lay;
  Then to the new-found World explored their way. . . .
  Men they were who could not bend;
  Blest Pilgrims, surely, as they took for guide
  A will by sovereign Conscience sanctified. 2

  Every year at Thanksgiving we honor the Pilgrims; but more than that, we learn from them. “By contemplating their example and studying their character,” Webster suggested, “[we] mingle our own existence with theirs.” 3

  We too can be bold, even daring, in pursuing noble desires. We can be courageous in living our beliefs, show the fortitude to stand by them, and patiently persevere in spite of troubles. We can live in thanksgiving daily, even if some days that simply means acknowledging the blessing of one more day of life. In doing so, we take part in the inspiring legacy left to us by those “blest Pilgrims.”
  1 The Speeches and Orations of Daniel Webster (1914), 35.
  2“The Pilgrim Fathers,” The Complete Poetical Works of William Wordsworth (1892), 700.
  3The Speeches and Orations of Daniel Webster, 26.

  Pilgrims' Hymn Stephen Paulus

  Home Is a Special Kind of Feeling from The Wind in the Willows John Rutter

  Come, Ye Thankful People, Come George J. Elvey; arr. Mack Wilberg

• America the Beautiful Samuel A. Ward; arr. Mack Wilberg
• He's Gone Away American Folk Song; arr Michael Davis
• When Johnny Comes Marching Home Patrick S. Gilmore; arr. Richard Elliott
• Let There Be Peace on Earth Jill Jackson & Sy Miller; arr. Michael Davis
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Duty, Honor, Country

  Inscribed on the coat of arms of the United States Military Academy at West Point is the motto “Duty, Honor, Country.” These three words burn in the heart of every dedicated member of the armed forces—and of those at home who support them.

  Duty is the effort required of every man or woman who desires to live under the banner of a nation or in the embrace of a community. According to General Robert E. Lee, “duty is the sublimest word in our language.” “Do your duty in all things,” said General Lee. “You cannot do more. You should never wish to do less.”1

  Honor is the virtue that causes men and women to live up to their duty. It produces the strength to carry on, even when the demands of duty are hard to bear. Honor is the cornerstone of courage, the foundation of discipline, and the wellspring of commitment.

  Country is a word that reaches deeply into our hearts. Country is home and family. Country is dreams and opportunities. Country is hope and peace and security, a source of pride and patriotism, and a tear in the eye at the sight of a waving flag.

  There are few causes worthy of the sacrifice of peace, few issues that can justify a man fighting his fellowman. But history teaches that when such causes arise, great is the obligation to rely on the sacred notions of duty, honor, and country. We join in a chorus of thanks for those who have sacrificed for their country in times of need—and for those who stand ready to do so today.

  “Duty, Honor, Country.” When these are neglected, nations fall from stature and the people suffer. When they are treasured in the hearts and minds of brave men and women, they give enduring strength.
  1 In John Bartlett, comp., Familiar Quotations, 14th ed. (1968), 620.

  Highland Cathedral Traditional; arr. Chad Steffey

  Salute to the Armed Forces Arranged by Michael Davis

  God Bless America Irving Berlin; arr. Michael Davis

• Glory Niikolai Rimsky-Korsakoff; edited by Gregory Stone
• My Song In the Night American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• God of Our Fathers George W. Warren; arr. John Longhurst
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell The Elements of Happiness

  A perennial question echoes down the centuries: Whence happiness? It doesn’t take long to realize what doesn’t make people happy—wealth, possessions, prestige, and intelligence. We all know people with very little of what the world might value who seem to be quite happy. And we see apparently successful people who are miserable. Happiness seems elusive to some, like a butterfly, always out of reach, forever for somebody else. Yet it’s what we long for more than anything in the world.

  A wise religious leader said: “Happiness is not given to us in a package that we can just open up and consume. Nobody is ever happy 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Rather than thinking in terms of a day, we perhaps need to snatch happiness in little pieces, learning to recognize the elements of happiness and then treasuring them while they last.”¹

  So what are the elements of happiness that we can treasure? They’re available to everyone: a strong commitment to family, friendship, spirituality, and the sense that life has meaning beyond the here-and-now. Hope is essential—the belief that tomorrow will come and will be better—as is gratitude for the small, simple things that lighten the soul. And although there may be those whose natural disposition tends to be happy, happiness can be learned.

  We can determine to look for happiness in little pieces: a beautiful vista that reminds us of the splendor of creation; the unbridled joy and laughter of children; accomplishing a worthwhile task, learning something, or developing a new skill; the deep satisfaction of extending ourselves to others in love and kindness.

  Because these things seem small, we’re inclined to miss them in our intense pursuit of happiness. Maybe happiness is simpler than we sometimes think. Maybe instead of trying to catch the butterfly, we can just enjoy her visit for a while.
  1. James E. Faust, “Our Search for Happiness,” Ensign, Oct. 2000, 2.

  There Is Sunshine In My Soul Today John R. Sweney; arr. Mack Wilberg

  Rock-A-My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham Arranged & Adapted by Howard Roberts

  Eternal Father, Strong to Save John B. Dykes; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Sine Nomine Ralph Vaughan Williams; arr. Earl Rosenberg
• Crossing the Bar Henry Holden Huss; edited by Richard P. Condie
• Final from Symphonie I Louis Vierne
• Abide with Me, 'Tis Eventide Harrison Millard; arr. Crawford Gates
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Worth While

  More than a hundred years ago, the popular American poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox published poetry filled with simple eloquence and uncommon wisdom. She was born in 1850 near the American frontier, far from the intellectual establishment of the day. But she had a knack for expressing memorably the truth and beauty she saw in life.

  A commentator notes that the first poems she submitted for publication were rejected, “and with that proverbial insight and inspiration which editors and publishers fancy they possess, she was calmly advised to give up her idea of becoming a poet.”¹ Fortunately, Ella disagreed, and now her published poems number in the hundreds. One of them, titled “Worth While,” expresses the strength of character she showed when she refused to “give up her idea of becoming a poet”:

  It is easy enough to be pleasant,
  When life flows by like a song,
  But the man worth while is one who will smile,
  When everything goes dead wrong.
  For the test of the heart is trouble,
  And it always comes with the years,
  And the smile that is worth the praises of earth,
  Is the smile that shines through tears.

  It is easy enough to be prudent,
  When nothing tempts you to stray,
  When without or within no voice of sin
  Is luring your soul away;
  But it's only a negative virtue
  Until it is tried by fire,
  And the life that is worth the honor on earth,
  Is the one that resists desire.

  By the cynic, the sad, the fallen,
  Who had no strength for the strife,
  The world's highway is cumbered to-day,
  They make up the sum of life.
  But the virtue that conquers passion,
  And the sorrow that hides in a smile,
  It is these that are worth the homage on earth
  For we find them but once in a while. ²
  1. Laura C. Holloway, The Women’s Story: As Told by Twenty American Women (1889), 511.
  2. An Erring Woman’s Love (1892), 29–30.

  O What Songs of the Heart William Clayson; arr. Mack Wilberg

  Glorious Everlasting M. Thomas Cousins

• Redeemer of Israel Freeman Lewis;arr. Mack Wilberg
• How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place from Requiem Johannes Brahms
• Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing Dale Wood
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Brahm's German Requiem

  Over 150 years ago, Johannes Brahms began work on his masterpiece, A German Requiem. It premiered in Bremen, Germany, in 1868, one month before Brahms’s 35th birthday, and it was very well received. One reviewer exclaimed: “What we have heard today is a great and beautiful work, deep and intense in feeling, ideal and lofty in conception. Yes, one may well call it an epoch-making work!”1

  Of course, epoch-making works do not come easily. And though our praise of such achievements is sincere, we rarely appreciate fully the events and the emotions that produce them.

  Brahms composed the Requiem while mourning the death of his mother and the death of his friend and mentor Robert Schumann. These losses grieved Brahms deeply and may have inspired his work. As one commentator explained: “Brahms wrote his Requiem to bless those left living in the world, not the dead. The work aspires to comfort those who mourn. And it has done that through the generations since it was first sung in Bremen.”2

  Acclaimed conductor Robert Shaw said of the Brahms Requiem: “Though it was his longest work and acknowledged as very pivotal to his growing renown, he himself was not really satisfied with the title of German Requiem, saying that it referred solely to the language in which it was written. He would now prefer, he said, a ‘human’ Requiem, for he was writing in exploration of a universal human experience.”3

  The fact that this masterpiece continues to comfort and inspire today is evidence that Brahms achieved his goal.

  Lord, help me to understand that my

  Life on earth must have an end,

  That I must depart.

  Blessed are they that mourn,

  For they shall have comfort—

  They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

  Yea, I will comfort you,

  As one whom his own mother comforts.

  Blessed are they that mourn.
  1In Jan Swafford, Johannes Brahms: A Biography (1997), 330.
  2Johannes Brahms: A Biography, 318.
  3“In Celebration of Johannes Brahms (1833–1897),” Music and the Spoken Word, Aug.10, 1997.

  Blessed Are They that Mourn from Requiem Johannes Brahms

• Arise, Thy Light Has Come David Danner
• How Lovely Are the Messengers from St. Paul Felix Mendelssohn
• Finale from "Firebird Suite" Igor Stravinsky
• His Voice as the Sound Traditional; arr. Alice Parker and Robert Shaw
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell The Lesson of the Roses

  For years an attentive woman had tended her rose garden, carefully pruning and maintaining her plants exactly the way her family had done for generations. Once a flower faded, she snipped it off just above a five-leaf cluster. All good gardeners knew this rule.

  And then she was surprised to learn that this rule, like so many other scientific facts, had been updated. The new truth was that it didn’t matter where you snipped the stem; the rose would bloom again regardless. How could something she had believed all her life be replaced so suddenly?

  But secular knowledge is like that. It is always subject to new, sometimes contradicting discoveries. One day we have nine planets, and the next day we have eight. One day fish is bad for you, and the next day it’s a wonder food.

  The only truths that never change come from a higher source than human intellect: Love is the greatest healer. Kindness is never wasted. Faith can indeed work miracles. Forgiving others brings rest to the soul. Patience yields a harvest. Families are important. Prayer works. We can safely trust that new scientific discoveries will never make these most important facts outdated. Experience teaches that these universal truths will stand the test of time.

  The longer we live, the more we see old customs and knowledge fall away, replaced by the latest expert advice. Instead of regretting the loss of old traditions, we can learn to see what the rose gardener saw—that every bloom is a fresh reminder that some things really are eternal and unchanging.

• A Gaelic Blessing John Rutter
• Love Divine, All Loves Excelling Rowland Hugh Prichard; arr. Mack Wilberg

• I Know That My Redeemer Lives Lewis D. Edwards; arr. Robert Cundick
• Jesu, the Very Thought Is Sweet Mack Wilberg
• Beautiful Savior
• This Is the Christ Michael F. Moody; arr. Barlow Bradford
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Do Thou Likewise

  Very often, the greatest truths are taught simply. Principles that have the power to resonate in our hearts for generations need no embellishment. And while we never completely forget correct principles, we need reminders along the way.

  One universal truth, taught simply and clearly, was given in a parable some 2,000 years ago. It came in answer to the question, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus’s response was not a complicated theological discourse or list of instructions but a simple story, concluding with the counsel, “Go, and do thou likewise” (Luke 10:37).

  A man was beaten, robbed, and left for dead on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Two travelers passed him by. Perhaps they averted their glances, justified their neglect, and didn’t look back. But another stranger saw the wounded man and stopped to help. He did more than offer encouraging words; “when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him” (Luke 10:33–34).

  The parable of the good Samaritan still shapes our understanding of compassion and goodwill today. We are all neighbors, all in need of help and kindness. Every day we meet wounded travelers, close to home or abroad, as we watch human tragedies unfold and natural disasters strike. Are these our neighbors? We see events near and far that shake our souls and prompt us to ask, “How can I help?” We witness heartache and disruption, and we resolve to open our hearts to others and “go, and do” as the Samaritan did, as we travel our own road to Jericho—down the street and around the world.

• I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus Janice Kapp Perry; arr. Barlow Bradford

• Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah John Hughes; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Cantique de Jean Racine Gabriel Fauré
• A Millenial Trumpet Franklin Ashdown
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell The Power of Patience

  In today’s high-speed society, the time-honored virtue of patience is in short supply. We expect patience in others—sometimes impatiently—but we often deny ourselves the serenity, steadiness, and balance that patience could bring to our own up-and-down lives.

  As the story of Helen Keller shows, patience is not shoulder-shrugging indifference but rather action that calls upon the very strength of the soul. A severe illness in infancy left Helen deaf and blind—and rather unruly. When she was six, her parents hired 20-year-old Anne Sullivan, herself partially blind, to work with the restless child.

  One evening after Helen’s out-of-control display at dinner—eating off the plates of others and even off the floor—Anne locked the two of them in the dining room and patiently taught etiquette. “I gave her a spoon,” Anne wrote, “which she threw on the floor. I forced her out of the chair and made her pick it up. . . . Then we had another tussle over folding her napkin.” 1 Hours later when the two emerged, Anne reportedly announced, “She folded her napkin.”

  Eventually, Helen learned to read, write, and speak. In 1904 she graduated with honors from Radcliffe College, her long-time tutor Anne having patiently spelled out lectures into her palms.

  Our perseverance may never be tried quite so dramatically, but we all face situations that require patience—with ourselves, with our neighbors, with our family. Are we gracious and compassionate when others make mistakes? When our dreams collide with our limitations, do resilience and a little humor accompany our efforts?

  Said Nobel Prize winner Albert Einstein of his work, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” 2 Patience doesn’t make the problems go away, but as Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan learned, there’s power in patience that makes us equal to the task.
   
  1 In Helen Keller, The Story of My Life (1905), 307–8.
  2 In Richard A. Singer Jr., Your Daily Walk with the Great Minds: Wisdom and Enlightenment of the Past and Present (2006), 4.

  Danny Boy Traditional Irish Melody; arr. Joseph Flummerfelt

  Let the People Praise Thee, O God William Mathias

  Achieved Is the Glorious Work from The Creation Joseph Haydn

• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring Johann Sebastian Bach
• The Lord Is My Shepherd Thomas Matthews
• Prelude in Classic Style Gordon Young
• Glory to God in the Highest Sergei Rachmaninoff
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Selflessness

  Our greatest blessings and deepest joys always come from helping others, from opening our hearts to someone in need. Service is evidence of our love, but it can also be its catalyst. While it’s true that we serve those we love, it is equally true that we love those we serve.

  A young man who often helped babysit and care for his younger sister recalled how close he felt to her during those years when she needed him. As they both grew older, though, they went through a time when they weren’t getting along so well.

  Then one day, after playing soccer in the sweltering heat, he was just about to cool off with a cup of ice-cold juice when he noticed that his sister was hot too and had nothing to drink. So he gave her his drink. In that selfless moment, he felt a renewal of his love for her.1

  In similar manner, an elderly man watched his wife of many decades slowly going blind. She could no longer see well enough to paint her own fingernails. Without being asked, he began to paint her fingernails for her. He knew that she could see her fingernails when she held them close to her eyes, at just the right angle, and they made her smile. He liked to see her happy, so he kept painting her nails for more than five years before she passed away.

  Put simply, we are selfless when we think of others, when we put aside our desires for those of another, when we serve others. Selflessness is usually not manifest in grandiose, dramatic ways but in simple, day-to-day opportunities and interactions we see around us. Sometimes the actions are large, but most often they’re small—and always they come from the heart.
  1See Kathleen Slaugh Bahr and others, “The Meaning and Blessings of Family Work,” Strengthening Our Families: An In-Depth Look at the Proclamation on the Family, ed. David C. Dollahite (2000), 179.

  Eternal Life Olive Dungan; arr. Fred Bock

  Where Is Love? from Oliver Lionel Bart; arr. Michael Davis

  Joy in the Morning Natalie Sleeth

• Glory to God in the Highest Giovanni B. Pergolesi
• Consider the Lilies of the Field Roger Hoffman; arr. A. Laurence Lyon
• God Is Love Thomas C. Griggs; arr. Bonnie Goodliffe
• Ubi Caritas Et Amor Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Rub Shoulders with the Trees

  We are shaped and tempered by our exposure to nature and wildlife—by the opportunity to rub shoulders with the trees. As Wallace Stegner, Pulitzer Prize–winning writer of the American West, put it, “We all need something to take the shrillness out of us.”¹

  Considering the shrillness of our modern society, how grateful we should be that national parks dot the land. When we get caught up in self-important deadlines and schedules, the pinnacles of Bryce Canyon, the wildlife of the Everglades, or the depths of the Grand Canyon can enlarge our perspective and invite us to contemplate our true place in the universe, and the consistency of Yellowstone’s Old Faithful can teach us that alarm clocks aren’t the only way to measure time.

  Every once in a while, we need to see the raw courage of a flower pushing through a boulder. We need to see the elegant cactus in Saguaro National Park confirming that life can thrive in the hardest of conditions. We need places set apart where we can witness for ourselves that some things are most beautiful without our interference. And sometimes we need to see with our own eyes how many stars there really are in the night sky—without competition from the city lights.

  The tranquil vistas of the Great Smoky Mountains, the pristine beaches of Cape Cod, and the backwoods of the Appalachian Trail—to name just a few—remind us to check our pace and take time to be awe-inspired.

  Indeed, “all things bright and beautiful”² are a blessed contrast to the monotony, the confusion, and the complexity of our demanding modern world. Nature renews and balances, Stegner contended, “even if we never do more than drive to its edge and look in.”³
   
  1“The Geography of Hope,” http://www.wilderness.org/OurIssues/Wilderness/wildernessletterintro.cfm.
  2 Cecil Frances Alexander, “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” Children’s Songbook, 231.
  3“Wilderness Letter,” http://www.wilderness.org/OurIssues/Wilderness/wildernessletter.cfm.

  All Things Bright and Beautiful John Rutter

  O Light of Life Mack Wilberg

• Did You Think to Pray? William O. Perkins; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Fugue in C Major "Jig" Dietrich Buxtehude; adapted by Mack Wilberg
• O Nata Lux from Requiem Mack Wilberg
• Each Life that Touches Ours for Good A. Laurence Lyon
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Friendship

  The well-known words of Sam Walter Foss, written more than a hundred years ago, inspire us with their simple eloquence:

  Let me live in my house by the side of the road

  Where the race of men go by—

  They are good, they are bad, they are weak, they are strong,

  Wise, foolish—so am I.

  Then why should I sit in the scorner’s seat

  Or hurl the cynic’s ban?—

  Let me live in my house by the side of the road

  And be a friend to man.1
   
  This old world needs less criticism and more understanding; less condemnation and more comfort. In a word, we all need more friendship. When we’re discouraged, a good friend can lift our spirits. When we’re struggling with an important decision, a wise friend can help us sort through the options. When all seems dark, a true friend will listen and shed the light of hope. And when we feel alone and anxious, a loyal friend will offer support.
  Two pianists who both suffered disabling strokes illustrated this principle well. Rather than let each other give in to their illness, they decided that one of them would play the piano with her right hand while the other played with her left hand. Together these friends performed across the country and built bridges not only between each other but also with the people who’ve been delighted by their music.2
   
  For some, friendship seems to come so effortlessly; others have to work a little harder at building bridges. But everyone needs and loves friends. If we feel lonely and friendless, we can begin by showing interest in other people: inviting them into our conversations, including them in our activities, listening to them without jumping to conclusions. The surest path to real friendship is reaching out to others in kindness and love, recognizing that two can be better than one.
  1 In Respectfully Quoted: A Dictionary of Quotations, ed. Suzy Platt (1993), 136.
  2 See John Marks Templeton, Worldwide Laws of Life (1997), 118.

  Bridge Over Troubled Water Paul Simon; arr. Kirby Shaw

  Let Peace Then Still the Strife Mack Wilberg

• Praise Ye the Lord John Rutter
• Lord, When the Sense of Thy Sweel Grace Mack Wilberg
• All Thing Bright and Beautiful English Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Prelude on the Hymn Tune "Coronation" Oliver Holden
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Respect

  We’re all more alike than we are different. We want happiness and health, well-being for our loved ones, contentment, and a sense of security in an insecure world. Whatever differences we may have are minor in comparison. And yet sometimes we let these differences get between us and justify disrespect. All human beings deserve respect. As we interact with each other, we can disagree without being disagreeable.

  Most often, we teach respect by example. A woman recalls how her father, many decades ago, sincerely prayed each night for the leader of the country, even though that leader came from a different political party. Sometimes their family agreed with the president’s actions, and sometimes they didn’t. Regardless, they prayed for him. And now, as a grandmother, she teaches her grandchildren to do the same.

  Respect is not something we reserve for people we like, people who share our outlook, or people who like us. We respect each other because we exist together on this earth, and we need each other’s consideration and civility to make our world a safe and happy place. Indeed, civility and decency are the hallmarks of a civilized people.

  Respect is born as we value each individual soul, and its influence can spread quickly. Think of how you feel when others show deference to you and your way of thinking. You are more inclined to show them the same regard. Then, as you introduce the spirit of respect in other interactions, that spirit extends to countless others.

  When we associate with people who look past differences and into the hearts of other human beings, we hold on to the memory of such noble souls for generations. Even if their sphere of influence is only as wide as their family and community, they contribute to the well-being of the whole human family by respecting others, one person at a time.

• Because I Have Been Given Much Philip Landgrave
• I Am the Resurrection and the Life from Requiem Mack Wilberg

• Fight the Good Fight with All Thy Might John Gardner
• Thou, Whose Unmeasured Temple Stands Robert Cundick
• Glory To God On High
• Siciliano Johann Sebastian Bach, arr. Robert Hebble
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell To Quietly Serve

  In her endearing novel Pride and Prejudice, beloved author Jane Austen writes of a fictional clergyman, “Mr. Collins is a conceited, pompous, narrow-minded, silly man,” with “a very good opinion of himself.” For all his pretensions to piety, Mr. Collins does nothing in the novel to bless or help others; rather, he takes every opportunity to belittle those of a lower social standing, and he advises the father of a wayward daughter to “throw off your unworthy child from your affection for ever, and leave her to reap the fruits of her own heinous offence.” 1

  Such overblown self-righteousness reminds us that those who really are good and who do the most good for others do so quietly. They don’t wear their goodness like a medal and call attention to their acts of charity or even bravery. In fact they usually prefer anonymity, content to let gratitude in the hearts of others be the only monument to their service.

  Mother Teresa, who spent her life serving the poorest of the poor and doing good to all she met, felt no need to promote herself. When praised for her work, she said, “I’m just a little pencil in [God’s] hand.”2 She believed that “there should be less talk” and more action. “Take a broom and clean someone’s house,” she taught. “That says enough.”3

  Those who leave a legacy of good deeds generally shun the limelight. They would rather modestly push a broom, or quietly bind up a wound, or lend a private shoulder to cry on than bask in adulation. The kindest actions and the best people are often unheralded by the clamorous and cynical public. Instead they receive the highest honors from those whose opinion really matters—from the people they serve and from God, who “seeth in secret.”4
  1 (2003), 133, 69, 282.
  2 No Greater Love (1997), 53.
  3In The Joy in Loving: A Guide to Daily Living, comp. Jaya Chaliha and Edward Le Joly (1996), 390.
  4 Matthew 6:4.

  Lead, Kindly Light John B. Dykes; arr. Lex de Azevedo

  O Mary, Don't You Weep Traditional Spiritual; arr. Albert McNeil

  God Is Gone Up Gerald Finzi

• Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise Anonymous; arr. James C. Kasen
• Behold, the Tabernacle of God William H. Harris
• Where Love Is Joanne Bushman doxey and Marjorie Castleton Kjar; arr. Sam Cardon
• I Need Thee Every Hour Robert Lowry; arr. Douglas Bush
• Let Nothing Ever Grieve Thee Johannes Brahms
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Let Nothing Ever Grieve Thee

  With so much to worry about these days, it’s easy to feel distressed. In addition to our personal difficulties and disappointments, we read the headlines and hear news reports about suffering and sorrow throughout the world, and sometimes we wonder if everything will be all right.

  Because the world’s problems receive such wide publication in this day of mass communication, it may seem as if our generation has more than its share. The truth is, however, that trouble is not new. Those who went before us had to face problems that, though different from ours, were just as challenging. And knowing that so many from generations past saw their way out of difficulty and apprehension, we too can hold on to the hope that things will get better.

  Thousands of years ago, the Psalmist gave assurance that still brings comfort today: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” ¹That message of positive expectation, of faith in the future, is a most comforting and universal hope. Tomorrow always comes, and with it, the chance for improvement, recovery, and renewal. But our hope, if it is to have any depth or meaning, must rest on something greater than ourselves.

  More than a hundred years ago, German composer Johannes Brahms set to music the words of 17th-century poet Paul Fleming: “Let Nothing Ever Grieve Thee.” The message both reminds and inspires us to look to the divine source of hope and there find reassurance, comfort, and peace.

  Let nothing ever grieve thee, distress thee, nor fret thee;
  Heed God’s good will, my soul, be still, compose thee.
  Why brood all day in sorrow? Tomorrow will bring thee
  God’s help benign and grace sublime in mercy.
  Be true in all endeavor and ever ply bravely;
  What God decrees brings joy and peace; He’ll stay thee.
   ¹Psalm 30:5.

  I Was Glad When They Said Unto Me C. Hubert H. Parry

• O Be Joyful In The Lord John Rutter
• Thank Thee Lord For This New Day Philip Lawson
• Gloria In Excelsis Joseph Haydn
• Come, Ye Disconsolate Samuel Webbe, arr. Dale Wood
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Wisdom

  Ancient proverbs remind us that “wisdom is better than rubies” (Proverbs 8:11) and that “wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom” (Proverbs 4:7). Wisdom tells us when to act and when to wait, when to indulge and when to hold back, when to speak and when to remain silent.

  Wisdom is not easily or cheaply acquired, though. It takes time and experience to become wise—and often that means making mistakes along the way. A loving father once said to his child, “My son, you will go out into the world, and every once in a while you will stub your toe and fall down; but for goodness’ sake, do not stub your toe twice in the same place.”[1]

  We all have our share of stumbles, and this gives us abundant opportunities to gain wisdom. We respect the wise because they always seem to make good choices, but even wise people aren’t immune from occasional follies. Yet because they yearn for knowledge and discernment, they turn their errors into good sense and good judgment.

  Wisdom is not just an abstraction. It is born in the daily details of life’s experiences. And if we are willing, it will lead us to truth and to improved lives.

  Of course, making mistakes is not the only way to get wisdom. We can also seek out and learn from wise men and women who have gone before. Either way, the key ingredient in our search for wisdom is a teachable heart.

  The reward is described in another ancient proverb: “When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; discretion shall preserve thee, [and] understanding shall keep thee” (Proverbs 2:10–11).
  ¹In George Albert Smith, in Conference Report, Apr. 1944, 31.

  Father in Heaven Frederich F. Flemming

  Walk Together Children Robert DeCormier

  Praise, My Soul, The King of Heaven John Goss, arr. Mack Wilberg

• They the Builders of the Nation Alfred M. Durham; arr. Mack Wilberg
• At the River Aaron Copland; arr. R. Wilding-White
• Long Time Ago Aaron Copland; arr. Irving Fine
• Zions Walls Aaron Copland; arr. Glenn Koponen
• Bonnie Doon Scottish Folk Tune; arr. Edwin H. Lemare
• Waters Ripple and Flow Czecho-Slovak Folksong; arr. Deems Taylor
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Not Done Yet

  All through life, we work toward goals, and when we achieve them, we often discover that we’re not done yet. The progress we’ve made helps us realize that we have other mountains to climb: more work to do, more learning to pursue, more love to give, more of our own character to refine.

  Few people have understood this concept as well as the early pioneer settlers of the American West. In their journals we feel their growing pains as they walk mile after mile of their long and arduous trek. Their hope and faith in a promised valley of peace helped them endure hunger, disease, and discomfort of every kind. But minutes after finally arriving and unloading their wagons, they must have realized that their journey wasn’t really over. The wilderness would have to be tamed. Houses would have to be built. Seeds must be planted, and even if all went well, it might be years before they actually tasted the full fruit of their labors.

  How often have we stood at such a crossroads in our life, realizing that the point toward which we traveled was only a way station for further growth and progress? Maybe we thought our troubles would be over once we graduated from high school or college, once we got married, when we found a new job, or when we paid off the mortgage and the kids were grown. After meeting those goals, though, we saw vistas of growth and opportunity that we didn’t know were there before. And we faced a decision: we could become complacent and linger in our present state of accomplishment, or like the pioneers, we could plow forward with faith, break the soil with new resolve, and plant seeds of progress.

  Milestones are best marked by moving forward with our lives, understanding that the journey’s end is really just the beginning of another kind of journey.

• Come, Come, Ye Saints English Folk Song; arr. Mack Wilberg

• How Firm a Foundation Attributed to J. Ellis; arr. Mack Wilberg
• The Promise of Living from The Tender Land Aaron Copland
• Old Man River from Showboat Jerome Kern; arr. Floyd Werle
• Amazing Grace! How Sweet the Sound George Shearing based on the tune New Britain
• Summertime from Porgy and Bess George Gershwin
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell The Things that I Prize

  Mention a song by George and Ira Gershwin, and folks start humming and tapping their toes. These two talented brothers left a singular imprint on American music, from Broadway to Hollywood, George composing the music and Ira writing the lyrics. In the process, they elevated American music to new heights of artistic merit. You would expect that they had been trained at acclaimed musical conservatories or were great protégés of celebrated teachers.

  Actually, their upbringing was much humbler than that. They were born in New York City near the turn of the 20th century to poor Russian immigrants. Their father changed jobs nearly 30 times by Ira’s 18th birthday; the family moved up and down Manhattan just as often. Perhaps their famous refrain “I got plenty of nothin’, and nothin’s plenty for me” was autobiographical.¹

  Ira’s journal reveals his taste for everyday pleasures, even everyday sounds. In one entry he wrote: “Heard in a day: An elevator’s purr, telephone’s ring, . . . a baby’s moans, a shout of delight, a screech from a ‘flat wheel.’ ”²  His description brings to mind a line from George and
  Ira’s well-known musical Porgy and Bess: “The things that I prize, like the stars in the skies, are all free.”³
  Are the things that we prize so affordable? Do our journal entries and hearts record joy in the simple things of life, like a walk in the rain; a slow, colorful sunset; an afternoon nap; the chatter of birds in the forest; or simply one more glorious day? Even if that’s just about all we have, we’ll find that it’s enough. Or, as Ira Gershwin put it, “I got plenty of nothin’, and nothin’s plenty for me.”
  1 Ira Gershwin, “I Got Plenty of Nothin’,” Porgy and Bess.
  2 In “Ira Gershwin,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ira_Gershwin.
  3 Ira Gershwin, “I Got Plenty of Nothin’.”

  I Got Plenty of Nothin' from Porgy and Bess George Gershwin

  I'm on My Way from Porgy and Bess George Gershwin

• Morning Has Broken Traditional Gaelic Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Bound for the Promised Land American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Shenandoah Traditional American Folk Song; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Cindy American Folk Song; arr. Mack Wilberg
• The Battle of Jericho Spiritual; arr. Moses Hogan
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. NewellThe Fruits of Selfless Sowing

  So much of who we are and what we have are gifts from those who have gone before us. Our forebears planted seeds that bear bounteous fruit for our generation, and the fruits of selfless sowing are apparent all around us. An inspiring example of this can be found here in the great state of Ohio, longtime home of John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed.

  Some 200 years ago, Johnny Appleseed walked these hills and valleys, exploring the new territory and planting apple trees. In Ashland, Ohio, a memorial describes him as “an eccentric pauper-philanthropist who followed the advancing fringe of civilization. . . . Barefooted and in rags, this kindly man carried appleseeds from the cider presses of Pennsylvania and planted them in small spots he cleared throughout Ohio. So was begun Ohio’s great apple industry.”¹

  Johnny Appleseed was known for his benevolence, his kind-heartedness to animals and all peoples, his love of nature, and his leadership in conservation efforts. A deeply religious person, he lived simply, followed the Golden Rule, and made friends wherever he went. He committed his life to a mission greater than himself. Yes, there are tall tales and myths about the man, but his real-life legacy lives on. The stories about his goodness and generosity have endeared him to the whole country and made him an American legend.

  Johnny Appleseed’s story is a reminder that not only do we eat apples that others planted, but we too can plant so that others may reap. Just as Johnny Appleseed went about doing good in this part of the world, opportunities abound for us to do the same, wherever we are. And like John Chapman’s apples and his goodness, the fruits of our efforts will outlive us and bless others for generations to come.
  ¹In Robert Price, Johnny Appleseed: Man and Myth (1954), 283.

  Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing Melody from Wyeth's Repository of Sacred Music, 1813; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Praise to the Lord, the Almighty from "Stralsund Gesangbuch" 1665; arr. Mack Wilberg
• How Can I Keep from Singing? Attr. Robert Lowry; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Every Time I Feel the Spirit Improvisation by Richard Elliott
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Joy in a Garden

  A popular children’s story tells of a little girl named Mary who loses her parents to an epidemic illness. Orphaned and lonely, she is sent to live with her uncle, who is somewhat ill-equipped to care for a grieving child.

  One day the little girl decides to explore her new surroundings. In the process she discovers a long-unopened door in a high wall behind a tangle of overgrown plants. Mustering her strength and courage, she opens the door and finds behind it an untended but beautiful garden—a secret garden.

  The story speaks of the wonder, joy, and love that spring from the garden. There Mary finds happiness once again, and her happiness multiplies as she shares the garden with others.¹
   
  Gardens come in all shapes and sizes. Some are brilliantly decorated with a wide variety of well-manicured flowers and shrubs. Some are more independent and grow with little interference from the gardener. Some gardens invite us to stroll and take in the sights and smells of nature’s handiwork. Other gardens seem to beckon us to sit awhile and ponder our place in the world. Vegetable gardens promote provident living and remind us where our life’s sustenance ultimately comes from.

  All gardens offer a refuge from the bustle of noisy streets and the hardness of steel and brick. In a garden we can dig in the life-giving soil, linger in the sunlight, sample sweet fragrances, and witness the law of the harvest in action.

  Each of us can find joy in a garden. It could be a large plot of roses, a simple potted petunia, or perhaps a more elaborate garden that exists only in your imagination. Whatever form it takes, in our personal garden we can be lifted up and find new life. Our garden can be for us a place “where love grows free and wild.”²
   
  ¹See Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden.
   
  ²Marsha Norman, “Come to My Garden,” from The Secret Garden.

  Come to My Garden from The Secret Garden Lucy Simon; arr. Kurt Bestor

  ¡Ah, El Novio No Quere Dinero! Fifteenth-century Sephardic Wedding Song; arr. Mack Wilberg

• The Lord's Prayer Albert Hay Malotte; arr. Carl Deis
• The Marv'llous Work from Creation Josef Haydn
• God Is Seen Traditional; arr. Alice Parker
• Laudate Dominum W. A. Mozart
• O Thou Kind and Gracious Father George Careless
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Our Greatest Treasures

  In 1955 Richard L. Evans, the announcer and writer of the Spoken Word for more than four decades, dedicated a book of his messages with these words: “To Alice and our four sons, who have helped to make life sweetly cherished, always—and forever.”¹ Richard L. Evans was known throughout the world not only as a broadcaster and writer but also as a church leader and president of the exceptional community-service organization Rotary International. He truly spent his life going about doing good.

  Through it all, he always remembered something that too many people never come to realize—that his most valued contribution, his most important commitment, was to his family. Over 50 years ago on this broadcast, he said:

  “Much of life is made up of things we think we will one day do: of things we postpone, of things we set aside, of things we leave too late. And one of the things we could best determine to do this day, would be for fathers and sons (and daughters) to draw a little nearer, to come a little closer—to take a little more time for a closer kind of companionship with those who mean the most.

  “Too many of us wait too long for the cherished times together, for the intimate outings, for the quiet hours of an evening, for the fuller talking out of personal problems with the close confidence of an understanding heart. It is not so much the sending; it is not so much the preaching of the precepts; it is not altogether, even, the providing—but the going with, the doing with, the being with that brings a closer kind of kinship.”²

  Time marches on for each of us—especially, it seems, for parents. The children whom we love with all our hearts are too soon grown and gone. But it’s not too late. We can begin today to build a closer relationship with those who are our greatest treasures.
   
  ¹From the Crossroads (1955), 5.
   
  ²From the Crossroads, 121. ©1955.

  A Child's Prayer Janice Kapp Perry; arr. Barlow Bradford

  The Holy City Stephen Adams; arr. Noble Cain

• Hymn of Praise Mack Wilberg
• For I Am Called by Thy Name Crawford Gates
• Sanctus from Requiem Giuseppe Verdi
• Danny Boy Tradition Irish Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Toccata Georgi Mushel
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Reverence for Life

  Our world is beautiful because it is full of life. One of the great lessons of creation is that life, though it seems fleeting at times, is still worth creating. Flower gardens bursting with color, oceans crowded with fish, and towering trees heavy with fruit stand as monuments to the dynamic beauty of life in all its forms. But life’s most beautiful creations are not in flowerbeds and tree branches but in human hearts. And the same spirit of reverence for life that typifies nature can also beautify the landscape of our lives.

  In 1905 Dr. Albert Schweitzer, a religious leader and organist in Germany, gave up his pulpit to become a physician, though he never stopped teaching. With full purpose of heart, he moved to Africa and spent decades there operating a hospital for the poorest of the world’s poor. He described his work with a simple phrase: “Reverence for life.”

  In a tribute to Dr. Schweitzer, one writer said, “If Schweitzer had done nothing in his life other than to accept the pain of these people [of Africa] as his own, he would have achieved moral eminence.”¹

  He was awarded the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts, but to Dr. Schweitzer, “reverence for life” was not a medical or humanitarian accomplishment but simply an expression of the rich goodness that comes from the soul. “Just as white light consists of colored rays,” he said, “so Reverence for Life contains…love, kindliness, sympathy, empathy, peacefulness, power to forgive.”²

  Are not these virtues the true beauties in the garden of life? And they exist within all of us, though too often we allow them to become dormant.

  May we nurture and grow these virtues in our hearts and then share them with others. May we demonstrate by our actions our own reverence for life.
   
  ¹ Norman Cousins, in The World of Albert Schweitzer, sel. Norman Cousins (1984), 10.
   
  ² The Words of Albert Schweitzer, 37.

  May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You Meredith Willson, arr. Mack Wilberg

• Come Ye Children of the Lord Old Spanish Melody; arr. A. Laurence Lyon
• Awake the Trumpet's Lofty Sound George Frideric Handel; edited by Richard P. Condie
• Toccation Con Rico Tino from Festal Song Robert Hebble
• The Impossible Dream from Man of La Mancha Mitch Leigh; arr. Arthur Harris
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Noticing What Matters Most

  Have you ever wondered why the city boy can’t sleep in the country and the country boy can’t sleep in the city? Or why a mother can sleep through the sounds of traffic, arguing neighbors, and barking dogs, but if her baby coughs, she’s instantly alert?

  There’s actually a simple explanation. Our brain has the amazing ability to sort and prioritize. It screens out many of the normal, everyday sensations that commonly surround us and makes us aware of things we need to pay attention to.

  If we were to concentrate on everything happening around us all the time, it could make us crazy. The way the wind blows against our skin, the tickle in our throats, the beating of our hearts, the colors, the sounds, and smells that surround us—there are simply too many things to think about all the time. Our marvelous brain screens out the ordinary and common, allowing us to focus on those things that are unusual or important.

  But while this is wonderful in some ways, it causes difficulties in others. Those things we see a lot tend to become increasingly easy to ignore. And sometimes, the things we tend to ignore are the things that need our attention the most.

  Are our friends and families so familiar that we sometimes take them for granted? Does it have to take losing someone we love to make us realize how much they meant to us all along?

  The good news is that we can choose what we want to notice, and we can see what we tell ourselves to see. With everything in this world that clamors for our attention every day, we can choose to give our best to those things and those people who matter the most.

  Know This, That Every Soul Is Free Roger Miller

  Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz Harold Arlen; arr. Arthur Harris

  Call of the Champions John Williams

• This Is My Country Al Jacobs; arr. Nathan Hofheins
• Distant Land John Rutter
• Danny Boy Traditional Irish Melody; arr. Richard Elliott
• Bring Him Home from Les Miserables Claude-Michel Schonberg; arr. Barlow Bradford
• The Lord Is My Shepherd Thomas Koschat
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell A Prayer in Music

  Most of us have attended a funeral, a wreath-laying ceremony, or a graveside service and heard the solemn music of “Taps.” This tune, created on the battlefield of the Civil War, has sounded officially over soldiers’ graves since 1891. When played at dusk, these 24 notes signal “lights out” at the end of day. But when played during daylight, “Taps” carries the sobering message—a soldier has fallen.

  Many of us remember the single bugler who paid the nation’s final tribute to President John F. Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery in 1963. Seldom has the stirring melody had a larger audience than on that day. But that same tune has filled the air for small families clustered on a windy hillside around the grave of a young private and for aging veterans gathered to say good-bye to a wartime buddy. “Taps” is the dignified tribute played for fallen soldiers of every war and every rank, for the famous and the unknown. It humbly reassures the mourning families of these soldiers that the nation mourns with them.

  “We cannot listen to Taps without our souls stirring,” Air Force Chaplain Edward Brogan has said. “Its plaintive notes are a prayer in music—of hope, of peace, of grief, of rest.” ¹This simple but noble melody expresses, in a way only music can, these deepest of human emotions as we honor our fallen heroes.

  In that same spirit, as we visit the graves of our loved ones, as we remember their lives and contributions, as we hold dear their memories, may our grief be soothed and our hearts filled with that hope, peace, and rest.
   
   
  ¹From the invocation given at the opening ceremony of the “Taps” exhibit at Arlington National Cemetery, May 28, 1999; see http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/taps-pro2.htm.

  America the Beautiful Felix Mendelssohn

  Battle Hymn of the Republic William Steffe; arr. Peter J. Wilhousky

  Be Not Afraid Felix Mendelssohn

• For the Beauty of the Earth, John Rutter
• "I Believe" Medley; "I Believe," "I Believe in You and Me" from The Preachers's Wife; "The Greatest Love of All" from The Greatest; "I Believe in Christ" Ervin Drake, Irwin Graham, Jimmy Shirl, Al Stillman; David P. Wolfert; Michael Masser; John Longhurst; arr. Michael Davis
• Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms Traditional Irish Melody; arr. John Longhurst
• A Mother's Eyes Reflect the Love of Heaven Stephen Jones
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Choose You This Day

  The story of Elijah is thousands of years old. Artists, poets, and composers have long been fascinated with his remarkable life. The prophet Elijah sealed the heavens from rain and was fed by ravens, then by a widow whose barrel of meal was never empty again. On other occasions, he divided the Jordan River and called down fire from heaven to ignite wood drenched with water. In the end, he ascended into heaven in a chariot of fire.

  Not the least of Elijah’s miracles was his strength of character. He was determined and resolute. He understood his purpose and lived according to his beliefs. He challenged the Israelites with a question that resonates through the ages: “How long halt ye between two opinions?”¹
   
  In our time, we have more choices, more opportunities, more freedom than ever. And yet, how easily we get stuck between two opinions. Our indecision then becomes a choice of its own, as circumstances often make the choice for us. And sometimes we spend days, weeks, and even years regretting such moments of weakness.

  On the other hand, when we demonstrate strength of character and become more resolute, choosing wisely, we take responsibility for our choices and begin to recognize purpose in our life. We may not be able to call down fire from heaven, but we can seek divine guidance. As we do, we’ll feel good about right decisions and uneasy about wrong ones. But first, we must decide.

  Of course, we need to be thoughtful and wise. Hasty decisions can be as tragic as delayed ones. So think it through, and then heed the timeless counsel to “choose you this day,”² not putting off until tomorrow or next year what needs to be decided today.
   
  Lloyd Newell
   
  ¹1 Kings 18:21.
   
  ²Joshua 24:15; italics added.

  A Women's Heart Tyler Castleton & Staci Peters

  Fill the World with Love from "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" Leslie Bricusse; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord Felix Mendelssohn
• As God the Lord of Sabaoth Felix Mendelssohn
• Baal, O Answer Us Felix Mendelssohn
• Call Him Louder! Felix Mendelssohn
• Draw Near, All Ye People Felix Mendelssohn
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell When You Thought I Wasn't Looking

  More than two decades ago, a young woman soon to graduate from college and get married reflected on her life and was filled with gratitude for the goodness and example of her mother. After praying for divine assistance to express in words her love and appreciation, Mary Rita Schilke Korzan wrote a poem titled “When You Thought I Wasn’t Looking” and dedicated it to her mother. Years later she was surprised to find the poem in a book with the words “author unknown.” Mary eventually unraveled the mystery of lost authorship, driven by a desire that those who read the poem would know the person who inspired it—her mother.

  When you thought I wasn’t looking

  You hung my first painting on the refrigerator

  And I wanted to paint another.

  When you thought I wasn’t looking

  You fed a stray cat

  And I thought it was good to be kind to animals.

  When you thought I wasn’t looking

  You baked a birthday cake just for me

  And I knew that little things were special things.

  When you thought I wasn’t looking

  You said a prayer

  And I believed there was a God that I could always talk to.

  When you thought I wasn’t looking

  You kissed me good-night

  And I felt loved.

  When you thought I wasn’t looking

  I saw tears come from your eyes

  And I learned that sometimes things hurt—

  But that it's alright to cry.

  When you thought I wasn’t looking

  You smiled

  And it made me want to look that pretty too.

  When you thought I wasn’t looking

  You cared

  And I wanted to be everything I could be.

  When you thought I wasn’t looking—

  I looked . . .

  And wanted to say thanks

  For all those things you did

  When you thought I wasn’t looking.¹
   
   
  ¹ © 1980 Mary Rita Schilke Korzan.

  It Is Enough Felix Mendelssohn

  Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord Felix Mendelssohn

• A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Martin Luther
• Help, Lord! Felix Mendelssohn
• Lord Bow Thine Ear to Our Prayer! Felix Mendelssohn
• Ye People, Rend Your Hearts Felix Mendelssohn
• If with All Your Hearts Felix Mendelssohn
• Yet Doth the Lord Felix Mendelssohn
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Slow and Steady

  We’re all familiar with the fable of the tortoise and the hare. The hare boasted that he could easily beat the plodding tortoise in a race. After jumping out to a comfortable lead, the hare took a nap midway through the contest. When he awoke, he found that the slow and steady tortoise beat him to the finish line.

  We see this simple story played out in the race of life. Some shoot out the gate, hard-driving and fast-moving down the life course. Others are late bloomers and don’t find their way right off. Most of us are somewhere in between. We steadily move forward with faith and hope, with the courage to believe that things will work out in the end.

  Somewhere along the way, we learn that life is not a competition. We don’t need to beat anybody else; we’re content as long as we surpass our own best efforts, continuing to learn and grow and progress. We know we must endure to the end, but that is not a burden that weighs us down and takes the joy out of life. Instead, enduring gives purpose and meaning to our most mundane tasks.

  For 74 years, ever since she was a teenager, a woman in a small town has been keeping the country store. Now she is 92 years young and still helping people. Her eyesight dimming, she has to get close to the cash register to ring up a sale, but customers keep coming. And she keeps getting out of bed and going to work. She may use a walker now, but she’s grateful she can still walk. Of her perseverance, she simply says, “I keep going.”¹

  Success in life is not just for the strongest or the fastest. It’s for those who stay with it, keep doing their best, and steadily move toward their goals.
   
   
  ¹See Suzanne Dean, “Utahn Keeps Store Going—for 74 Years,” Deseret Morning News, Apr. 2, 2007, A1, A3.

  Andante Religioso from "Organ Sonata" #4 Felix Mendelssohn

  He That Shall Endure Felix Mendelssohn

  Be Not Afraid Felix Mendelssohn

• O God, Our Help in Ages Past William Croft; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Sing Praise to Him Tune from Bohemian Brethren's Songbook, 1566, alt., arr. Mack Wilberg
• I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes from Requiem Mack Wilberg
• How Gentle God's Commands Hans Georg Nägeli; arr. John Longhurst
• Sanctus from Requiem W.A. Mozart
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Spring-Cleaning the Soul

  As seasons change, we often reorganize our homes, clear out clutter, and start fresh. We donate outgrown clothing and toys, books and furniture we no longer need, and items that simply collect dust. Afterward, our homes look larger and brighter, and our souls feel invigorated.

  But sometimes our minds and hearts need a good housecleaning just as much as our homes do. We need a chance to rid ourselves of unhealthy habits, negative attitudes, or useless excuses. For years some of us cling to grudges and misunderstandings as if they were priceless treasures, when really they’re cluttering our lives.

  Many of the discouraging messages we heard earlier in life are still hanging in our closets like worn-out clothing and need to be tossed. Old offenses need to be swept out too, and while we’re at it, let’s get rid of the unkind gossip we’ve heard, the snap judgments we’ve made, and the less-than-loving thoughts we’ve had about others. Just as a fresh coat of paint and a colorful new rug can revive a dreary room, so also can a patient, understanding attitude toward others bring a fresh perspective and add new life to our relationships with others.

  We all benefit from a spotless, organized home; just imagine how we’d benefit from a clean mind, unsoiled by the memories of unhappy times long past. Deep cleaning is never easy, but remember that while your kitchen floor and your carpet may have spots you can’t remove, there are no permanent stains on the soul. The effort is worth it, because homes, like lives, tend to stay cleaner longer once we’ve felt the exhilaration of a good spring cleaning.

• This Is My Father's World Traditional English Melody adapted by Franklin L. Sheppard; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Thou Lovely Source of True Delight Mack Wilberg

• Arise, O God and Shine John Darwell; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Rejoice, O Virgin from All-Night Vigil, no. 6 Sergei Rachmaninoff; edited by Robert Shaw
• One Hundred Fiftieth Psalm Howard Hanson
• Dawn Cyril Jenkins
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell The Tabernacle Organ: An Instrument of Exceptional Historic Merit

  The world-renowned Tabernacle organ is an engineering marvel and an artistic masterpiece. The Organ Historical Society recognized it as “an instrument of exceptional historic merit,” and it has an exceptional history.

  Pioneer organ builder Joseph Ridges grew up in England, across the street from an organ factory. Fascinated by the mechanics of such marvelous instruments, Ridges became an organ builder. He worked night and day on the first organ he built while living in Australia. Not long after it was completed, he disassembled it, packaged the parts in soldered tin shipping cases, and sailed with it to California.

  In the spring of 1857, 12 wagons pulled by 14 mule teams carried the organ to the Salt Lake Valley to an old adobe tabernacle. Then, as the new Tabernacle was being built, Brigham Young asked Ridges to build a larger organ to accompany the Choir. Three hundred miles from Salt Lake City, Ridges and his crew found straight, knot-free pinewood, without pitch or gum, to use for the pipes. To make wood glue, they boiled cowhides in kettles they set up on the city streets, and they used calf skins to create the bellows. For the other items they needed, they traveled to Boston with $900—all the money the Church could spare.¹

  Since 1867, when the Tabernacle first opened its doors, this beloved organ has touched the hearts of millions of people around the world. The organ has been rebuilt and enlarged over the years, but it retains Ridges’s original case and 32-foot golden pipes. These pipes, shaped from laminated wedges fit together to form a cylinder, have become a hallmark of the Choir and are the only round wooden pipes of this size in the world.² The organ stands today as a reminder of pioneer ingenuity and resourcefulness. It sings of sacrifice, devotion, and love for music.
   
   
  1 See Heidi S. Swinton, America’s Choir: A Commemorative Portrait of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir (2004), 54–55.
   
  2 See Charles Jeffrey Calman, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir (1979), 33.

  Glorious Everlasting M. Thomas Cousins

  Nearer, My God, To Thee (Lowell Mason; arr. Arthur Harris)

• The Morning Breaks George Careless; arr. Mack Wilberg
• For the Beauty of the Earth Conrad Kocher; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Laudate Nomen Carlyle Sharpe
• All Through the Night Welsh Melody; arr. Dale Wood
• Come, Ye Disconsolate Samuel Webbe
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Making Courtesy More Common

  Early in his youth, George Washington wrote down a list of what he considered the rules of civility. The first suggested that “every action done in company [of other people] ought to be with some sign of respect to those that are present.”¹ Young George Washington learned the importance of acting with courtesy toward others.

  That was more than 200 years ago. Today, common courtesy seems less common, and some people take kindness as a sign of weakness. But the reality has not changed—courtesy is as important as courage. It represents the best part of being human.

  Courtesy is kindness come alive. It is shown most often in little things: the driver who slows so that other cars can merge, the person who stands on a crowded bus to give a seat to one who needs it more, the customer who says a sincere “thank you” to a helpful clerk. Through courtesy we give expression to kindness by showing respect, making someone’s life a little easier, or brightening someone’s day. Of a courteous man it was said, “Yesterday was dark and rainy, but [he] passed [by] and the sun shone.”²

  Of all the rules that could be written for civility, perhaps the most enduring is what has been called the “Golden Rule.” Simply stated, this sublime law of relationships suggests that we treat others as we would hope to be treated. When we are courteous, when we act with thoughtful kindness, then those around us are likely to respond in kind. In this way, each of us can do our part to make courtesy a little more common.
   
   
  ¹Rules of Civility and Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation (1988), 9.
   
  ²In Mary Mercedes, A Book of Courtesy: The Art of Living with Yourself and Others (2001), 1.

  God's Daily Care Willy Reske

  Sourwood Mountain American Folk Song; arr. John Rutter

  Canticle of Faithfulness Daniel Bird; Based on "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" by William M. Runyan

• Christ the Lord Is Risen Today Charles Wesley; arr. John Longhurst
• Hallelujah Chorus from "Christ on the Mount of Olives" Ludwig van Beethoven
• Jesu, the Very Thought Is Sweet Mack Wilberg
• That Easter Morn, Robert Cundick
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Spring Always Comes

  Spring always comes. No matter how dark and cold the winter, the light and life of spring bring newness of hope. If a tree, so stark and bare, can give birth to beautiful pink blossoms; if grass, so yellow and brittle, can transform into lush, green lawn; if a bulb so forgotten and buried can shoot through the dirt, find life-giving sunlight, and give rise to a bright red tulip, then we can hope.

  One year an eight-year-old boy discovered the miracle of it all. He was helping his mom plant flower bulbs, something he’d done many times before, but somehow he had never really stopped to think about it. This year, he fingered the bulbs that were to be planted in disbelief. They were so unsightly and unpromising, they might as well have been rocks. How could it be possible? Would these lifeless lumps really turn into brilliant flowers?

  And then, of course, in time, they did. After a long winter, spring came, as it always does, and the bulbs they had buried came back to life as beautiful daffodils and tulips. Not just once, but every year they came back, sometimes even stronger than before. The boy was awestruck.

  Truly, it is miraculous.

  From the very beginning, we have learned some of life’s most important lessons in a garden. The life cycle of plants, flowers, and trees teaches us to believe in that which we cannot see. The triumph of spring reminds us of the greatest miracle, the most comforting promise, proclaimed on a spring day outside an empty tomb some two thousand years ago: “He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.” (Matthew 28:6).

  He Is Risen! Joachim Neander; arr. John Longhurst

  Hymn of Praise, Mack Wilberg, Text by David Warner

• Praise to the Lord, the Almighty from "Stralsund Gesangbuch," 1665; arr. Mack Wilberg
• As the Bridegroom to His Chosen John Rutter
• Ths Is My Father's World Franklin Lawrence Sheppard; arr. Dale Wood
• My Shepherd Will Supply My Need from "Southern Harmony," 1835; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell The Good Shepherd
  My Shepherd will supply my need; . . .
  In pastures fresh he makes me feed,
  Beside the living stream.
  He brings my wandering spirit back,
  When I forsake his ways;
  And leads me, for his mercy’s sake,
  In paths of truth and grace.[1]

  These words penned by Isaac Watts in the 18th century still comfort the weary soul today. Who has not wandered from wisdom’s path? Who has not felt the need for mercy? Paraphrased from the beloved 23rd Psalm, the hymn reassures that the Good Shepherd is ever mindful of His sheep: “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness.”[2]

  The message is not that bad things will never happen to us, but rather that we will not have to face bad things alone.

  Even in dark hours, the Good Shepherd knows His sheep and the path they trod. And the sheep know the Good Shepherd. They trust Him. They’ve felt His gentle touch. They’ve heard His loving voice. They know His loyal and unchangeable heart. They know that when danger comes, He will not desert them. He will stand with them and defend them. [3]

  Like sheep, sometimes we go astray and get off the course that leads to peace and happiness. Even then, we are not alone. The Good Shepherd is willing to search even for “the one” who is lost. [4] Because of His watchful care, we can resolve with the Psalmist: “I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. . . . Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”[5]
   
  1 "My Shepherd Will Supply My Need," The Covenant Hymnal: A Worshipbook (1996), no. 91.
  2 Psalm 23:2–3.
  3 See John 10:11–14.
  4 See Luke 15:4.
  5 Psalm 23:4, 6

  He Shall Feed His Flock John Ness Beck

  Psalm 148 Gustav Holst

• Praise God! Fred Bock; based on "Old Hundredth" by Louis Bourgeois
• Hosanna to the Son of David Thomas Wilkes
• Ave Verum Corpus Colin Mawby
• Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee John B. Dykes; arr. Clay Christiansen
• Jesu, dulcis Memoria Pierre Villette
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell From Chaos to Contentment

  The Greek philosopher Epictetus said, “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”¹ When we achieve this kind of contentment, it is truly ours, because it comes from within us, independent of our circumstances.

  An old Jewish folktale tells of a man who lived in a small house with six children, his parents, his in-laws, and four grandchildren. The noise, clutter, and confusion finally got the best of him and he went to his rabbi pleading for advice.

  The rabbi told him to bring chickens into his house. This, of course, only made matters worse. When the man came back for more advice, the rabbi instructed him to bring in sheep, goats, cats, dogs, ducks, and a donkey.

  Finally, the man returned to the rabbi barely holding onto his sanity. He had done what the rabbi had asked, but now everything was worse—much worse.

  This time the rabbi told him to remove the animals. Once he did, he could not believe the order and serenity he felt inside his little house. He was, at last, content.

  His house was still crowded—filled with the same noise, clutter, and confusion he had complained about before. But while the chaos surrounding him remained, the chaos inside him was gone.

  Anyone who is determined can find hundreds of reasons to be miserable. It isn’t hard to find chaos in our lives. But aren’t there just as many wonderful reasons to be content?

  In the end, what we focus on determines whether we live in chaos or contentment. The next time we feel miserable and unhappy, rather than dwelling on the discord and confusion in our lives, perhaps instead we can remember the words of Anne Frank, who, during her own time of trial, wrote, “Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.”² 
   
  ¹Epictetus, fragment, 129, tr. George Long, 1890? Quoted in “Quotationary”, Leonard Roy Frank, Random House, New York, October 2001, p. 929
   
  ²http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/1858.htmlDiary entry March 7, 1944.

  Holy Is God the Lord from Elijah Felix Mendelssohn

  When I Survey the Wondrous Cross Gilbert M. Martin; based on the tune by Lowell Mason

• Jubliate Deo Mack Wilberg
• I Sing the Mighty Power of God English Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Hail, Gladdening Light Charles Wood
• I Am Jesus' Little Lamb Brüder Choral-Buch, 1784; arr. Robert Cundick
• Rock of Ages Thomas Hastings; arr. Arthur Harris
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell A Painter's Perseverance

  The famous artist Norman Rockwell painted hundreds of magazine covers during his lifetime. But he didn’t just paint life, he lived it. He knew success and failure, joy and sorrow—just as we all do.

  Early in his career, he learned to keep trying, even when he didn’t feel like he could. Once, when the Saturday Evening Post rejected a cover illustration he had painted, he felt like giving up. But he remembered something he read in a book: “If you fall on your face, don’t lie there and moan, get up.”

  So he did just that. He went directly to the barbershop, climbed into a chair, and said to the barber, “Give me everything you’ve got.” After a shave, a haircut, a shoeshine, and whatever else was offered, he rose from the chair a new man. He walked briskly, chin up and chest out, to the offices of another magazine, where he sold the painting. The next morning he started a new cover for the Saturday Evening Post.¹ 

  He would go on to paint more than 300 covers for the Post, each portraying commonplace life and lasting values. He told stories with his brush and paint that have influenced generations. His painting of daily life could bring a tear, a smile, and a comforting reassurance that we all have common hopes, dreams, and experiences.

  Norman Rockwell’s autobiography ends with these words:

  “I get up early every morning. I’m at work by eight. . . . I realized a long time ago that I’ll never be as good as Rembrandt.

  “I think my work is improving. I start each picture with the same high hopes, and if I never seem able to fulfill them I still try my darnedest.

  “. . . Somebody once asked Picasso, ‘Of all the pictures you’ve done, which is your favorite?’ ‘The next one,’ he replied.”²

  Norman Rockwell died at age 84 with an unfinished painting on his easel.
   
  ¹See Norman Rockwell: My Adventures as an Illustrator (1960), 221.
   
  ²My Adventures as an Illustrator, 436.

  Simple Gifts Shaker Song; arr. Mack Wilberg

  Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand John B. Dykes; arr. Arthur Harris

• Rejoice, the Lord Is King John Darwall; arr. John Rutter
• How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place from Requiem Johannes Brahms
• Presto from Concerto No. 5 George Frideric Handel
• Lift Thine Eyes from Elijah Felix Mendelssohn
• He Watching Over Israel from Elijah Felix Mendelssohn
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Rites of Passage

  Life is a continuing series of transitions. We grow from babies to children to adolescents to adults, and we look back at pivotal moments that set the course of our lives. Sometimes we call those moments “rites of passage”—memorable experiences that nudge us into another stage of growth and development and leave us forever changed.

  For example, our first day of school officially marks the end of early childhood. We get on the school bus for the first time, and we come home a little older and wiser. Years later, we go to our first dance. We dress up; we learn our steps; we practice asking someone to dance—and then somehow we muster the courage to do it. We’re never quite the same after that.

  All of the “firsts” that lead to adulthood help shape us into the adults we become. Some of those firsts are painful, like not making a team or getting turned down by someone we like. Some firsts are joyful, like our first job or our first kiss.

  Then, as we get older, we relive these landmark moments with our children and grandchildren, and they become a new series of landmarks in our lives. Part of being a mother is getting a lump in your throat on the day your son graduates from high school. The same thing happens to a father when he gives his “little girl” away on her wedding day, and to a grandmother when her first grandchild moves across the country to “follow her dream.”

  These rites of passage are important markers of growth, for our loved ones and for us. Some are hard, but we move on; others we cherish and celebrate. If they go unmarked, we might miss some of the growth and joy they invite. Each stage of life has its place and purpose. Acknowledge them, enjoy them, and remember that “to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”¹
  ¹Ecclesiastes 3:1.

  Sunrise, Sunset from Fiddler on the Roof Jerry Bock; arr. Arthur Harris

  Sing We Now at Parting Ebenezer Beesley

• O My Father James McGranahan; arr. Crawford Gates
• Ave Verum Corpus Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• In Joyful Praise A. Laurence Lyon
• The Lord's Prayer Leroy Robertson
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Strength Where Weakess Was Not Felt

  We all know it’s difficult to feel very good about life when we don’t feel physically well, and we know that exercise will increase our stamina and strength. But sometimes we’re hesitant to begin. Maybe we think we are not athletic enough, strong enough, or young enough. Maybe we’re afraid of our own limitations.

  In reality, though, even a little more attention to physical well-being can enrich our lives. Some level of physical activity, whatever our circumstances allow, may be just what we need.

  Of course, we all have different capacities and interests, and exercise can take many forms. Find something you can do—something you enjoy doing.

  A simple walk can clear your mind and open your eyes to the beauties of nature. Planting flowers, raking leaves, and sweeping the front porch can all be forms of exercise. Playing tag with children is good for the soul; laughing with friends is good for the heart; even walking out to get the mail can refresh the body and boost the spirit. Do your best to move your body, and you will be surprised how much you strengthen your soul at the same time.

  The poet William Wordsworth, who was known for his long walks, wrote:

  While on I walked, a comfort seemed to touch

  A heart that had not been disconsolate:

  Strength came where weakness was not known to be,

  At least not felt; and restoration came

  Like an intruder knocking at the door

  Of unacknowledged weariness.¹

  You may never know how invigorating exercise can be until you start. Something is better than nothing. You might discover, to your delight, new strength and restoration you didn’t even know you needed.
  ¹“Summer Vacation,” The Prelude, Book 4, in The Complete Poetical Works of William Wordsworth [1921], 259.

  For He Shall Give His Angels To Watch Over Thee from Elijah Felix Mendelssohn

  Somewhere from West Side Story Leonard Bernstein; arr. Arthur Harris

• Rejoice, the Lord Is King Malcolm Archer
• Blessed Are They that Fear Him from Elijah Felix Mendelssohn
• Trumpet Tune in C Alice Jordan
• The Lamb John Tavener
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell People Change

  People grow up; they change. We must never stop believing in the capacity of every individual to change and improve.

  At his high school reunion, a man reconnected with people he hadn’t seen for three decades. At first, he viewed his classmates the same as they were 30 years ago. But he soon discovered life hadimproved nearly every one. Some who’d been vain and brash decades ago were nowgracious and composed. Some who’d been shy and retiring in high school were now more confident.

  While a few still clung to vestiges of adolescent vanity, most came togetheron cordialcommon ground. Age and experience had softened and enlarged their hearts. Thirty years ofjoy and heartache, success and failure, growth and development had taught themto appreciate others—and themselves—in new ways.

  Over a lifetime, most people change for the better. How often do we hear of a stubborn or irresponsible teenager who is now a family man with teenagers of his own? We’ve all known rowdy, restless youngsters who grew up to be competent, contributing members of their community. Maybe we think of our own immature past and feel grateful when others appreciate us for who we are, rather than remembering who we were.

  Indeed, we all change—and we all can continue to change. As we strive to improve our own lives, may we patiently allow those around us to do the same. May our lives and relationships be enriched as life’s lessons help us all change for the better.

• Improve the Shining Moments Robert B. Baird
• On a Clear Day Burton Lane; arr. Arthur Harris
• And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth from Elijah Felix Mendelssohn

• All People That on Earth Do Dwell Louis Bourgeois; arr. Florence Jolley
• Psalm 100 Heinz Werner Zimmermann
• Come Thou, Lord, Creator Spirit Jeffrey H. Rickard
• Fountain Reverie Percy E. Fletcher
• Truth Eternal Alexander Schreiner
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Determined to be Happy

  The pages of our nation’s history are filled with stories of great people who faced conditions of depravation, financial ruin, severe sorrow and suffering—even death—yet pressed on for the greater good of the country.

  Martha Washington had such strength of character.

  In the winter of 1778 she arrived at Valley Forge to a rabble of desperate soldiers wrapped in thin blankets, starving, freezing, and disheartened. She organized the wives of officers to feed, clothe, nourish, encourage, and pray with the soldiers.

  This was not her first or last foray to the battlefield. Throughout the Revolutionary War, she would join her husband, General George Washington, for winter encampments from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania, where she continued to strengthen and encourage this unlikely, rag-tag army that went on to defeat the greatest military force in the world. They called this diminutive, five-foot, soft-spoken heroine “Lady Washington.” Years later, as she faced the unrelenting demands of public life, she wrote to a friend, “I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have . . . learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.”¹

  This was wise counsel for those early patriots, and it is wise counsel for us today.

  Hardship and heartbreak may surround us, but our circumstances must not steer our hearts or still our hopes. Each of us has dominion over our dispositions. We shape our happiness with determination and inner resolve, with our grace and goodwill, our sensitivity and humor, and our capacity to put one foot in front of the other and boldly carry on.
  ¹Letter to Mercy Otis Warren, in “Martha Dandridge Custis Washington,” http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/firstladies/text/mw1.html.

  The King of Love My Shepherd Is Irish Tune; arr. Mack Wilberg

  Let Me Fly Spiritual; arr. Robert DeCormier

  From All That Dwell Below the Skies John Hatton; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Love Divine, All Loves Excelling Rowland Hugh Prichard, arr. Mack Wilberg
• Love bade me welcome from Five Mystical Songs Ralph Vaughan Williams
• Love Is Spoken Here Janice Kapp Perry; arr. Sam Cardon
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell How Do I Love Thee

  “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” So begins the tender expression of poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning. She then describes the depth of her devotion: “I love thee to the level of everyday’s most quiet need.”¹

  Such love is not expressed only in a nice card or a special gift. The greatest love poems are written in the book of daily, selfless sacrifice with the pen of thoughtfulness and the ink of kindness. How loving are those who give of their time and forget personal comfort in order to care for another.

  Love usually isn’t mysterious—it always deepens as we open our hearts to another, as we are thoughtful and considerate. Many couples, newly married, wonder how their young love could ever become any stronger. They soon learn that the more they serve one another, the more they give of themselves, the greater grows their love. The seeds of true love, planted in romance, grow and blossom as we serve each other. This kind of love then bears the fruit of pure and wholesome joy, and our love yields a bountiful increase.

  Those we love cannot question our devotion when they receive our loving service. A man who had a hard time telling his wife he loved her demonstrated that love as he cared for her through several years of illness. When he finally spoke of his love, she responded, “I know you love me. You have taken such good care of me.”

  Real love is more than just a feeling, no matter how intense it may be. True love is shown in thoughtful acts of caring and kind attention to another’s “quiet need.”
  ¹“Sonnets from the Portuguese,” no. 43, The Complete Poetical Works of Mrs. Browning, ed. Harriet Waters Preston (1900), 223.

  Always Irving Berlin; arr. David A. Zabriskie

  I Want to Die Easy Spiritual; Alice Parker and Robert Shaw

  Ol' Man River from Showboat Jerome Kerns; arr. Floyd Werle; transcribed by Michael Davis

• Hallelujah Chorus from "Christ on the Mount of Olives" Ludwig van Beethoven
• God So Loved the World Carl J. Nygard, Jr.
• Bist du bei mir (Be Thou With Me) Gottfried Henrich Stölzel; arr. John Longhurst
• This Is My Father's World Traditional English Melody adapted by Franklin L. Sheppard; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Old Time Religion Spiritual; arr. Moses Hogan; adapted by Benjamin Harlan
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Life is Good

  Life is good. Despite the hardships and heartaches of life, we can find joy in everyday living. The more we look for life’s simple blessings, the more we hope and the more we rise above the disheartening strains and sorrows of life.

  Life is good because of everyday moments that bring a smile or warm the heart: the flight of a bird, the melting of an icicle, the smell of bread in the toaster, the toothless smile of a child. A few months ago, a family was driving down the road, busily chatting and laughing along the way. The father asked his unusually quiet seven-year-old son, “Jacob, what are you doing back there?” Jacob enthusiastically responded from the backseat, “I’m just living life!” And that was good enough.

  We can find goodness in life, if we’ll look for it. Take notice of the love and laughter of family and friends, the kindness of strangers, the beauties in nature, the special moments that bring peaceful reassurance that God is watching over us and everything will be all right.

  The longer we live, the more we become aware of the sorrows and sufferings of life—and, ironically, the more we can become aware of life’s beauties and blessings.

  Sometimes, it takes courage to believe that life is good. We can begin with something as easy as knowing that the sun will rise and winter will turn to spring. From there we can trust that good will triumph over evil, that kind and decent people far outnumber those who are not, that losses truly can give way to gains. We can hope and pray for the sweet assurance, the quiet confidence that comes to those who trust in God and do their best each day to go forward with life. We can choose to believe that life, no matter its difficulties, really is good.

• If Clarions Sound from Dances to Life Mack Wilberg

• All Creatures of Our God and King German Melody; arr. Barlow Bradford
• Behold, God the Lord Passed By from Elijah Felix Mendelssohn
• Thy Spirit Lord Has Stirred Our Souls Alexander Schreiner
• Allegro Maestoso e Vivace from Sonata II Felix Mendelssohn
• Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace John Rutter
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell The Language of Love

  Joe Fairbanks grew up in a family of nine children. Money was tight, and, like many in similar circumstances, he wore mostly hand-me-downs.

  But Joe was different from other children. He was born with Down syndrome, and as a result he had trouble with language. He often felt frustrated as he struggled to communicate.

  When Joe was 23, his mother needed to travel to the Philippines for work, and she took Joe with her. Before they left, she bought her son some new clothing for the trip. Oh, how he loved shopping for clothes. He tried on each outfit, asking over and over again, “How do I look?”

  A little while after their arrival in the Philippines, heavy rains caused mudslides that covered villages, schools, and homes. Newspapers carried stories about the devastation and loss of life. On the front page of one was a stark photograph of a man holding a dead child in his arms.

  Joe stared at the image for a long time, his face etched with profound sorrow. Later, he came to the lobby of the hotel where they were staying dressed in his old clothes. At his side was a large plastic bag.

  When his mother opened the bag, she discovered it contained all of the new items of clothing that they had bought for the trip.

  His mother took him to the front desk of the hotel, where Joe's desire to help created some attention. A small crowd gathered as they realized what Joe wanted to do.

  “Me give my clothes,” he said.

  Nearly every eye swelled with tears. The hotel clerks took the clothing and promised to get it to those in need.

  In that moment, Joe spoke a language more perfect and eloquent than any other in the world. He spoke a language that is native to every race and culture. It binds hearts, overcomes barriers, and transforms lives. The language Joe spoke best of all was the language of love.

• Where Is Love? from Oliver! Lionel Bart; arr. Michael Davis
• Who Will Buy? from Oliver! Lionel Bart; arr. Michael Davis

• Jubilate Deo Dale Wood
• How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place John Leavitt
• Norwegian Rustic March from Lyric Pieces, Op. 54, No. 2 Evard Grieg
• How Gentle God's Commands Hans Georg Nägeli
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Cracked Pots

  Sometimes we think we can’t help, give, or do because we can’t help, give, or do perfectly. Maybe we think our house isn’t clean enough to invite someone inside, or we can’t cook well enough to have someone over for dinner. Such feelings of inadequacy can become crippling. Not only do they keep us from nurturing loving relationships, they also keep us from recognizing and receiving blessings.

  The story is told of an elderly Chinese woman who walked to the well each day with two large pots hung on the ends of a pole she rested across her back. One pot always delivered a full pot of water to her home; the other pot had a crack in it. It dripped water the whole way home, and the most it ever brought to the woman was half a pot of water. When asked why she continued to use the cracked pot, she pointed to the trail of flowers that grew along the path. Years ago, when she first discovered the crack, she planted flower seeds alongside the path where the pot dripped. Before long, she began to enjoy fresh flowers all the way home. The cracked pot, though imperfect, was as valuable to the old woman as the pot without flaws.

  And so it is for us and our offerings to each other. A windowpane marked with the fingerprints of children can be more beautiful than a window that is spotless. A simple sandwich shared with a friend can be more nourishing than lunch at a fancy restaurant. A love song from a devoted and aging husband, though perhaps a bit off key, can be more meaningful than a flawless performance of that same song on the radio. When our offerings to each other come from the heart, they are all that is needed.¹
  ¹See Luke 10:42.

  Guide Me to Thee Orson Pratt Huish; Setting by Robert Lee Rowberry

  Praise, Praise, Praise the Lord! Traditional Cameroon Melody; Collected by Elaine Hanson; arr. Ralph M. Johnson

  O Be Joyful in the Lord Gilbert M. Martin

• O Clap Your Hands John Rutter
• Sanctus from Messe Solennelle Charles Gounod
• Tuba Tune in D Major C. S. Lang
• There Is Sunshine in My Soul John R. Sweney; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell
  Something to Live For

  A deep commitment to something beyond ourselves is what gives meaning to life. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “If a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.”[1]

  What are you willing to give everything for? To many, our families, our children, inspire our greatest devotion. We teach and sacrifice and do our best for our loved ones—because we love them so much. In a sense, we give our lives for them in all of the small sacrifices we make. We stay up all night with our children when they are sick; we provide the necessities of life for them; we protect and guide them; we hope they’ll have a better life than we’ve had. Such selflessness will outlive us and, we hope, will inspire our children to do the same for their children.

  Some have a passion for service in other ways. They’re willing to pay the price to see the fulfillment of their dream. History is filled with the lives of courageous men and women who have given their all for a worthy cause. The life mission of Martin Luther King Jr. was his nonviolent struggle for civil rights. His dream was that his four little children would “one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”[2] His devotion to this dream of equality has left an enduring legacy.

  These best efforts toward our loved ones, these deep commitments to causes greater than ourselves, transcend time and create a legacy that lives forever in the hearts and minds of generations to come.

  [1] In Justin Kaplan, ed., Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations, 17th ed. (2002), 823.

  [2] In Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations, 823.

  You'll Never Walk Alone Richard Rodgers; arr. Arthur Harris

  How Firm a Foundation Attr. to J. Ellis; arr. Mack Wilberg

• The Lord Is My Light John R. Sweney; arr. James C. Kasen
• Let There Be Light! Gilbert m. Martin
• Festival Te Deum Benjamin Britten
• Allegro from Concerto in B Flat, op. 4 , no. 6 George Frideric Handel; arr. Marcel Dupré
• Lead, Kindly Light John B. Dykes; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell
  Live Backward

  The longer we live, the more we have occasion to attend the funerals of those who have been dear to us. During such memorial services, we are consoled by tributes to our departed loved ones. We listen to descriptions of their life, activities, and personality. These tributes are tender and sobering; they give us a chance to pause, to reflect, and to consider sincerely our own mortality. It’s been said that “if you want to know how to live your life, think about what you want people to say about you after you die—and live backward.”[1]

  If your loved ones and associates were asked to choose a few words to describe you, what words do you think they would choose? What would you want them to say? If we can live, in some measure, with this end in mind, it will become clear how we need to grow and what we must change.

  Of course, we must all live in the present, but thinking about the end of our life can truly be a new beginning. Honest self-reflection is hard work; it’s not easy to acknowledge our flaws and foibles—and we all have a few. But growth will come to those who are open-hearted, humble, and willing to change. Like old Scrooge in Charles Dickens’s classic tale A Christmas Carol, we can look at where our life is headed and begin to become the kind of person we’d like to be.

  Take a moment and seriously ponder what will be said of you. Consider where you want to end up, and live backward from there. Along the way, don’t miss the chance to express love, to be kind, to lift another, to look for the good. You’ll find that living backward can be the most meaningful way to go forward with life.

  1. In Michael Josephson, “Living with the Idea of Dying,” http://www.charactercounts.org/knxwk492.htm#5.

  Glorious Everlasting M. Thomas Cousins

• Ring Out Wild Bells
• Come, Let Us Anew arr. Mack Wilberg
• In Dreams from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings
• Stella's Theme
• The Wintry Day
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell
  Leaping into a New Year

  New beginnings can be invigorating. Just as a fresh blanket of snow changes the landscape into “unmarked territory,” calling out to little explorers with their sleds and snow boots, blank pages of a new calendar can give us a sense of opportunity, possibility, and even resolve. Whether beginning a new day, month, or even year, something about starting over generates energy and commitment. We work a little harder, reach a little farther, and somehow do a little more. What may have seemed out of reach just days before suddenly enters the realm of possibility when a new year comes.

  Not long ago, a group of school children gathered for a long-jump competition. They marked a line in the dirt from which they stood and jumped. Their teacher used a stick to mark where their feet landed as each child took a turn jumping as far as he or she could. Interestingly, most of the children jumped to about the same spot, until a new group of children (their same age and size) joined the game. As soon as one of the new jumpers leaped a little farther, the other children started increasing their own jumps to reach the mark he had set. Anytime someone exceeded the longest distance, everyone seemed to be able to jump a little farther than before.

  And so it is for us as we set goals and work to achieve them. If we set our sights even a little bit higher, do just a little more than we did before, we’ll exceed last year’s marks—and maybe even next year’s expectations. Think of those school children and the long jump. They could do more than they thought they could, and so can we. Instead of leaping as far as we always have, let’s stretch a little and try a little harder as we look to the new year.

  Climb Ev'ry Mountain from The Sound of Music Richard Rodgers; arr. Arthur Harris

• Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful Attr: John F. Wade; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Infant Holy, Infant Lowly Polish Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Greensleeves from Four Carol Preludes
• Fum, Fum, Fum! Catalonian Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• White Christmas Irving Berling; arr. Arthur Harris
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell
  Good Tidings of Great Joy

  “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). Thus sang the herald angels to the humble shepherds in celebration of the birth of the baby Jesus. On that wondrous night in Bethlehem, the shepherds came from their fields to honor the Christ child. Later, they spread the good tidings they had received, making “known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child” (Luke 2:17).

  The traditions of Christmas remember that sacred event. Today, Nativity scenes adorn churchyards, families gather from great distances, bells ring, carolers sing, and friends send Christmas cards, all in the spirit of spreading “good tidings of great joy . . . to all people” (Luke 2:10).

  The first Christmas card is a good example of this legacy of good will. Commissioned in 1843 by Henry Cole and designed by British artist John Calcott Horsley, the hand-painted cards featured three panels. The center depicted a family gathered around a table at Christmas. Two side panels illustrated good deeds—one showed a woman clothing the naked, the other a man feeding the hungry. The card carried the greeting, “A merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you.”

  With his card, Cole not only sent the message to his friends, “You are remembered,” but he also encouraged them to bless the lives of others by following the teachings of the Master whose birth they were celebrating.

  At this glorious season, may we share our goodness and our greetings with all. May we be filled with love as was the “heaven-born Prince of Peace,” ¹who came that holy night so long ago.

  Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Felix Mendelssohn; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Joy To The World
• Carol of the Bells
• O Come All Ye Faithful
• I Saw Three Ships
• Sleigh Ride
• Spoken Word
• Silent Night
• O Holy Night

• Processional: Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella! French Carol, arr. Mack Wilberg
• Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
• Noe! Noe! French Carol, arr. Mack Wilberg
• Mitt Hjerte Alltid Vanker (Norwegian Folk Tune; arr. K. Bjerkestrand)
• Silent Night Franz Gruber; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Angels, from the Realms of Glory French Carol, arr. Mack Wilberg

• Sunny Bank Old Virginian Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Wexford Carol Irish Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spirit of the Season from The Polar Express arr. Sam Cardon
• Ding, Dong, Merrily on High English Carol
• Away in a Manger William J. Kirkpatrick; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell
  The Warmth of Christmas

  One hundred and sixty years ago, Hans Christian Andersen gave us the story of “The Little Match Girl,” which has become a beloved Christmas story. It is the tale of a poor little girl who was trying to sell matches to those who passed by on a cold, wintry street. Her family was destitute, and the pennies she brought home helped put a little food on the table.

  Dressed in meager clothing, she became frightfully cold and stepped into an alleyway to get out of the wind. Shivering in the shadows, she thought, “Maybe I could light a match and warm my hands a bit.” As she struck the match, the flame shot up, and there before her eyes, as if the wall of the building had dissolved, was a beautiful dining table filled with wonderful things to eat. But as the match went out, so did the little girl’s vision. She struck another match and seemed to see a shining Christmas tree with lights all aglow, but this too disappeared as the flame burned out.

  Finally, desperate to get warm, she lit all the matches at once. The alley was bathed in a dazzling flash of light, and there, standing over the match girl was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Dressed in white, she seemed to be glowing in the match light. She smiled in a most loving way. “Hello, my dear,” she said, “I’ve come to take you home.” “Oh, Grandmother!” said the little girl. And as she took her grandmother’s hand, she didn’t feel cold anymore.

  For most of us, Christmastime brings joy and warmth and the love of home and family. But for many, these blessings exist only in dreams and visions—reality can be much harsher. Is there something you can do to bring the warmth of Christmas to someone less fortunate? Is there someone you can reach out to? This Christmas, may we extend love and compassion and hope to all of Heavenly Father’s beloved children.

• Visions of Christmas James Kasen
• Ring, Christmas Bells arr. Michael Davis

• O Come, Emmanuel Traditional; arr. Arthur Harris
• Masters In this Hall French Carol, arr. Mack Wilberg
• Away in a Manger Traditional, arr. Keith Chapman
• I Saw Three Ships English Carol, arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell
  Good Things to Come

  With the advent of Christmas, we rejoice in good things to come. School children make red and green paper chains, counting down the days; grown-ups circle special events in their planners. Everyone seems to enjoy looking forward. Not knowing what lies behind the unopened door of an advent calendar brings a thrill of excitement that is so much a part of Christmas.

  Looking forward with hope has defined Christmas since the beginning. Imagine how long wise men looked to the heavens before they saw that bright new star. Consider how shepherds may have waited for news of the Messiah before the angels announced His birth. Think of how Mary must have anticipated the birth of the babe as she journeyed to Bethlehem. Each year as we look back to those transcendent events, we also look forward to the hope, joy, and peace we now call Christmas.

  Our joy is enlarged as we look back to times of great anticipation in our own lives. We remember how much we used to look forward, as children, lying awake in our beds wondering what Christmas morning would bring. Each year that sense of joyful expectation is renewed as we look at photographs of twinkling eyes beneath twinkling lights and feel the excitement all over again.

  Christmas is marked by a spirit of anticipation, of preparation, of longing for good things to come. In our thoughts we go to Bethlehem, and as we do, we nurture our belief that good will triumph and love will prevail. We find ourselves believing in more than Christmas-day surprises. We feel the love of God, and with that love, we anticipate all good things to come.

• When I Was a Shepherd Boy Robert Galbraith
• It Came upon the Midnight Clear Richard S. Willis
• Joy to the World Lowell Mason; arr. Mack Wilberg

• High on the Mountain Top Ebenezer Beesley; arr. Robert Cundick
• Thou, Whose Unmeasured Temple Stands Robert Cundick
• March from "Three Impressions" Robert Cundick
• And What Is It We Shall Hope For? from "The Redeemer" Robert Cundick
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell
  Celebrate the Differences

  Sometimes young people, while searching for the person they want to marry, become excited when they find someone who shares their interests, opinions, and tastes. “We have so much in common!” they exclaim, and on this basis they anticipate an idyllic life together, free of disagreement or discord.

  But it doesn’t take long for married life to teach the important lesson that no two people are—or even should be—exactly alike. Soon little differences come out of hiding. One spouse leaves the shampoo on the wrong side of the shower; one likes to talk a bit more than the other; and the thermostat never seems to find a temperature that both can agree on. Then other questions arise that are less trivial: Where should we live? What’s the best way to raise our children? How should we spend our money?

  Wise couples know that while unity is important in a marriage, expecting to see eye to eye about everything is like trying to write a symphony using only one note. Beautiful music, like a beautiful marriage, makes use of a diversity of notes, tempos, and instruments. In some measures, all of the instruments play in unison, but in others each plays a different note to create sublime harmonies.

  Differences enrich our lives and expand our vista. In the complicated issues of life, married couples are blessed by each other’s fresh perspective and life experiences. That’s why God has given each of us unique gifts and insights—so that in all of our relationships we can help and edify one another. When we resent or merely tolerate differences, we create dissonance; when we celebrate them, we create glorious music.

• Our God Is a God of Love Robert Cundick
• He Is the Root and the Offspring of David from "The Redeemer" Robert Cundick

• Thanks Be to God! from "Elijah" Felix Mendelssohn
• Bless This House May H. Brahe; arr. Friedrich Janssen
• All Things Bright and Beautiful John Rutter
• Prayer of Thanksgiving
• All Through the Night Welsh Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell
  Abundant Hearts

  At this season of autumn and harvest, we count our many blessings and give thanks.

  Our thoughts turn to a thanksgiving and harvest festival celebrated four centuries ago by Pilgrims and Native Americans.

  You’re familiar with the story: The Pilgrims, new to this land, had survived their first winter in the New World; they had worked hard building homes and cultivating crops; and they were at peace with their Native American neighbors. The harvest festival would be a time of thanksgiving shared by the colonists and the Native Americans who had helped them survive. Had the Pilgrims been more self-centered, they might not have celebrated a day of thanks. Or they might have forgotten the generosity of the Native Americans and not invited them to the festival; they might have hoarded their harvest and closed their hearts. Instead, with open and thankful hearts they welcomed their neighbors to their tables of plenty.

  This model of fellowship can inspire us today. A truly grateful heart is an abundant heart that breaks down walls of estrangement, builds bridges of understanding, and opens doors of friendship. At times it may seem easier to turn inward, to keep others at a distance, to withhold our time, our means, and our hearts from others. But that can lead to unhappiness, to animosity, to smallness of heart.

  When we feel grateful, our hearts overflow with good feelings for others. Rabbi Harold S. Kushner writes of a man whose small plane crash-landed but who was fortunate enough to escape before it burst into flames. A reporter asked him what was going through his mind as the plane neared the ground. His answer revealed the abundance of his heart: “I realized I hadn’t thanked enough people in my life."[1]

  Before another opportunity passes, let’s open our hearts to others, count our blessings, and give thanks.

  [1]In The Lord Is My Shepherd: Healing Wisdom of the Twenty-Third Psalm (2003), 154–55.

  For the Beauty of the Earth Konrad Kocher; arr. Katherine K. Davis

  Come, Ye Thankful People, Come George J. Elvey; arr. Mack Wilberg

• God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand George W. Warren; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Let Peace Then Still the Strife Mack Wilberg
• O God, Our Help in Ages Past William Croft; arr. John Longhurst
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell For Your Tomorrow We Gave Our Today

  Across an ocean, there is a cemetery built for Allied soldiers who died in World War II. It includes a memorial with an inscription that captures the sentiment of those who fought: “For your tomorrow we gave our today.”

  Similar words adorn a monument at Arlington National Cemetery, where others of our brave soldiers are laid to rest:

  Not for fame or reward
  Not for place or for rank
  Not lured by ambition
  Or goaded by necessity
  But in simple
  Obedience to duty
  As they understood it
  These men suffered all
  Sacrificed all
  Dared all--and died

  The love of freedom and country inspires men and women to proudly don military uniforms and put their lives on the line. Brave soldiers representing every region, race, and religion of our diverse melting pot willingly sacrifice for their country. They all know the risk, but they do not let their fear overcome their mission. As former Illinois governor Adlai Stevenson once said, “[Those] who have offered their lives for their country know that patriotism is not the fear of something; it is the love of something.”[1]
  
  

  In 1938 the U.S. Congress passed a bill that each November 11 should be “dedicated to the cause of world peace and . . . thereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day.’ ” In 1954, when the name was changed to Veterans Day, President Dwight Eisenhower, himself a veteran, called on citizens to observe the day by remembering the sacrifices of all war veterans and to rededicate ourselves as a nation “to the task of promoting an enduring peace.”[2]

  Today we honor such patriots by remembering them and the wars they fought and by cherishing the freedoms they upheld.
   
  ¹“Adlai Stevenson’s ‘Nature of Patriotism’ Speech, 1952,” http://tucnak.fsv.cuni.cz/~calda/Documents/1950s/Stevenson_52.htm
  ²In United States Department of Veterans Affairs, “History of Veterans Day,” http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp

  Hymn to the Fallen from "Saving Private Ryan" John Williams

  America the Beautiful Samuel A. Ward, arr. Mack Wilberg

• Sine Nomine Ralph Vaughan Williams; arr. Earl Rosenberg
• Gloria, from Gloria Francis Poulenc
• Laudamus Te, from Gloria Francis Poulenc
• Domine Deus, from Gloria Francis Poulenc
• Domine Fili Unigenite, from Gloria Francis Poulenc
• Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing Tune from John Wyeth's Repository of Sacred Music, 1813; arr. Dale Wood
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell There Is No End to Love

  Winston Churchill, known for his bulldog tenacity and stirring oratory, is regarded as one of Britain’s greatest heroes and statesmen. But despite his achievements in the affairs of nations, Churchill’s more personal interactions showed signs of the strains of his heavy responsibilities.

  In those desperate days of World War II, Churchill’s wife, Clementine, wrote him this loving reproof: “My Darling,” her note began, “I hope you will forgive me if I tell you something I feel you ought to know. One of the men in your entourage (a devoted friend) has been to me and told me that there is a danger of your being generally disliked by your colleagues and subordinates because of your rough, sarcastic and overbearing manner.”

  She continued: “I must confess that I have noticed a deterioration in your manner; and you are not as kind as you used to be. . . . I cannot bear that those who serve the Country and yourself should not love you as well as admire and respect you—Besides, you won't get the best results by irascibility and rudeness.” She signed her letter, “your loving devoted and watchful Clemmie.”[1]

  Though the consequences are less dramatic, we, like Winston Churchill, are called upon daily to balance pressures and people. How successful are we? Do we set aside selfish instincts to favor the needs of others? Do we lead with love and kindness rather than coercion and criticism? Despite the daily pressures we face, trust, courtesy, and good manners can be a consistent part of the simple routines of our lives.

  Perhaps the way we treat others won’t have world-changing effects, but no kind word or loving deed is without consequences—some of them farther reaching than we may realize. In the words of a 19th-century hymn, “There is no end to virtue; . . . there is no end to love.”[2]
   
  [1] In Neal A. Maxwell, That Ye May Believe (1992), 77–78.
  [2] “If You Could Hie to Kolob,” Hymns, no. 284.

  If You Could Hie to Kolob English Melody; arr. Kenneth W. Plain

• Deep River Gabriel Fauré; edited by Craig Jessop
• The Gospel Train Spiritual; arr. Nathan Hofheins
• Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child Spiritual; arr. Robert De Cormier
• The Battle of Jericho Spiritual; arr. Moses Hogan
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Beauty for Ashes

  Great beauty is often forged in the crucible of affliction. If we look ahead with the eye of faith and never lose hope, we can emerge triumphant over even the most difficult trials.

  Examples of this abound in the inspiring African American spiritual. Sung by slaves, spirituals provided hope and eased the weariness and burden of daily tasks. Above all, they were an expression of spiritual devotion and a heartfelt yearning for freedom from bondage.

  The biblical themes of the spiritual often carried a hidden message of hope and trust in God. Lyrics about the Exodus, for example, were a metaphor for eventual victory over oppression. The promised land or home represented freedom from slavery; the River Jordan was a code name for the Ohio River, which stood between the slaves and free country to the north; and swing low, sweet chariot referred to the Underground Railroad. Tales of God’s deliverance in Old Testament times gave the slaves hope that He would deliver them too.

  The authors of early spirituals are unknown. Their songs were spontaneous and unwritten, flowing from heavy but hopeful hearts. After the Civil War, African American musicians began to compose arrangements of these songs, and today they are a beloved part of the world’s musical repertoire. The legacy of the African American spiritual is more than musical; it is one of hope and promise.

  Thousands of years ago, the prophet Isaiah spoke of all who endure hardship and promised that the Lord would give them “beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” ¹These spirituals speak to all who mourn, all who are burdened, and encourage us to seek beauty and hope in our time of affliction. 
   
   ¹Isaiah 61:3

  Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Spiritual; arr. Alice Parker and Robert Shaw

  Precious Lord, Take My Hand Spiritual

  I'm Runnin' On Spiritual; arr. Mack Wilberg

• All Things Bright and Beautiful 17th Century English Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Agnus Dei from Requiem, Op. 40 Gabriel Fauré; edited by Craig Jessop
• Libera Me from Requiem, Op. 40 Gabriel Fauré; edited by Craig Jessop
• In Paradisum from Requiem, Op. 40 Gabriel Fauré; edited by Craig Jessop
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell The Guy in the Glass

  More than seven decades ago, the editor of American Magazine received a letter from an ambitious young man asking, “Why should I be honest?” It’s a question that continues to echo down the generations. In a world that glorifies the pursuit of personal gain, why care about honesty and integrity?

  American Magazine asked its readers to send their responses to the young man’s question, and the letters poured in by the thousands. Among them was a poem by Dale Wimbrow titled “The Guy in the Glass.” The magazine published the poem, and since then it has become a beloved expression of the inner virtue that guides men and women of honor.

  When you get what you want in your struggle for pelf,
  And the world makes you King for a day,
  Then go to the mirror and look at yourself,
  And see what that guy has to say.

  For it isn’t your Father, or Mother, or Wife,
  Who judgment upon you must pass.
  The feller whose verdict counts most in your life
  Is the guy staring back from the glass.

  He’s the feller to please, never mind all the rest,
  For he’s with you clear up to the end,
  And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test
  If the guy in the glass is your friend.

  You may be like Jack Horner and “chisel” a plum,
  And think you’re a wonderful guy,
  But the man in the glass says you’re only a bum
  If you can’t look him straight in the eye.

  You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,
  And get pats on the back as you pass,
  But your final reward will be heartaches and tears
  If you’ve cheated the guy in the glass.[1]
   
  ¹  American Magazine, May 1934, 185

  There But for You Go I from Brigadoon Frederick Loewe; arr. Arthur Harris

• With a Voice of Singing Martin Shaw
• Now We Sing Thy Praise Paul Tschesnokoff; arr. Noble Cain
• I Will Sing with the Spirit John Rutter
• Sing Praise to Him From Bohemian Brethren's Songbook arr. Clay Christiansen
• Sing Praise to Him From Bohemian Brethren's Songbook,1566; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell What is a Song?

  What is a song? We may think of it as a pleasant combination of beautiful voices and music. But is it more than that? If we listen carefully, we can hear a special kind of music from unexpected sources—the everyday sounds of home, the natural sounds of the earth, or a simple expression of kindness.

  A young man who had been away for a very long time came back to his boyhood home. As he climbed the porch stairs, he noticed the familiar creak of the second stair from the bottom, and he heard the happy voices of his loved ones inside. It was music to his ears. “I felt,” he recalled, “like the house and my family were singing a wonderful chorus of welcome home!”

  To a mother, the cry of her newborn baby is a song. It soon becomes so familiar that she can recognize it instantly and hear in it the unspoken lyrics of her baby’s needs. And what is a song to a child but the sweet, calming voice of a mother or the expressions of approval and encouragement from a father.

  In nature, the chirping of a bird is called a song. Even animals of the sea are said to be singing when they vocalize to one another. The leaves of the trees sing as they gently rustle in the autumn breeze. To one who loves nature, the sounds of the earth are a song.

  What is a song to God? Perhaps it is any good deed done by one of His children. With each kind word that eases another’s burden, in all the goodness of our lives, we sing praises to our Father in heaven.

  What is a song? In the true sense of the word, a song can be heard in anything that lifts and blesses our lives. So listen, and hear the sweet music of life all around.

• How Can I Keep from Singing? Robert Lowry; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Sing Unto God from Judas Maccabaeus George Frideric Handel

• Redeemer of Israel Freeman Lewis; arr. Mack Wilberg
• All Things Bright and Beautiful John Rutter
• Awake the Harp, from The Creation Franz Josef Haydn
• Brother James' Air James Leith Macbeth Bain; arr. Dale Wood
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell An Unfinished Book

  A woman who had made some serious mistakes confided to a friend, “My life feels like an unfinished book. It had a good beginning. But now I wonder how it will all turn out in the end.”

  Her friend offered this insight: “A life story isn’t told in one chapter. And a book isn’t finished until the last page. If we can learn from the mistakes of the past and do a little better, then we can write the next chapter better than the last.”

  Life is a work in progress. There may be paragraphs or whole chapters that we’d like to revise. But we cannot edit the past. Today is the day we must write our story. Thankfully, we don’t have to write it alone.

  There is One who knows our life story from the end to the beginning. He knows how it will turn out. He knows where we’ve already been. And He knows where we still need to go. He is our Heavenly Father, the great Author of life. If we will let Him, He will guide us to the happy ending which all of us hope for.

  Benjamin Franklin offered this insight when he wrote his own epitaph:

  "[Here lies] the body of Benjamin Franklin, . . . (like the cover of an old book, its contents torn out and stripped of its lettering and guilding) . . . ; but the work shall not be lost, for it will . . . appear once more in a new and more elegant edition, revised and corrected by the Author."[1]

  Every day we begin with a clean, blank page. No matter what’s in the previous chapters, the next chapter is always ours to write. As we submit our will to the true Author, we’ll find the finished product to be even better than we imagined.
   
   
  ¹ In Justin Kaplan, ed., Barlett’s Familiar Quotations, 17th ed. (2002), 319.

  Fill the World with Love, from Goodbye, Mr. Chips Lesie Bricusse; arr. Mack Wilberg

  Ah, El Novio No Quere Dinero! Sephardic Wedding Song; arr. Mack Wilberg

  A Gaelic Blessing John Rutter

• The Morning Breaks George Careless; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Come, Follow Me Samuel McBurney; arr. Robert P. Manookin
• I Believe in Christ John Longhurst
• Lift Thine Eyes from Elijah Felix Mendelssohn
• He, Watching over Israel from Elijah Felix Mendelssohn
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell The Keeper of Our Souls

  Hope is born of knowing we are not alone, with no one to watch over us. As the Psalmist assured: “He that keepeth thee . . . shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper.”¹ How wonderfully reassuring it is to know that God, the Father of our souls, is in His heaven, watching over His children.

  Think of the comfort small children find in knowing they are being watched over by their parents. They get the courage to climb all the way to the top of the playground ladder when they look over their shoulder and see Mom and Dad watching. At a school program, they stand a little taller after they sort through a crowd of faces and finally see the ones they love. And at home, as they snuggle into bed, they seem to fall asleep more peacefully when they hear the soft voices and tiptoes of their parents down the hall.

  A young woman remembers being afraid as a child to go outside in the dark of early morning to care for her dog. But when her mother said that she would watch out the window, somehow the darkness was not so thick and the task not so daunting. She could do what she thought she couldn’t because she knew her mom would be watching.

  Just knowing we are being watched over helps us face challenges and overcome fears—even as we grow older. If we can just remember that the Lord is the keeper of our souls, that we can count on His loving and watchful care, we can face any fear, deal with any difficulty, and do more than we may have thought possible. The great writer Victor Hugo advised: “Have courage for the great sorrows of life, and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.”²
   
  Lloyd D. Newell
   
  ¹ Psalm 121:3–5.
   
  ² In Richard L. Evans, Richard Evans’ Quote Book (1971), 139.

  Homeward Bound Marta Keen Thompson; arr. Mack Wilberg

  My Redeemer Lives G. Homer Durham; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Rejoice, the Lord Is King Malcolm Archer
• How Lovely Are the Messengers from St. Paul Felix Mendelssohn; edited by Jerold Ottley
• Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow Louis Bourgeois
• Toccata on "Old Hundredth" Robert Hebble
• Truth Eternal Alexander Schreiner
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Simple Gifts of the Heart"

  On the bookshelf of many a reader and romantic sit the novels of Jane Austen, celebrated British author. She died in 1817 at age 41 after facing months of ill health with remarkable faith and optimism. Her grave lies beneath the worn stone floor of the massive medieval cathedral in Winchester, England. Carved in stone is a tribute to this accomplished writer who devoted her life to much more than writing. The words read:

  In Memory of
  Jane Austen. . . .
  She departed this Life . . .
  after a long illness supported with
  the patience and the hopes of a Christian.
  "The benevolence of her heart,
  the sweetness of her temper, and
  the extraordinary endowments of her mind
  obtained the regard of all who knew her, and
  the warmest love of her intimate connections.”

  Jane Austen’s gift for writing made her famous, but her family remembered her simpler gifts—her friendship, her personal strength, her goodness and kindness. Other graves lie nearby, with tributes telling of one person’s accomplishment in battle and another’s great contributions to society. But Jane Austen’s uses words like benevolence, sweetness, and warmest love to memorialize a woman who nurtured those close to her, prized their contributions, and was a trusted and treasured friend.

  What will be said of us? Will our legacy too be measured in the simple gifts of the heart? Will such qualities as charity, tenderness, and endurance be found in our hearts and someday carved in stone? We write our own memorials with our lives. Each new day is a new opportunity to choose what our legacy will be.

  Simple Gifts Shaker Song; arr. Mack Wilberg

  Walk Together, Children Robert DeCormier

  Let the People Praise Thee, O God William Mathias

• The Heavens Are Telling from The Creation Franz Josef Haydn
• Beati quorum via Charles Villiers Stanford
• The Prince of Denmark's March Jeremiah Clarke
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Touching a Life for Good"

  Compassion for others is vital to our well-being. To feel for others, to “walk in their shoes,” and to help when help is needed is the source of true happiness in life. The more we nurture such compassion, the more generosity of spirit we feel. Though we may doubt our own abilities, if we are watchful we’ll find that we can all help others in our own way.

  Few stories illustrate this so well as Aesop’s tale of the lion and the mouse. You know the story. When a mouse accidentally wakes a sleeping lion, the lion threatens to eat him. But the mouse pleads for his life, promising that someday he will return the kindness and help the lion. The great lion scoffs at the idea that a little mouse could help him but, nonetheless, lets the mouse go.

  Some time later, the lion gets caught in a net. He tugs and pulls with all his might to free himself, but the ropes are too strong. The mouse hears the lion’s loud roar and comes running. He starts gnawing at the ropes with his sharp teeth and finally sets the humbled and grateful lion free.

  This fable brings to life the importance of doing what we can to bless others, even if our abilities seem insignificant to some—even ourselves.

  The well-known poet Emily Dickinson wrote:

  If I can stop one Heart from breaking
  I shall not live in vain
  If I can ease one Life the Aching
  Or cool one Pain
  Or help one fainting Robin
  Unto his Nest again
  I shall not live in Vain¹
  What could be more gratifying than using our God-given talents to help another in distress? In the end, touching another’s life for good is what brings joy and meaning to our days.
  ¹The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson, ed. Thomas H. Johnson (1960), 433

  Each Life that Touches Ours for Good A. Laurence Lyon; arr. Robert Cundick

  Somewhere Out There from An American Tale James Horner, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil; arr. Michael Davis

  Achieved Is the Glorious Work from The Creation

• How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place from Requiem Johannes Brahms
• Love At Home John Hugh McNaughton
• Hurry Home Jon Anderson; arr. Douglas Lowe; orch. Kurt Bestor
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "The Pearls of Home"

  A parable is told about a merchant who searched the world for precious jewels and finally found the perfect pearl. He hired a craftsman to make a special box for the pearl so he could display it. The craftsman made an exquisite jewelry box with blue velvet lining, but much to the merchant’s dismay, people did not recognize the value of the pearl. They paid more attention to the box than to the pearl inside it.

  The box in this parable could be compared to a house and the pearl to the people inside it. Do we sometimes pay more attention to our homes—the walls, windows, and furnishings—than to the people who live there? After all, what makes a house into a home are the loved ones inside it.

  Not long ago, a seven-year-old boy returned to the house from which his grandmother had recently moved. He had been to “Grandma’s house” more times than he could count. He loved to play there, begged to go there, and always felt safe and loved there. But when he walked inside the empty house and saw that Grandma really had moved, he shook his head and said, “It’s no fun here anymore.” It wasn’t the house he loved; it was the loving grandma who had lived there.

  Just like the jewelry box that contained the perfect pearl, the house—no matter how beautiful—is not as precious as the people inside who love and care for each other. Our greatest treasures are the memories we hold dear, the relationships we nurture, the traditions we share. In other words, our family is the most marvelous treasure, the “pearl of great price” that we cherish.
  ¹See Boyd K. Packer, in Conference Report, Apr. 2000, 6; or Ensign, May 2000, 7
  ²See Matthew 13:45–46.

  Home Is a Special Kind of Feeling from the Wind in the Willows John Rutter

  We Will Go On Douglas Lowe; orch. Kurt Bestor

  Arise, O God, and Shine John Darwell; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Arise, Thy Light Has Come David Danner
• Ring Out, Wild Bells Ron Nelson
• Where Love Is Joanne Bushman Doxey & Marjorie Castleton Kjar; arr. Sam Cardon
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "An Unlikely Hero"

  Have you heard the story about Jason McElwain, the water boy and manager of a high school basketball team in Rochester, New York? It’s so remarkable that one is tempted to begin it with the words, “Once upon a time.”

  Jason was born with autism and didn’t speak until he was five years old. He loved basketball and tried out for his high school team but never made the cut. So he volunteered to assist the coach as team manager. His enthusiasm and passion made him a favorite with the players and the hometown crowd.

  Then, before the final game of Jason’s senior year, the coach handed the young man a uniform. And, with four minutes remaining in the contest, he called Jason’s name and told him to check into the game.

  The crowd cheered as Jason stepped onto the court. He missed his first two shots, but then something magical happened. Jason put up a three-point shot, and it went in. So did his next. And the next. When the final buzzer sounded, Jason had made seven shots, six of them from three-point range. The crowd went wild and rushed onto the court as Jason’s teammates lifted the unlikely hero onto their shoulders.

  Jason’s story inspired many people that night and thousands since. There’s something deep within us that loves to cheer for those who defy the odds and achieve the heroic. Perhaps it is because when we see the hidden potential in others, we get a glimpse of what lies within ourselves. Perhaps, like Jason McElwain, all we need is the opportunity to show it.

• Fantasy No. 1 in F minor Arnold Sherman
• Quoniam tu solus sanctus from Gloria John Rutter

• God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand George W. Warren; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Wayfarin' Stranger American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Wade in de Water Traditional Spiritual; arr. Allen Koepke
• Toccata in Seven John Rutter
• Distant Land John Rutter
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Keep Trying"

  Our willingness to experience failure and make mistakes affects our ability to succeed. If we stand on the sidelines without trying, we may escape the heartache of defeat, but we’ll never know the joy of accomplishment. If we’re willing to stumble and sometimes even fall, we’ll learn, grow, and become strong.

  One hundred and forty years ago, Theodore Roosevelt was a frail, nearsighted child, tormented by near-fatal asthma attacks. As a teenager, he worked to overcome his ill health through rigorous exercise, weight-lifting, and boxing. When he was in his 20s, his wife and mother passed away on the same day, leaving him heartbroken. After college he entered politics, winning and losing elections over the next decades.

  Through it all, he maintained a zest for life. He went on to become the youngest person ever to serve as president of the United States; he won the Nobel Peace Prize; and today, his image is carved on the massive granite of South Dakota’s Black Hills.

  Although Theodore Roosevelt’s life may be larger than ours, like each of us he was no stranger to life’s ups and downs. We all make mistakes; we all face setbacks and experience our share of sorrow. But somehow, someway, we can decide not to give up. Every failure can lead to success, as long as we keep trying.

  As Roosevelt said: “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.” [1]We see past that gray twilight whenever we keep trying, go forward, and take even one small step of faith. [1]In Justin Kaplan, ed., Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations, 17th ed. (2002), 614–15.

  Climb Ev'ry Mountain from The Sound of Music Richard Rodgers; arr. Arthur Harris

• Holy, Holy, Holy John B. Dykes; arr. Arthur Harris
• Consider the Lilies of the Field Roger Hoffman; arr. A. Laurence Lyon
• Who Are the Brave? Joseph M. Martin
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "High Flight"

  Every once in a long while, someone pens a poem that captures the hearts of a generation and then lives forever. John Gillespie Magee Jr. was one such uncommon poet. Early in World War II, 18-year-old John Magee enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He progressed quickly and soon became a pilot officer. One day, while testing a new high-altitude plane at 30,000 feet, Officer Magee was awestruck by what he saw and felt. Upon landing, he put his experience to words in the immortal poem “High Flight,” which he wrote on the back of a letter to his parents.

  A few months later, in December of 1941, Magee was killed during a routine training flight over England’s countryside. His sonnet became the official poem of the British and Canadian Air Force and a favorite of the U.S. Air Force. In 1986 President Ronald Reagan quoted from it when he spoke to the nation after the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. The stirring words, written by a young pilot during the dark days of World War II, lift us to new heights and open to our view a glorious, exhilarating scene:
  
  

  Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
  And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
  Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
  of sun-split clouds,—and done a hundred things
  You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung
  High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
  I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
  My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .

  Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
  I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
  Where never lark nor ever eagle flew—
  And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
  The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
  Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

• Lord Guard and Guide the Men Who Fly
• Thou Gracious God, Whose Mercy Lends English Folk Tune; arr. Mack Wilberg

• How Wondrous and Great Attr. Johann Michael Haydn; arr. John Longhurst
• The One Hundred Fiftieth Psalm Howard Hanson
• Only the Sad of Heart Pyotr Ilyitch Tchaikovsky
• I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say Thomas Tallis; arr. John Longhurst
• Though Deepening Trials George Careless
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Pleasure and Sorrow"

  For each of us, life has its share of pleasure and sorrow. Most of us prefer the pleasure, but we also need the wisdom, patience, and understanding that sorrow offers.

  Robert Browning Hamilton expressed it well in his poem “Along the Road”:

  I walked a mile with Pleasure;
  She chattered all the way,
  But left me none the wiser
  For all she had to say.
  
  I walked a mile with Sorrow
  And ne'er a word said she;
  But oh, the things I learned from her
  When Sorrow walked with me!

  The poet’s daughter, Virginia Hamilton Adair, was very young when she first read this poem. “It had a Mother Goose simplicity to it,” she remembered. “A perfect little lyric with . . . meaning that would reveal itself to me later.”At the time, however, she wondered how one can learn anything from sorrow.

  Virginia Hamilton Adair, herself a poet, eventually walked along her own road with Pleasure and Sorrow. For many years she enjoyed a loving marriage, a happy family, and a successful career; then she had to deal with her husband’s suicide and a bout with glaucoma that finally left her blind. But she continued to write poetry even as she lost her eyesight and at the age of 83 attained considerable celebrity with her first book of poetry, Ants on the Melon. She passed away in 2004 at the age of 91, wiser and more sensitive because of what she had experienced.

  It’s true that pleasure can be fun and enjoyable—an important part of life. But because it doesn’t stretch our souls, it does not teach. If we are willing, the mile that, eventually, all of us walk with sorrow can soften our hearts and school our souls.
  ¹ In Hazel Felleman, sel., The Best Loved Poems of the American People (1936), 537
  ² In Carmela Ciuraru, ed., First Loves: Poets Introduce the Essential Poems That Captivated and Inspired Them (2000), 25.

  Even When God Is Silent Michael Horvit

  Joy In the Morning Natalie Sleeth

• I Sing the Greatness of Our God Fred Bock
• In Thee Is Gladness Giovanni G. Gastoldi; setting by Daniel Kallman
• Jesus, Lover of My Soul Joseph P. Holbrook; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Sinfonia to Cantata XXIX J. S. Bach; arr. Robert Hebble
• God Is Love Thomas C. Griggs
• Ride the Chariot Spiritual; arr. Wm. Henry Smith
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"The Spirit of Getting By"

  There is a spirit that limits and shrivels the human soul whenever it remains unchallenged and unchecked. For want of better words, perhaps it could be called “the spirit of getting by”—of doing as little as possible, of giving as little as possible, of working as little as possible.

  With young people in school it is sometimes evident in an attitude of cutting corners and simply slipping through: making a minimum of effort; studying as little as possible to acquire credit for the course; being satisfied with the lowest possible passing mark without reaching out for the further knowledge that could be had with a little extra effort. Young people often seem to suppose that there will be enough time in the future for all that ought to be done, and that it is smart for the present simply to get by. And sometimes very late they learn that the length of this life is limited—though sometimes they may not see it until they are looking sharply down the short side of life.

  But it isn’t only among young people that this spirit has spread. . . . While the spirit of getting by . . . may sometimes seem smart and popular and approved, there is a law which says that the benefits and blessings are dependent upon performance. . . . He who shows a reluctant, unwilling nature, he who refuses to grow as much as he could, or learn as much as he could, or work as well as he should, whatever he may be doing to others, he is first of all cheating himself.

  In short it may be said: He who is afraid of doing too much, seldom does enough. . . . The spirit of slipping through, the spirit of simply getting by, robs us of life’s richest rewards.

  [1]In Lloyd D. Newell, comp., Messages from Music and the Spoken Word (2003), 94–95.

  The Whole Armor of God K. Lee Scott

• Saints Bound for Heaven Melody from Walker's Southern Harmony, 1835
• Death Shall Not Destroy My Comfort Melody from The Olive Leaf, 1878
• Every Time I Feel the Spirit Traditional; arr. Richard Elliott
• We'll Shout and Give Him Glory Melody from The Olive Leaf, 1878
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Snowman"

  A thousand horses were entered in the show, and oh, how they could jump. The open-jumper class was the most anticipated event of the competition, and only the finest horses competed.

  But as the proud thoroughbreds paraded by, a hush fell over the crowd followed by laughter, for among the high-stepping aristocratic horses was what looked like an ordinary, gray farm horse with the ordinary name of "Snowman." Was this a joke? How could a big-boned plow horse be allowed into the tournament?

  But after three days of competition, the gray gelding stood, head high and defiant, a banner draped over his back proclaiming him "champion."

  Snowman loved to jump, and he continued to win and win, eventually being inducted into the show-jumping hall of fame.

  With all of his success, most people never realized that when Snowman was young he was unwanted and unloved; he had been abused and put to hard labor. The horse had been so mistreated that when his original owner put him up for auction, only one man expressed interest—the manager of a plant that processed animals into dog food.

  And that's where Snowman was headed, until a young riding master noticed something special in the horse's eyes and took a chance on him.

  No matter where we have been, no matter how old, ordinary, discouraged, or defeated we feel, there is something of Snowman within each of us. Who knows what we are capable of? Who knows what wonderful surprises are yet in store for us if we take inspiration from the story of an old plow horse who, in spite of hardship and struggle, and though plain on the outside, showed that there lies in the heart of even the most ordinary of creatures a hidden spark of greatness.

• Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing Melody from Wyeth's Repository of Sacred Music, 1813

• They the Builders of the Nation Alfred m. Durham; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Zion's Walls Adapted by Aaron Copland; choral arrangement by Glenn Koponen
• He's Gone Away
• I'm Runnin' On Spiritual; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"With Joy Wend Your Way"

  Life is a journey. Very often, the most difficult journeys bring the greatest growth—and ultimately, the most joy.

  Today we remember an epic journey that began 150 years ago when several thousand handcart pioneers trudged more than a thousand miles, pushing and pulling wooden handcarts across the plains and over the Rocky Mountains to the Salt Lake Valley. They were gathering to what was, for them, a promised land of peace, a place of refuge. Many had little concept of the rigors of travel before them, but they walked willingly and steadfastly, with faith in every footstep. Each day the trek took them farther from civilization. The nights grew colder, the water at each river crossing grew more frigid, and storm clouds lowered around them.

  One of those handcart pioneers said of his experience, "[I] traveled one of the hardest journeys across the plains by handcart, nearly worked to death, starved to death, and froze to death."1 They all suffered, and many died, but during the journey their faith grew stronger. The trek west became a proving ground for their convictions. They recognized the hand of Providence in their lives and came to know that their sufferings were not in vain.

  The grit, determination, resilience, and faith of these pioneers are stirring reminders to all of us who face hardship on our journey. Their song of faith—written on that trail of suffering, but also of joy—still inspires us today:

  Come, come, ye Saints, no toil nor labor fear;
  But with joy wend your way.
  Though hard to you this journey may appear,
  Grace shall be as your day.
  'Tis better far for us to strive
  Our useless cares from us to drive;
  Do this, and joy your hearts will swell—
  All is well! All is well!2

  1 In Carol Cornwall Madsen, Journey to Zion: Voices from the Mormon Trail (1997), 667.

  2 "Come, Come, Ye Saints," Hymns, no. 30.

• Come, Come, Ye Saints English Tune; arr. Leroy J. Robertson

• Glory to God on High Felice de Giardini
• Gloria from Mass in D Antonin Dvo?ák; transcribed by Warner Imig
• Glory to God in the Highest Sergei Rachmaninoff
• Glory Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
• Allegro from Concerto in F George Friderich Handel; arr. Marcel Dupré
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"In Joy or Pain"

  The story is told of a man who was busily working to install a new roof on his home. Suddenly he slipped and began to slide down the steep roof toward the edge. In desperation he cried out to heaven, "Save me and I'll serve Thee all my days!" Just then his pants caught on a nail and his slide was stopped. "Never mind," he mumbled, "I'm OK now."

  So often we recognize our vulnerability in times of peril and are quick to call out for divine help to save us from danger. Then, when all appears well again, we may feel less dependent on heaven's help and more sure of our own strength and ability. Too soon our attitude becomes, "Never mind; I'm OK now."

  How much better it would be to recognize, even in the good times, the kindness and care that are constantly given by loving Providence. How much more faithful it would be to express our heartfelt thanks and live for needed blessings even when things are going well. The peace we seek in troubled times may come more quickly if we have been acknowledging its Source all along.

  The truth is, divine intervention is not a rare event that occurs only in response to emergencies and desperate pleadings. Rather, it can be a frequent experience that blesses us in days of plenty as well as in times of want. As a beautiful hymn reminds us, we need those blessings "every hour, in joy or pain."1

  May our lives be filled with grateful supplication, so that we are not strangers to the One upon whom we call for help.

  1 "I Need Thee Every Hour," Hymns, no. 98.

• Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow Louis Bourgeois
• On Earth as It is in Heaven from The Mission Ennio Morricone; arr. Nathan Hoffheins
• O, Clap Your Hands Ralph Vaughan Williams

• Canticle of Faithfulness Daniel Bird; Based on Great Is Thy Faithfulness by William M. Runyan
• My Shepherd Will Supply My Need Melody from Southern Harmony, 1835; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Toccata on Sicilian Mariners arr. John Longhurst
• Jehovah, Lord of Heaven and Earth Oliver Holden
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Things Work Out"

  We all have our share of trials and tribulations, our share of joy and happiness. During the trying times, it's easy to forget the joyful times. Life can certainly be hard, but it can also be full of hope and possibility if we keep trying, look for the good, and accentuate the positive. Look around you with a willing heart and open mind. You'll find that although there are discouraging days and occasional setbacks, given time and patience and perseverance, things work out—as Edgar A. Guest reminded us so long ago:

  Because it rains when we wish it wouldn't,
  Because men do what they often shouldn't,
  Because crops fail, and plans go wrong—
  Some of us grumble all day long.
  But somehow, in spite of the care and doubt,
  It seems at the last that things work out.
  

  Because we lose where we hoped to gain,
  Because we suffer a little pain,
  Because we must work when we'd like to play—
  Some of us whimper along life's way.
  But somehow, as day always follows the night,
  Most of our troubles work out all right.
  

  Because we cannot forever smile,
  Because we must trudge in the dust awhile,
  Because we think that the way is long—
  Some of us whimper that life's all wrong.
  But somehow we live and our sky grows bright,
  And everything seems to work out all right.
  

  So bend to your trouble and meet your care,
  For the clouds must break, and the sky grow fair.
  Let the rain come down, as it must and will,
  But keep on working and hoping still.
  For in spite of the grumblers who stand about,
  Somehow, it seems, all things work out.1
  

  1 "Things Work Out," Collected Verse of Edgar A. Guest (1934), 574.

• Oh, What a Beautiful Morning from Oklahoma Richad Rodgers; arr. Arthur Harris
• Rock-A-My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham Arranged and Adapted by Howard Roberts
• The Lord Bless You and Keep You John Rutter

• Cohan's Big Three (Yankee Doodle Dandy, Give My Regards to Broadway, You're a Grand Old Flag) George M. Cohan; arr. Floyd E. Werle
• The House I Live In Earl Robinson; arr. Michael Davis
• The Liberty Bell March John Philip Sousa; arr. Linger
• Heal Our Land Janice Kapp Perry; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Perseverance and Spirit"

  In the summer of 1776, a small group of men from all walks of life—lawyers, merchants, farmers, doctors, and ministers—stepped forward one by one to sign their names to the Declaration of Independence. There was no fanfare, no trumpets, but the event was sobering if not ceremonious. Fully aware of the risk—treason against the crown was punished with death by hanging—these men pledged their lives to the sacred cause of liberty. Sixty-year-old Stephen Hopkins, a delegate from Rhode Island, declared with a shaking pen, "My hand trembles, but my heart does not."1

  These men paid a heavy price for their valor. One of the signers, Abraham Clark, a representative from New Jersey, had two sons serving in the revolutionary army. They had been captured by the British and were subjected to severe brutality because of their father's position. Clark was offered his sons' lives if he would renounce the rebellion and support the King of England. With resolve matched only by his personal anguish, he refused. His commitment to freedom still resonates more than 200 years later. Not many observers gave the new nation much chance of survival. But it did survive. And it flourished.

  The Founding Fathers would be proud of America today. They would see a people who are strong, decent, and good-hearted, who demonstrate the truth of George Washington's statement early in the revolution, when the outcome was still in doubt: "Perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages."2 Year after year as we celebrate the birth of this nation, we declare that independence is much more than a document under glass. We add our names to the list of those who have shaped America, who say with pride and pleasure, "This is my country."

  1 In David McCullough, John Adams (2001), 138.

  2 In David McCullough, 1776 (2005), 41.

• The Last Full Measure of Devotion OLarry Grossman; arr. Ian Fraser; transcribed by Michael Davis
• This Is My Country Al Jacobs; arr. Floyd E. Werle

• The Lord Is My Light John R. Sweney; arr. James C. Kasen
• Sheep May Safely Graze from Cantata No. 208 Johann Sebastian Bach; arr. Katherine K. Davis
• Rainsong Houston Bright
• Jubilee Leo Sowerby
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"The Golden Rule"

  Think of what a better place the world would be if we always asked ourselves, "Would I like someone to do to me what I am doing to them?" This simple standard, commonly known as the Golden Rule, is endorsed by religious traditions around the world. Each has its own way of saying it, but they all teach essentially the same thing: treat others the way you would like to be treated. What a simple but vital ideal!

  A wealthy nobleman once asked Confucius for advice on dealing with peasants who were stealing from him. Confucius told him, "If you yourself, Sir, were not on the take, no one would be trying to steal from you."1 In other words, the peasants felt the need to steal because the nobleman was requiring too much of them and was not distributing his wealth fairly. If only the nobleman had treated the peasants the way he would like to be treated, they would be friends instead of thieves.

  The Golden Rule endures because it applies just as well in our modern lives as it did among gentry and peasants. How different a business transaction might be if we treated a client or vendor the way we would like to be treated. How much more peaceful our homes might be if we spoke the way we would like family members to speak to us. What a feeling of safety and trust would fill our neighborhoods if we truly lived by the Golden Rule.

  1 In Russell Freedman, Confucius (2002), 20.

• Eternal Life Olive Dungan; arr. Fred Bock
• Danny Boy
• God Is Gone Up Gerald Finzi

• Praise Ye the Lord John Rutter
• My Song in the Night arr. Mack Wilberg
• The Ash Grove Traditional; arr. John Longhurst
• Father in Heaven Friedrich F. Flemming; arr. Edwin P. Parker
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Good Fathering"

  The story is told of a father who overheard his son praying, "Dear God, make me the kind of man my daddy is." Later that night, the father prayed, "Dear God, make me the kind of man my son needs me to be."

  Good fathering is hard work, the most important kind of work men can do. Yet studies have shown that the average father spends less than 30 minutes a week talking with his children.1 So many good and worthwhile things call out for time and attention. But what could be more worthwhile than nurturing a relationship with a child?

  What kind of man do children need their fathers to be? Most children need less of what a father's money can buy and more of his time. They need his consistent presence. Fathers can help to foster creativity and self-worth, moral standards and social skills, awareness of the world and the confidence to achieve worthy goals. Good fathers combine strength with humility, great expectations with caring concern. They encourage independence and industry, yet they're gentle enough to cry, laugh, and walk hand-in-hand with a child.

  This kind of fathering is best done over the course of countless one-on-one moments, accumulated over many years. If we could only gaze into the future, we would see how precious such moments are, how quickly they pass. It seems that only yesterday a teenager was a toddler, a graduate was a first grader, a new father was a child.

  Soon the seasons pass,
  Like the rivers and their rapid flow;
  But loving fathers
  Always reap the love they freely sow.

  The years come and go;
  But in the heart of every good father,
  A child remains so
  Dear: once a hand, always a heart to hold.

  1 See Mary Pipher, The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding Our Families (1996), 231.

• Turn Around Harry Belafonte, Allen Greene, Malvina Reynolds; arr. Michael Davis
• When the Saints Go Marching In American Traditional; arr. John Rutter
• Thou Lovely Source of True Delight Mack Wilberg

• Onward, Ye Peoples! Jean Sibelius; arr. Channing Lefebvre
• And the Father will Dance Mark Hayes
• Presto from "Concerto No. 5" George Frideric Handel
• The Eyes of All Wait Upon Thee Jean Berger
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"The Road Not Taken"

  Shortly after being named America's poet laureate, Robert Pinsky launched a campaign to identify the nation's favorite poem. Thousands of poetry lovers sent in nominations, and Robert Frost's reflective poem "The Road Not Taken" emerged as the clear favorite. The well-known lines speak of life's pivotal choices:

  Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
  And sorry I could not travel both
  And be one traveler, long I stood
  And looked down one as far as I could.

  Robert Frost, a teacher, farmer, and poet, faced such a crossroads early in his career. Largely ignored in American literary circles, he sold his New Hampshire farm and moved to England hoping to find a forum for his poetry. That choice "made all the difference," and his career as a poet took off. He returned to New England, and in the years that followed he received four Pulitzer Prizes and lectured at the most distinguished universities, even though he had no college degree. He became the voice of the common man, his plain-spoken verses articulating our deepest hopes and everyday experiences.

  Don't we all stand at the head of divergent roads at various times in our lives? Consider your own personal journey. How has your life been shaped by the roads you have taken? "Way leads on to way," Frost reminds us, and we can't go back and start again, but we can face each new crossroads with the benefit of past experience and refined expectations. We can choose the path that will take us where we want to go.

  Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
  I took the one less traveled by,
  And that has made all the difference.1

  1 The Poetry of Robert Frost, ed. Edward Connery Lathem (1969), 105.

• The Road Not Taken Randall Thompson
• Psalm 148 Gustav Holst

• O God, Our Help in Ages Past William Croft; arr. Mack Wilberg
• N.A. Laudate Nomen Carlyle Sharpe
• O Holy Jesus Jonathan Willcocks
• N.A. A Trumpet Minuet Alfred Hollins
• N.A. Sweet Is the Work John J. McClellan
• The Sound of Music Richard Rodgers; arr. Arthur Harris
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Oh Hear Us When We Cry to Thee"

  Long ago, a small group of men were riding out a rough storm on the Sea of Galilee. Fearing for their lives, they awakened their sleeping Master and implored, "Master, carest thou not that we perish?" Seeing their fear and hearing their plea, He calmed the tempest with the gentle command, "Peace, be still." 1

  Nearly two millennia later, in the mid-1800s, a young man named William Whiting was caught in another furious storm while sailing on the Mediterranean. A spiritually minded person, he felt keenly his dependence on the protecting powers of heaven in the midst of the merciless wind and waves. Later, thinking of that frightening experience, he wrote these inspiring words:

  Almighty Father, strong to save,
  Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
  Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
  Its own appointed limits keep:
  O hear us when we cry to Thee
  For those in peril on the sea.

  These words of supplication were set to music in 1861 by John Dykes and became known as the "Navy Hymn." It was the favorite hymn of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and was sung at his funeral. It was played by the Navy Band in 1963 as the body of President John F. Kennedy was brought into the U.S. Capitol to lie in state. Today it is often heard at the funerals of veteran seafarers and is sung each week following worship services at the U.S. Naval Academy.2

  This stirring hymn has special meaning for the storm-tossed sailor and for all of us when we face the storms of life. It reminds us that we can find peace when our thoughts are raised to the Master of heaven and earth with the heartfelt prayer, "O hear us when we cry to Thee."

  1 See Mark 4:36–41.

  2 See "‘Eternal Father, Strong to Save': The Navy Hymn," www.history. navy.mil/faqs/faq53-1.htm.

• Eternal Father, Strong to Save John B. Dykes; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor Irving Berlin; arr. Roy Ringwald
• Goin' Home Antonin Dvorak; arr. Jay Welch
• Solemn Melody, Sir Henry Walford Davies
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Treasures from the Past"

  Has it occurred to you that our forebears did not live in the past? Pulitzer-Prize winning historian David McCullough has pointed out that the great men and women of history "lived in the present just as we do. The difference was it was their present, not ours. And just as we don't know how things are going to turn out for us, they didn't either." This is part of what makes their remarkable achievements so inspiring.

  McCullough continued: "We have to know who we were if we're to know who we are and where we're headed. This is essential. We have to value what our forebears—[including] our own parents and grandparents—did for us, or . . . it can slip away."1

  We have each inherited treasures from the past: treasures of experience, of knowledge, of courageous acts, and of freedom. More than ever before, history is readily available, but if we don't explore it, it is worthless to us—much like buried treasure that remains buried.

  History becomes valuable as it is studied and shared. A good place to start is a cemetery. Visit one and look at the gravestones for young and old from all walks of life. Read the monuments to soldiers and fallen heroes; think about what we have today because of their sacrifice. Take note of dates and begin piecing together life stories. Every monument is a piece of history. We can casually glance and move on, or we can pause to reflect, remember, and learn.

  As our hearts turn to our forebears—both in and outside our family tree—we grow ever more grateful for them and their contributions. We see how their lives shaped ours, and we become more determined to make the most of our portion of the present as they did so honorably with theirs.

  1 "Knowing History and Knowing Who We Are," www.hillsdale.edu/imprimis/2005/April. Quoted by permission from Imprimis, the national speech digest of Hillsdale College, www.hillsdale.edu.

• America the Beautiful Samuel A. Ward; arr. Michael Davis
• Armed Forces Medley
• The Star-Spangled Banner John Stafford Smith; arr. Robert Russell Bennett

• Praise to the Lord the Almighty (with Alleluia Fanfare) From Stralsund Gesangbuch, 1665; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring Johann Sebastian Bach; arr. Richard G. Appel
• Praise the Lord with the Drums and Cymbals Sigfrid Karg-Elert
• Neverland arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Reverence"

  "Reverence is more than just quietly sitting."1 It is "profound respect mingled with love."2 Reverence is an attitude of awe, honor, appreciation, and deference to the holy. It is reflected in the way we talk and think, the way we treat others, the way we regard sacred things.

  Reverent people know that such an attitude brings feelings of peace, spiritual uplift, and closeness to the Divine. These feelings cannot be forced, but we can invite them.

  This truth was illustrated well when two little girls, active and full of life, visited the butterfly house at a zoo. Laughing and giggling, they jumped and grasped at the butterflies, but no matter how hard they tried, they could not seem to catch one.

  Their teacher told the girls to dip their hands in a nearby pool of water and sit very still with their hands cupped in front of them. The girls watched as the colorful butterflies danced gracefully in the trees. Finally, ever so slowly, a butterfly fluttered toward them and landed on one of the girls' fingers. While the butterfly sipped the water on her finger, the teacher explained to the awestruck girls, "You don't catch a butterfly. You let it come to you."3

  Reverent feelings come when we quietly ponder and pray, when we respect other people and appreciate all of creation. Reverent thoughts fill our minds when we are grateful and loving. And then, in time, reverence becomes a constant, enduring part of our lives.

  A wise religious leader observed: "Reverence is not a somber, temporary behavior. . . . True reverence involves happiness, as well as love, respect, gratitude, and godly fear. It is a virtue that should be part of our way of life."4 Indeed, reverence is more than quietly sitting. Reverence is acknowledging the hand of God every day of our lives.

  1 "Reverence Is Love," Children's Songbook, 31.

  2 David O. McKay, "Reverence," Improvement Era, July 1962, 508.

  3 See Marilyn Wood, "To Catch a Butterfly," Friend, May 2001, 21–22.

  4 Spencer W. Kimball, The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball (1982), 223–24.

• More Holiness Give Me Philip Paul Bliss
• Hymn to the Fallen from "Saving Private Ryan" John Williams

• O Be Joyful in the Lord John Rutter
• Peace Like a River African-American Spiritual; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Antiphon No. 5
• This Is My Father's World Traditional English Melody; Adapted by Franklin L. Sheppard; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Fill the World with Love"

  Love is the most powerful force in the universe. Love blesses both giver and receiver and resounds in hearts forever.

  It's true that we're all born with differing interests and capacities, strengths and weaknesses. But one thing we all need is to receive and give love. We need it in order to grow into the kind of people we're capable of becoming—more loving, more courageous, more loyal. All virtues have their root in love.

  A father of modest means who has now passed on left little of the world's possessions behind, but he left a legacy of love that his family still cherishes. A mother who often feels inadequate, worrying that there's so much she cannot do well, knows she can nurture with love—which is, after all, the most important gift she can give. Children remember warmly and clearly those loving moments long after they leave the home. Truly, we never forget love.

  This old world, which has seen much of sorrow and suffering, much of tribulation and difficulty, needs love. It's so simple, so essential—and although it's common sense, it's often not common practice. We can each do our part by filling our little corner of the world with love. We can join in the song:

  "In the evening of my life I shall look to the sunset,
  At the moment in my life when the night is due.
  And the question I shall ask only I can answer:
  Was I strong and brave and true,
  Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?" 1

  1 Leslie Bricusse, "Fill the World with Love."

• Fill the Word with Love from "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" Leslie Bricusse; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Over the Rainbow from "The Wizard of Oz" Harold Arlen; arr. Arthur Harris

• The Morning Breaks George Careless

  Announcer: "The dawning of a brighter day"-these words were sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on July 15, 1929, during the first broadcast of a new program originating from Temple Square in Salt Lake City. It was a program destined to make broadcasting history. Today, nearly 77 years later, we celebrate a remarkable landmark in this historic program-the 4,000th continuous network broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word.

• How Firm a Foundation Attributed to J. Ellis; arr. Mack Wilberg
• message from past Choir Director Jerold Ottley:

  I'm Jerold Ottley, former music director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. During my 25-year tenure with the Choir, we frequently broadcast Music and the Spoken Word from various locations around the world. Even when the Choir was on tour, this broadcast was continued without interruption. One of my favorite memories is the Choir's performance in the exquisite Philharmonia Hall in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). There, in what's considered to be his artistic home, we sang the music of the renowned Russian composer, Sergey Rachmaninoff.

• Rejoice, O Virgin from All-Night Vigil, No. 6 Sergei Rachmaninoff; edited by Robert Shaw
• message from Choir President Mac Christiensen:

  I'm Mac Christensen, president of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. One of the secrets of the success of this remarkable program is the fact that all of the members of the Choir and Orchestra are volunteers-and come from all walks of life. This army of volunteers who make up the Choir and Orchestra of today represents thousands of musicians throughout nearly eight decades who have brought you Music and the Spoken Word.

• Glorious Everlasting M. Thomas Cousins
• message from Charles Osgood:

  I'm Charles Osgood, a former guest, composer, and long-time friend of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. How we have relied on the Choir these many years to lift our spirits and point us to good in the world. When they sing a song like the stirring ballad "You'll Never Walk Alone," we each seem to find the courage to "walk on."

• You'll Never Walk Alone from Carousel Richard Rodgers; arr. Arthur Harris
• message from John Longhurst:

  I'm John Longhurst, Tabernacle organist since 1977. From the very first broadcast, the organ has been a signature element of the sound of the Choir and of this program. Today Richard Elliott re-creates the organ solo featured on that very first broadcast of 1929, a transcription of the "Pilgrim's Chorus" from Richard Wagner's opera Tannhäuser.

• Pilgrim's Chorus from "Tannhäuser" Richard Wagner; arr. Richard Elliott
• messsage from LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley:

  What a remarkable thing it is that the Tabernacle Choir has been on the air continuously since that summer day in 1929. There is nothing to equal it in all the history of network broadcasting. This longevity is well deserved because of the high quality of the Choir's performances. With each passing year Music and the Spoken Word has grown ever better. May all that has occurred in the past be but prelude to an even greater future.

• Let the Mountains Shout for Joy Evan Stephens
• message from USA President George W. Bush:

  It is a great pleasure to join you to celebrate the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's 4,000th weekly broadcast. It's the longest-running program in radio history. Every week since 1929, the Choir has broadcast Music and the Spoken Word across the nation. And I congratulate you on reaching this milestone. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has many distinguished accomplishments throughout its history. You performed for presidents going back to William Howard Taft. You performed at six presidential inaugurals, including my own. President Ronald Reagan once called your group "America's Choir." In 2003 I was honored to present you with the nation's highest award for artistic achievement, the National Medal for the Arts. You have brought music and inspiration to generations of Americans, and I wish you continued success in the future. And now I am honored to announce your next performance: "Come, Come, Ye Saints."

• Come, Come, Ye Saints English Folk Song adapted from the "Sacred Harp" 1844; arr. Mack Wilberg

  Announcer: Through the years Music and the Spoken Word has endured in a changing world. It has adapted to new technologies, but it has tried to remain true to its mission: to present inspirational music and a message that lifts spirits, steadies hearts, and brings people closer to the Divine.

  All of us associated with the broadcast today acknowledge those who went before us, those who made the broadcast what it is. And we express our gratitude for the honor and blessing of being a part of this program and being a small part of your life. And so, as we have done for 4,000 broadcasts, we say anew: Again we leave you from within the shadows of the everlasting hills. May peace be with you … this day and always.

• Sweet Peace English Folk Song; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Be Still, My Soul Jean Sibelius; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Morning Mood from Peer Gynt Edvard Grieg; transcription by Clay Christiansen
• In Dreams from Lord of the Rings Fran Walsh and Howard Shore
• Prayer of the Children Kurt Bestor
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "The Hope of the Children"

  Nearly every day we see portrayed in the media innocent children suffering the violence of war, the ravages of nature, and the pain of disability. We see little ones wide-eyed with fear or glassy-eyed from hunger, clinging to desperate parents or crying alone. The world can be so cruel to those who deserve kindness the most.

  But the faith of children is not easily shaken, so they pray to a loving God, who is aware of the trouble they face. He hears their prayers over the blast of a car bomb and above the din of street fighting. Whether they are kneeling in supplication or pleading silently in their hearts, children seem to know intuitively that God will hear them. There is no disability, no man-made uproar, no natural disaster that can hinder the heartfelt plea of a child.

  The answer to such prayers comes in the form of humble hope. Like the first hint of dawn following a long night, there comes the sweet assurance that things will be better, that all is not lost, that the future holds a promise of peace and joy. The darkness of conflict can give way to a brilliant gleam of trust in the victory of good over evil and right over wrong.

  This hope must find a place in the heart of each of our precious children. Whatever their station in life, despite the troubles that surround them, they need to believe that somewhere there is room for them to grow and to feel the love of Divine Providence. Surely somewhere we can find a place—a place of safety, a place of peace, a place of love for each child who prays for hope.

• Somewhere from West Side Story Leonard Bernstein; arr. Arthur Harris

• Christ the Lord Is Risen Today Melody from Lyra Davidica; arr. John Rutter
• Easter from Five Mystical Songs Ralph Vaughan Williams
• Amazing Grace! How Sweet the Sound George Shearing on the tune New Britain
• Easter Morning Paul Christiansen
• I Know That My Redeemer Lives, Lewis D. Edwards
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "An Appointment with April" [Easter]

  In the early spring of 1912, students crowded into a Harvard classroom for the final lecture of renowned philosopher and poet George Santayana. Near the end of his remarks, the students hanging on his every word, Professor Santayana glanced out the window. His eyes caught sight of a forsythia blossoming in a patch of lingering snow. At once, he quit speaking, picked up his gloves, hat, and walking stick, and strode to the door. He turned to the startled assembly and said calmly, "I shall not be able to finish that sentence. I have just discovered that I have an appointment with April."1

  He left his books, his associates, and the hallowed halls of scholarship and walked outside into the garden.

  What was it about spring that drew him? Was it the beauty? The contrast of white snow and bright golden petals? Did this philosopher see lessons for the soul in the plant's ability to tolerate harsh conditions and city life? Or did he find hope and inspiration in springtime's promise of new life after the long, lonesome winter?

  Santayana later wrote, "I like to walk about amidst the beautiful things that adorn the world."2 If we are willing to drop what we are doing and truly see these beauties, we too can be renewed by spring's wonders flowering around us. The diversity of color in the landscape can paint a picture of remarkable splendor, but too often we simply pass by, and it all becomes merely a backdrop to our busy lives.

  If we could just take a moment today, whether it's rainy or sunny, windy or still, to walk amidst the grandeur we call nature—all of us should have "an appointment with April" and, hopefully, keep and hold those precious moments close to our hearts.

  1 Clifton Fadiman, ed., The Little, Brown Book of Anecdotes (1985), 487.

  2 In John Bartlett, comp., Familiar Quotations, 16th ed. (1992), 588.

• The Savior Is Risen Indeed Robert Galbraith
• He Is Risen Joachim Neander; arr. Mack Wilberg

• All Glory, Laud and Honor Alexander Schreiner; based on a melody by Melchior Teschner
• Introit and Kyrie from Requiem Maurice Duruflé
• The Good Shepherd Dale Wood
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "A Shepherd's Care"

  The good shepherd has long been a symbol of God's love and watchful care. The shepherd knows his sheep and calls each one by name. The sheep are defenseless against the wolves of the desert. They need constant care. So night and day, the shepherd protects his sheep and guides them to green pastures and still waters.1

  Several years ago, a man traveling in a North African desert came upon a roadside accident. The king's automobile had struck a young lamb, and an old shepherd, with his small flock, listened as the driver explained how he could be compensated. By law, a shepherd whose sheep had been injured by the king's vehicle could receive 100 times the value of the sheep. However, the same law dictated that the injured sheep must be slain and its meat divided among the people.

  The traveler watched as the shepherd rejected the offer, carefully picked up the injured lamb, wrapped it in his flowing robe, and walked away. He led his flock back into the desert, gently stroking the little lamb and repeating its name, over and over.

  Amazed, the traveler wondered why the shepherd had refused the money. The reason is clear: because he loves his sheep.

  Just as the shepherd nurtures and protects his flock, so the Lord will watch over us, guide us, and shelter us from danger.

  The Lord my pasture will prepare
  And feed me with a shepherd's care.
  His presence will my want supply
  And guard me with a watchful eye.
  My noonday walks he will attend
  And all my silent midnight hours defend.3

  1 See Psalm 23.

  2 See John R. Lasater, in Conference Report, Apr. 1988, 86–87; or Ensign, May 1988, 74.

  3 "The Lord My Pasture Will Prepare," Hymns, no. 109.

• The Lord My Pasture Will Prepare Dmitri Bortniansky; arr. Mack Wilberg
• O My Father James McGranahan; arr. Crawford Gates

• Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah John Hughes; arr. Mack Wilberg
• I Will Sing with the Spirit John Rutter
• Crossing the Bar Henry Holden Huss; edited by Richard P. Condie
• True to the Faith Evan Stephens; arranged by Clay Christiansen
• God of Our Fathers, Known of Old Leroy J. Robertson
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Lest We Forget"

  When all is well and life is good, we tend to forget those who have made our present comforts possible: the teachers, parents, ancestors, and others who've sacrificed in our behalf. We drive on roads we didn't build, or we eat food we didn't grow—we all enjoy benefits and blessing that have come from the work of others. How often do we pause to acknowledge this? Do we sometimes enjoy the peace without remembering the peacemakers? Do we seize opportunities without giving thought to those who provided them?

  We appreciate our blessings more deeply when we choose to remember those who have made these blessings possible. How fully can we appreciate a beautiful performance of music without considering the hours, even years, of practice behind it? How sincerely can we enjoy the gifts of nature—the starlit skies, the flowering fields, the panoramic sunsets—without remembering the God of creation?

  Before the children of Israel entered the promised land, Moses reviewed with them the laws and blessings they had been given while in the wilderness. He understood that their prosperity in the land would only be as good as their memory of how they got there: the guidance they received, the lessons they learned, the daily sustenance they were given. Moses counseled, "Take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life."1

  If the Giver of all good is always close to our hearts, our lives will be enriched by the reverent memory and acknowledgment of our every blessing.

  1 Deuteronomy 4:9.

• Faith of Our Fathers, Living Still Henri F. Hemy; arr. John Longhurst
• Faith in Every Footstep K. Newell Dayley

• The Brotherhood Of Man, Wilbur Chenoweth Trumpet Voluntary Henry Heron
• O Lord Most Holy Cesar Franck; arr. Leroy J. Robertson and Alexander Scheriner
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Loss and Gain"

  The life of beloved poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is proof that good can come from sorrow and difficulty. He received great honors for his many successes, but—like all of us—he also knew his share of heartbreak and grief, including the tragic death of his wife.

  From the losses he suffered, however, Longfellow gained insight and strength that found voice in his poems. Longfellow's poetry lives on today not only for its rhyme and rhythm but because it expresses courage and optimism, even in the face of disappointment.

  In his poem "Loss and Gain" Longfellow writes of regret, of longing, of the wisdom born of humility, and of the hope that can come when we have faith in the future.

  When I compare
  What I have lost with what I have gained,
  What I have missed with what attained,
  Little room do I find for pride.

  I am aware
  How many days have been idly spent;
  How like an arrow the good intent
  Has fallen short or been turned aside.

  But who shall dare
  To measure loss and gain in this wise?
  Defeat may be victory in disguise;
  The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide.1

  Life is full of wins and losses. But no loss will be in vain if we do our best to learn from it and then forge ahead with all the courage and optimism we can muster. We'll often find that life's inevitable stumbling blocks can become our greatest stepping stones.

  1 The Complete Poetical Works of Longfellow (1893), 359.

• Because I Have Benn Given Much Phillip Landgrave
• Old Time Religion Traditional; arr. Moses Hogan; adapted by Benjamin Harlan
• Praise God! Fred Bock; based on "Old Hundredth" by Louis Bourgeois

• Come, Ye Children of the Lord Old Spanish Melody; setting by A. Laurence Lyon
• Agnus Dei (Transcribed from "Adagio for Strings" Op. 11) Samuel Barber
• Trumpet Tune in C Alice Jordan
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Time and the Things of Greatest Worth"

  How we choose to spend our time says a lot about us. It's true that sometimes we don't have any say over how our minutes, hours, and days are spent. No one really chooses to wait in long grocery lines, catch the flu, or get stuck in traffic. But what we do with the time we have reflects our commitments, interests, and values.

  A beloved hymn reminds us:

  Time flies on wings of lightning;
  We cannot call it back.
  It comes, then passes forward
  Along its onward track.

  But suppose you were allowed to "call back" a day or even an hour and relive that small portion of your life. What would you do differently? Would you spend more time with children? with grandparents? with neighbors and friends? Would you take the opportunity to apologize? to forgive? or simply to listen?

  When we think back on our lives, most of us don't wish we had watched more television or held more grudges. In the same way, possessions, power, and prestige are all but forgotten when life comes to an end. But things of the heart endure and even grow sweeter with time's passage. Opportunities to help, to love, to learn, and to cultivate relationships are among life's greatest gifts. Since we all have some life left to live, let's pause to consider whether we're spending our time on things that matter the most.

  Then should we not endeavor
  Each day some point to gain,
  That we may here be useful
  And ev'ry wrong disdain?1

  1 "Improve the Shining Moments," Hymns, no. 226

• Improve the Shining Moments Robert B. Baird
• Sunrise, Sunset from "Fiddler on the Roof" Jerry Bock; arr. Arthur Harris
• Of the Father's Love Begotten Wilbur Chenoweth; based on "Diminum Mysterium"

• Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand John B. Dykes; arr. Arthur Harris
• Pilgrim's Hymn Stephen Paulus
• Choral prelude on "Slane"
• Let Us with a Gladsome Mind Alan Ridout
• Jesu, the Very Thought of Thee Paul Halley
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "The 10-Dollar Fine"

  How we treat others says much about who we really are. Civility, mercy, sacrifice, and integrity hold our society together. Yet such qualities often seem in short supply. Too often, arrogance and indifference isolate us from one another and harden our hearts.

  So taught Fiorello LaGuardia, mayor of New York City at the time of the Great Depression. One winter day as he presided at police court, an officer brought in a shabbily dressed man charged with stealing a loaf of bread. The defendant explained tearfully that his family was starving.

  "I have got to punish you," LaGuardia stated. "I can do nothing but sentence you for breaking the law. The fine will be 10 dollars."

  But as he spoke, the mayor reached into his pocket: "Here's the 10 dollars to pay your fine." Then, looking around the courtroom, he continued, "I'm going to fine everybody here 50 cents for living in a town where a man has to steal bread to eat." He ordered the bailiff to collect from everyone and give the money to the defendant.

  The stunned man left the courtroom with $47.50—not much by today's standards, but the mayor was not just asking for money; he was asking for compassion and encouragement for one of God's children.1

  That's something we can all give. We can lift and bless with a smile, a handshake, a compliment, or kindness. We can be generous with our time, treat others like they matter, be sensitive to their feelings and their needs. In doing this, we do more than alleviate the suffering of a single soul—we help bring greater unity to our society.

  1 See Clifton Fadiman, ed., The Little Brown Book of Anecdotes, ed. [name of editor or compiler] (1985), 339.

• There But For You Go I from "Brigadoon" Frederick Loewe; arr. Arthur Harris
• All Creatures of Our God and King German Hymn Tune; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Rejoice, the Lord Is King Malcolm Archer; orch. Nathan Hofheins
• Lift Thine Eyes from "Elijah" Felix Mendelssohn
• He Watching Over Israel from "Elijah'" Felix Mendelssohn
• The Prince of Denmark's March Jeremiah Clarke; arr. John Longhurst
• All Through the Night Welsh Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "What E'er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part"

  We all have moments in life that can change us forever. Somehow we're never quite the same after certain experiences. And more often than not, such pivotal moments can be relatively simple and small.

  In the late 19th century, a young American of Scottish descent traveled to Scotland to live and work for a number of years. The work was difficult, the hours long, the discouragements frequent. During his time in Scotland, far away from his beloved home and family, he had occasion to spend a day touring the magnificent Stirling Castle in the countryside near Glasgow.

  Later that evening, he happened to notice an inscription chiseled in the stone arch over the front door of a house: "What E'er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part." The message penetrated the young man's heart. Invigorated and renewed, he determined to "act well his part." 1

  He later returned to America and went on to become a great leader, revered by all who knew him. His discovery of an old Scottish proverb was a turning point in his life. The simple message, "What E'er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part," became his personal motto. He never forgot its challenge to always do his best, whatever the task.

  We all have such pivotal moments, if we just recognize them. They often come unexpectedly, when we're struggling or discouraged, when we need them most. We suddenly notice something we haven't seen before. It sparks a new insight that inspires us and motivates us. We discover a new resolve to do better and to be better. We change forever in that moment. And for the rest of our lives we look back to that moment for strength and inspiration.

  1 See Francis M. Gibbons, David O. McKay: Apostle to the World, Prophet of God (1986), 44–45.

• Highland Cathedral Traditional; arr. Chad Steffey
• Rejoice and Be Merry Traditional English Tune; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Hallelujah Chorus from "Christ on the Mount of Olives" Ludwig van Beethoven
• We Hasten to Thee from the Cantata "Jesu, du meine Seele" Johann Sebastian Bach
• Glory to God in the Highest Sergei Rachmaninoff
• Norwegian Rustic March Edvard Grieg
• The Impossible Dream Mitch Leigh; arr. Arthur Harris
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Believing in Worthy Dreams"

  Since the revival of the Olympic Games in 1896, thousands of athletes have dreamed about representing their country and becoming Olympic champions.

  During the 1912 games, a new horse-and-rider event called dressage was introduced. It was a competition in which only commissioned military officers—all of them men—were allowed to compete. It stayed that way for 40 years, until the 1952 games in Helsinki, Finland, where, for the first time, the event was opened to all.

  During that competition, the world became captivated with a woman rider from Denmark, Lis Hartel. In a sport dominated by men, Lis stunned the crowd with a magnificent performance and was awarded the silver medal.

  But there is more to the story. At the awards ceremony, when Lis Hartel's name was announced, the gold-medal winner stepped down from the medals platform to help her climb the steps to her place on the podium. Lis was unable to climb them herself because eight years earlier she had contracted polio and had been paralyzed from the waist down.

  When her condition was first diagnosed, most believed that her riding days were over, but Lis refused to abandon her dream, no matter how impossible it seemed. After years of rehabilitation, she regained enough muscle control to ride a horse. She began to train. And eventually her determination led her to the medals platform in Helsinki.

  The Olympic motto is Citius, Altius, Fortius: Swifter, Higher, Stronger. But for most of us, the great challenges of life do not require that we sprint faster or jump higher than someone else.

  The example of Lis Hartel reminds us that the greatest champions are those who never stop believing in their worthy dreams no matter how great the obstacles that confront them.

  Perhaps there is no better definition of a champion.

• Call of the Champions John Williams

• Glory to God on High Felice de Giardini; arr. John Longhurst
• When I Survey the Wondrous Cross Gilbert M. Martin; based on the tune by Lowell Mason
• Down to the River to Pray
• The Dying Soldier American Folk Song; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Understanding Brings Peace"

  People who travel to foreign lands usually go hoping to see exotic scenery and famous places. They thrill at the wonderful new sights, sounds, and smells. But if they are perceptive and sensitive, they also grow to understand other peoples in other cultures. They realize, as the poet Maya Angelou said, that "all people cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die. . . . If we try to understand each other, we may even become friends."

  Not everyone can be a world traveler, but we can all learn to appreciate others. We can avail ourselves of books, documentaries, and music that help us learn about and respect other cultures. Better yet, we can get to know people of various backgrounds in our own neighborhoods.

  Reaching out to other cultures, and learning all we can about them, is a path to peace. When we identify with the hearts of people around the world, we are far less likely to make rash assumptions about them, far less likely to embrace stereotypes.

  Recently, a group of women from various backgrounds attended an interfaith women's luncheon. They soon discovered that their religious differences paled in comparison to the things they had in common. All of the women were striving to raise good families, improve as individuals, and be good neighbors. And, as one Hindu woman said with a chuckle, "We all want to understand our husbands."

  If peace is ever to come to this world, it will come because we realize that we are all brothers and sisters, fellow citizens of the same planet. We may wear different clothing and eat different foods, but every one of us hopes, dreams, and struggles against adversity. Every one of us wants to be loved and wants to make a difference in the world. These basic similarities far outshine our differences and give us hope that we can live together in peace.

• Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace Mary McDonald
• I'm Runnin' On African-American Spiritual; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Rise! Up! Arise! From "Saint Paul" Felix Mendelssohn
• Love Bade Me Welcome Ralph Vaughan Williams
• Wondrous Love Traditional; arr. Alice Parker and Robert Shaw
• Our Savior's Love Crawford Gates, arr. John Longhurst
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "More Than a Paper Heart"

  Everyone wants to love, and everyone wants to be loved. From our earliest years, we look for love. Some people travel far and wide in search of it, and others may not know love when they've found it.

  In days past, children left little paper hearts or small boxes of candy on the doorsteps of friends. Sometimes the children would ring the doorbell and run. Usually they included a note that read, "I love you."

  Yet even at a young age, children seem to understand that "love is more than a paper heart. Love is of the very essence of life," as a wise religious leader once taught. "Love is the security for which children weep, the yearning of youth, the adhesive that binds marriage, and the lubricant that prevents devastating friction in the home; it is the peace of old age, the sunlight of hope shining through death.

  ". . . Love, like faith, is a gift of God."1

  But love has many counterfeits. If we're not careful, we may mistake love for one of its impersonators. True love is never manipulative, domineering, or selfish. It doesn't require loyalty tests or paybacks.

  Real love is freely given. It liberates and empowers. It enlarges the heart and makes room for others. Love withholds judgment and is patient. Love manifests itself in kindness, respect, and compassion. Love overlooks differences and extends mercy. Love is an abundant, generous feeling that changes the way we see the world, the way we live in the world.

  Those who have received genuine love, and those who have given it, know that it is truly God's greatest gift to His children.

  1 Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 317.

• Where Is Love? from "Oliver" Lionel Bart; arr. Michael Davis
• Love Divine, All Loves Excelling Rowland Hugh Prichard; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Morning Has Broken Traditional Gaelic Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• The Pasture Z. Randall Stroope
• All Beautiful the March of Days English Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Come Ye Disconsolate Samuel Webb; arr. Dale Wood
• Lord, I Would Follow Thee K. Newell Dayley
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Life Is Not Fair"

  Parents often tell their children that life isn't fair. The harshness of this reality is somehow softened when it comes from loving parents. It's usually not until children become adults that they realize how right their parents were and how painful some of life's injustices can be. Life really can be unfair. But that doesn't mean that life can't be good.

  Some of the happiest people are those who endure more than their share of injustices. How is this possible? Perhaps it's because they stop competing with those around them; they simply do their best with what they have. They look forward instead of backward and stop thinking about what could have been. They understand that "why me?" questions can't really be answered here and now, so they don't ask them. They've felt deeply of life's sorrows, so they actively look for and cultivate the joys. And somewhere deep in their hearts, they know they can trust in a loving God who is perfectly merciful and ultimately fair.

  Recently, some children were playing a board game, and one of the players was disappointed with the cards he'd been dealt. Everyone else seemed to have good cards, but he got most of the bad ones. As the game went on, instead of complaining, he decided to bring some humor into the game. The mood lightened, and before long the children agreed: "The game is a lot more fun if we don't keep score."

  And so is life. When we stop keeping score, when we stop itemizing slights and holding on to grievances, we start recognizing blessings. We realize that life may not be fair, but it can be good—in fact, better than we ever thought possible.

• Lord, I Would Follow Thee K. Newell Dayley
• Come Dwell in Solomon's Walls Z. Randall Stroope
• Arise, O God, and Shine John Darwell; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Holy, Holy, Holy John B. Dykes; arr. Arthur Harris
• God So Loved the World Carl J. Nygard, Jr.
• Festival Toccato on "St. Anne"
• Abide with Me: 'Tis Eventide Harrison Millard; arr. Crawford Gates
• The Lord Is My Shepherd Thomas Matthews
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "God Be With You"

  Saying good-bye has never been easy—especially when we have concerns about where loved ones are going or how long they'll be gone. But knowing that good-bye is really a pronouncement of the blessing "God be with you" can make the separation more bearable.

  The word good-bye was formed from the longer phrase "God be with you" during the 16th century. For all who seek to bless family, friends, and associates with divine help, this unsaid meaning of good-bye can remain the same—go with a prayer for heaven's blessing from those who care.

  When the former president of Howard University, Jeremiah Rankin, learned the history of the word good-bye, he wrote the hymn "God Be with You."2 It soon became a favorite of congregations everywhere and has been sung at many heartfelt farewells over the decades.

  For example, at the end of World War II, a Christian missionary prepared to leave New Guinea after serving there for eight years. She had been imprisoned during the war, her husband had died, and she was now returning home a 28-year-old widow without a single possession. She wondered if her mission had been worthwhile and struggled with feelings of bitterness. As the boat set sail, she heard Indonesian voices singing, "God be with you till we meet again." The words sank deep into her heart and set in motion a healing of her soul.2

  Such loving farewells comfort those who leave as well as those who stay behind. For many years at the conclusion of this broadcast we have sung to our live audiences—and today we sing to each of you—"God be with you till we meet again."

  1 See Robert J. Morgan, Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World's Greatest Hymn Stories (2003), 205.

  2 See Morgan, Then Sings My Soul, 205.

• God Be with You Till We Meet Again William G. Tomer; arr. Mack Wilberg

• How Firm a Foundation Attributed to J. Ellis; arr. Mack Wilberg
• There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today John R. Sweney; arr. Mack Wilberg
• What Wondrous Love Is This Wondrous Love from "The Southern Harmony," 1835; arr. John Longhurst
• Jesus, The Very Thought of Thee John B. Dykes, arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "The Lord Bless and Keep You"

  We've all heard the expressions "Bless your heart" and "All the best" and so many others. With these words we extend good wishes to those around us. Such expressions are like a prayer calling down heaven's blessings upon those we care about. And we all need blessings.

  There are those who may say that these are meaningless clichés. But when someone offers to another a heartfelt wish for a blessing, it is never trite, never tired or inappropriate.

  Expressing the sincere hope that one will be blessed and watched over is a practice as old as time. For example, centuries ago the Lord gave to Moses a blessing that he was to impart upon his people. Its words have been recited by ministers of various faiths for generations, and they have been set to music and sung by choirs around the world. The supplication is for the Lord to watch over His children, to pour out His promised blessings upon true followers, to give peace. The words are:

  The Lord bless you, and keep you:
  The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you:
  The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon you, and give you peace.1
  

  In our day, many families have a simple expression of blessing that has become a beloved tradition. Every night as they retire to bed, they express to one another the same hope, the same desire: "Sweet dreams." For them, it's just another way of saying, "The Lord bless you and keep you until morning." We all hope that our loved ones will be blessed, will be protected, will have peace and joy in their hearts and homes.

  1 See Numbers 6:24–26

• The Lord Bless You and Keep You Peter Lutkin

• High On the Mountain Top Ebenezer Beesley; arr. Mack Wilberg
• I Know that My Redeemer Lives Lewis D. Edwards; arr. Robert Cundick
• In Christ There Is No East or West Spiritual adapted by Harry T. Burleigh; arr. Dale Wood
• Nearer, My God, to thee Lowell Mason; arr. Arthur Harris
• I Will Sing with the Spirit John Rutter
• Did You Think to Pray? William O. Perkins; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Don't Forget to Pray"

  "Did you think to pray?" This simple question from a 19th-century hymn reminds us to offer thanks and seek divine guidance, comfort, and peace each day. Is there anyone who does not need such divine intervention?

  "Oh, how praying rests the weary," the familiar hymn continues. "Prayer will change the night to day."1 These are powerful promises in our challenging world. Each of us faces situations we cannot handle alone, problems we cannot solve alone, weaknesses we cannot overcome alone.

  Abraham Lincoln, wearied by the division of our nation at the time of the Civil War, humbly spoke these words: "I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all around me, seemed insufficient for the day."2

  Prayer can be our lifeline. When tragedy strikes a community, citizens gather in churches, synagogues, mosques, and homes to pray and draw strength from God. Family prayer brings parents and children together. One 15-year-old whose turn it was to say the family prayer paused and looked from one face to another. He then asked quietly, "Does anyone need anything?" What an immeasurable gift we give when we pray in behalf of another.

  Humble prayer can prompt in us a desire to be better—to be a little kinder, more generous with others, more patient and forgiving. Whether spoken aloud or carried silently in our souls, each sincere prayer reaches to heaven. It draws down from heaven the strength to press on, the ability to see beyond today, and the willingness to trust God's answers and His will in our behalf.

  "So, when life gets dark and dreary, don't forget to pray."3

  1. Mary A. Pepper Kidder, "Did You Think to Pray?"

  2. In The New Dictionary of Thoughts: A Cyclopedia of Quotations, comp. Tryon Edwards, rev. ed. (1959), 540.

  3. Mary A. Pepper Kidder, "Did You Think to Pray?"

• The Lord's Prayer Albert Hay Malotte; arr. Carl Deis

• Redeemer of Israel Freeman Lewis; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Lead, Kindly Light John B. Dykes; arr. Mack Wilberg
• How Excellent Thy Name George Frideric Handel
• Come, Let Us Anew Attributed to James Lucas; Improvisation by Clay Christiansen
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "A Time of Resolution"

  At the beginning of each new year we feel a sense of renewal and a chance to start over. We put more energy into accomplishing some of the things we have been putting off. We call this a time of resolution.

  Resolutions are promises to ourselves. Unfortunately, sometimes even our most heartfelt resolutions go unfulfilled. But this need not be so. Maybe we just need a little more patience.

  On May 12, 2005, Ed Viesturs stood on the snowy summit of a towering Himalayan mountain peak. It was one of the happiest days of his life. After 16 years of diligent preparation, failed attempts, and hard work, he had successfully climbed all of the world's mountains above 26,000 feet high, including Mt. Everest. Perseverance had seen him through extreme physical and emotional challenges and allowed him to realize his dream.

  This remarkable accomplishment is a vivid reminder that some resolutions take many years to complete. Resolutions of enduring value usually require patient determination and are realized one step at a time.

  Our challenges may not be made of rock and snow, but like the mountain climber, we can carefully plan out a route to our chosen peak of achievement and then work our way to the summit by putting one foot in front of the other. As we continue in our resolve, our reward will be a gratifying view from the heights of our potential.

  And when we become discouraged along the way, we can pause to catch our breath and then dig deep within ourselves to find the determination to move ahead. Even the highest obstacles will yield to the power of dedicated resolution.

• Come, Let Us Anew "Attributed to James Lucas; arr. Mack Wilberg
• The Spirit of God Anonymous; arr. Mack Wilberg

Rebroadcast of program #3974 "Dreams of Courage"

• Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Felix Mendelssohn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• For Unto Us a Child Is Born Georg Frederic Handel
• Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine Old German Tune; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella Keith Chapman
• Baby, What You Goin' to Be? Natalie Sleeth
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Joy to the World"

  "Good tidings of great joy"1 is the message of Christmas. Whenever we love and serve, whenever we forget ourselves and lift others, we feel that joy. "Real joy comes not from ease or riches or from the praise of men, but from doing something worthwhile."2 Real joy is the blessed reward of selfless living.

  Over a thousand years ago, the good King Wenceslas of Bohemia felt the joy of helping others. Taught by his grandmother that faith should be put into action, King Wenceslas became known for his kind and generous care of the poor. He found great joy in sharing his bounty. Legend recounts that one cold December night, the king looked out his window to see a man searching for firewood. The king decided to leave the warmth of his castle to comfort the man and his poor family. He and his page traveled through deep drifts of snow and wind carrying wood for the family's dying fire and food for their scant table.

  When the page, exhausted and chilled in the extreme weather, felt he could go no further, the good king reassured him:

  Mark my footsteps, my good page, tread thou in them boldly,
  Thou shalt find the winter's rage, freeze thy blood less coldly.3

  Walking in his master's footsteps, the page was able to finish the journey and find joy in serving the needy family.

  And so it goes for each of us. As we walk in the Master's footsteps, as we bring good tidings to those around us, we feel the great joy of Christmas, the lasting joy that warms our hearts—and the hearts of those we serve—the whole year through.

  1. Luke 2:10.

  2. Wilfred T. Grenfell, in The Treasure Chest, ed. Charles L. Wallis (1965), 153.

  3. John Mason Neale, "Good King Wenceslas," in Jean Richardson, Stephen's Feast (1991), inside front cover.

• Joy to the World "Antioch" by Lowell Mason; arr. Mack Wilberg

Guests: Bells on Temple Square, Thomas M. Waldron, conductor
• Carol of the Bells Mykola Leontovych; arr. Barlow Bradford
• The First Noel Traditional English Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Masters In This Hall arr. Thomas M. Waldron
• Do You Hear What I Hear? Noel Regney & Gloria Shayne; arr. Arthur Harris
• God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
• Once In Royal David's City Henry J. Gauntlett
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Wise Men"

  Of all the stories associated with Christmas, the story of the Wise Men is among the most intriguing, mostly because we really don't know that much about them. Who were these Wise Men? How did they know what the new star signified? Had they read ancient prophecies foretelling the signs of Jesus's birth? Or did angels announce it to them as they had to the lowly shepherds?

  Whatever the source of their knowledge, "when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy,"1 and they were willing to follow that star far from the comforts of home.

  Their complete story is told in only 12 verses in the Bible, and then the Wise Men disappear.

  We are left to wonder about these strangers who seemed to have understood Jesus's holy mission, perhaps better than many of His own countrymen. Their gifts for the Christ child may suggest that they knew He was to be more than just another earthly king, for their gifts had both monetary value and symbolic meaning. And so it was—gold, the metal of kings, proclaimed Jesus the King of Kings. Frankincense, burned on the temple altar as a symbol of prayers ascending to God, suggested Jesus was a link between heaven and earth. And myrrh, an ointment used for embalming, was perhaps a poignant foreshadowing of His death and burial.

  Though much of their story still remains a mystery, what we do know about the Wise Men must win our admiration and increase our appreciation for the King they came to worship. We learn from them that the birth of Christ holds significance beyond Bethlehem and that to find and worship the King of Kings is still the noblest pursuit for wise men and women throughout the world.

  1 Matthew 2:10

• O Come, All Ye Faithful Attr. John F. Wade; arr. Mack Wilberg

Guests: Renée Fleming, soprano; Claire Bloom, narrator; Edward Fleming, guest conductor; Bells on Temple Square, Dancers
• Gloria In Excelsis Deo (A Christmas Processional) Mack Wilberg
• Joy to the World "Antioch" by Lowell Mason; arr. Mack Wilberg
• What Child Is This? Traditional Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming Traditional; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Claire Bloom"On Earth Peace, Good Will toward Men"

  And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

  And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem…

  To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

  And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

  And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

  And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

  1 Luke 2:1, 3-14

• Angels, From the Realms of Glory French Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Hallelujah from "Messiah" George Frideric Handel

Guests: The Brett Family Singers
• O Come, Emmanuel Traditional; arr. Arthur Harris
• One December, Bright and Clear Caralonian Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Little Jesus Mark & Charlene A. Newell; arr. Andrea C. Brett
• This Little Babe from "A Ceremony of Carols" Benjamin Britten; arr. Julius Harrison
• Carol of the Birds Traditional French Carol; arr. Raymond Haan
• How Far Is It to Bethlehem? English Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Bethlehem"

  Long ago, in the dusty village of Bethlehem, a new life came into the world—a world that would be changed forever. On that silent night more than two thousand years ago, the light of a new star shone on the fields, the walkways, and stables of Bethlehem. Not everyone knew or recognized this radiant fulfillment of ancient prophecy. But then, as well as now, those who truly looked heavenward, were led to the Light of the World.

  And they found him in Bethlehem. Once the birthplace of King David, Bethlehem was no longer home to royalty, and by all worldly standards, it was humble. And yet, the King of Kings was born there.

  So, Mary, "great with child,"1 and Joseph, traveled 90 long, uncomfortable miles from Nazareth to their ancestral home of Bethlehem where they were to be taxed. By the time they arrived, there was no room for them in the inns. So, in a stable for animals, Mary "brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger."2 Emmanuel, meaning "God with us,"3 was born in what would otherwise be considered an insignificant Judean town. But Bethlehem in Hebrew means "house of bread", and so Jesus came as the Bread of Life to a hungry world. He came as Living Water to quench the thirst of all honest seekers. He came to lift souls and spread joy, as the Prince of Peace. And today, as then, he reigns in the hearts of all who truly know Him.

  The life and love, mercy and hope brought into the world by the babe of Bethlehem will live forever.

  1 Luke 2:5

  2 Luke 2:7

  3 Matthew 1:23

• O Little Town of Bethlehem Lewis H. Redner; arr. Leroy Robertson
• The First Noel Traditional; arr. Andrea C. Brett

• Now Thank We All Our God from Cantata 79 Johann Sebastian Bach
• The Lord's Prayer Albert Hay Malotte; arr. Carl Deis
• For the Beauty of the Earth John Rutter
• Prayer of Thanksgiving Improvisation by Clay Christiansen
• Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep from "White Christmas" Irving Berlin; arr. Michael Davis
• Thanks Be to God Stanley Dickson;arr. Noble Cain
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"We Have Cause to Give Thanks"

  We don't miss what we've never known. But when people or things are an important part of our lives, we miss them dearly when they're no longer with us. Yet, all too often, we take them for granted until they are taken away. For example, we often don't appreciate health until we lose it; food, until it's scarce; safety, unless it's in doubt; peace, until it's threatened.

  Ironically, that which we most prize is often what we most take for granted: the love of home and family, liberty and harmony, health and happiness. We often don't even think about the many commonplace but precious blessings in our lives, like the air around us. Think for a moment of harvest and home, of warm memories and loving associations, of meaningful work and wholesome leisure, of the beauties of nature and the wonders of living. Even our heartaches can become, in time, a source of gratitude and wisdom.

  Some five decades ago on this broadcast, Richard L. Evans expressed a universal theme of thanksgiving: "Whether we think we have much or little, we have cause to give thanks for everything that is ours—for the food we eat, for friends and freedom, for the warmth we feel from the sun, for the companionship of people, for the leaves that fall and again come forth, for the rain that filters through the soil, for the beauty and providence of the earth—for the very air we breathe; for the very life we live."i

  All good things are gifts from a loving God. Wait not until such rich blessings go away to appreciate them more fully.

  i The Everlasting Things (1957), 33–34.

• Come, Ye Thankful People, Come George J. Elvey; arr. Mack Wilberg

Guests: Synergy Brass Quintet
From All that Dwell Below the Skies John Hatton; arr. Mack Wilberg
Sleepers Wake! For Night Is Flying from Cantata 140 Johann Sebastian Bach
When In Our Music God Is Glorified "Sine Nomine" arranged with additional music by Emily Crocker; Brass arrangement by John Moss
Now Thank We All Our God Sigfrid Karg-Elert
Home, Sweet Home Henry K. Bishop; edited by Donald H. Ripplinger
Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"The Path to Home"
It may be that we have more expressions about "home" than anything else. We've all heard "home is where the heart is," "there's no place like home," and "home sweet home"—simple sayings that ring with truth and bear repeating.
The hallmark of a happy home is not its size or location, but what goes on inside its walls. Small homes can be filled to overflowing with joy and contentment, and homes on "the other side of the tracks" can be grounded in goodness and decency. No matter the landscape, the path to home is always paved with love and kindness. And no matter how far we travel, we always come back—even if only in our memories—to such happy homes.
Many decades ago, Edgar A. Guest explained why in a poem titled "The Path to Home":
There's the mother at the doorway, and the children at the gate,
And the little parlor windows with the curtains white and straight.
There are shaggy asters blooming in the bed that lines the fence,
And the simplest of the blossoms seems of mighty consequence.
Oh, there isn't any mansion underneath God's starry dome
That can rest a weary pilgrim like the little place called home.
Men have sought for gold and silver; men have dreamed at night of fame;
In the heat of youth they've struggled for achievement's honored name;
But the selfish crowns are tinsel, and their shining jewels paste,
And the wine of pomp and glory soon grows bitter to the taste.
For there's never any laughter howsoever far you roam,
Like the laughter of the loved ones in the happiness of home.
Home, Sweet Home Henry K. Bishop; edited by Donald H. Ripplinger
Earl of Oxford's Mask William Byrd
Joy in the Morning Natalie Sleeth

• God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand George W. Warren; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Dirge for Two Veterans from "Dona Nobis Pacem" Ralph Vaughan Williams
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Their Finest Hour"

  In 1940, as the thunder and lightning of armed conflict erupted across Europe, Winston Churchill stood at the head of a nation faced with the horrible reality of a calamitous war. "I have nothing to offer," he told his countrymen, "but blood, toil, tears and sweat."i

  In spite of the arduous road, Churchill was firm in his resolve. "We shall go on to the end," he declared. "We shall never surrender."ii

  He urged his people to "so bear [themselves] that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour.' "iii

  Churchill's courage and optimism bolstered the confidence of his countrymen. "These are not dark days," he told them. "These are great days—the greatest days our country has ever lived."iv

  In our day we sometimes find ourselves overwhelmed by fear, worry, and distress. We each must face our share of life's hazards and sorrows. During our own hours of darkness, the unfailing voice of this lion of England can give us the strength to "never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never." v

  Even if our days seem dark, we can make them our greatest days because of how we choose to face them. In the end, it may be our courage during our own times of crisis and trial that causes others to say of us, "This was their finest hour."

  i "Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat," first speech as prime minister, House of Commons, May 13, 1940, in Never Give In! The Best of Winston Churchill's Speeches, sel. Winston S. Churchill (2003), 206.

  ii "Wars Are Not Won by Evacuations," House of Commons, June 4, 1940, in Never Give In! 218.

  iii "This Was Their Finest Hour," House of Commons, June 18, 1940, in Never Give In! 229.

  iv "Never Give In!" Harrow School, October 29, 1941, in Never Give In! 308.

  v Winston Churchill, "Never Give In!" in Never Give In! 307.

• Nation Shall Not Lift Up Sword Against Nation from "Dona Nobis Pacem" Ralph Vaughan Williams

Guest: Maureen McGovern
O Come Ye Nations of the Earth Composer Ellacombe; Arranger Mack Wilberg
O Holy Jesus Jonathan Willcocks; orchestration by Mack Wilberg
Help Is on the Way (David Friedman; arr. Jeffrey D. Harris)
Take Time to be Holy Traditional; arr. John Longhurst
Though Deepening Trials (George Careless)
Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Courage to Believe"
Sometimes it takes courage to believe. When we mourn the loss of a loved one, when hopes vanish or dreams dissolve, whenever hearts deeply ache, it takes more than willpower to keep going. It takes faith to believe that life has meaning beyond the present pain. It requires humble submission to a greater good and abiding trust that someday wrongs will be righted.
At first, when a loss shocks our souls, we may feel as if the wind were knocked out of us. We're never quite the same, but we go on. In the course of time, the loss we endure starts to give newness to life. We notice the way a toddler giggles. We listen more intently to a bird's song. The change of seasons comforts us. We remember details about our lives before the loss, and we cherish the memories.
In the classic novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, the strong-willed older sister Jo mourns the untimely death of her younger sister Beth. She consoles herself:
My great loss becomes my gain.
For the touch of grief will render
My wild nature more serene,
Give to life new aspirations—
A new trust in the unseen.1

Jo's faith, having been tested, carves depth into her soul that was not realized until she lost her sister. She becomes more patient, more disciplined, more motivated to use her writing talent, more trusting in God's will.
The same is true for us. When we have the courage to hold on to faith, pain and grief can give us wisdom and a greater capacity to love. They can bestow quiet confidence in divine purposes and a deeper appreciation for life.
1 (1932), 403.
Days of Plenty from "Little Women" (Jason Howland)
Amazing Grace Traditional; arr. Renzi

• O Clap Your Hands John Rutter
• The Lord Is My Shepherd John Rutter
• Fugue in C Major ("Jig") Dietrich Buxtehude; adapted by Mack Wilberg
• Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep from "White Christmas" Irving Berlin; arr. Michael Davis
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell “Hearts to Match Our Dreams”

  From the timeless tale of the puppet brought to life comes the classic ballad “When You Wish upon a Star.” The little wooden Pinocchio, painstakingly carved by Gepetto, wished to be a real boy. He could move his arms and legs, he could sing and dance, but to achieve his ultimate dream he had to become truthful, courageous, and unselfish. He had to develop strength of character.

  Though a fantasy originally written more than a century ago, the story has application for each one of us. As Pinocchio learned when he succumbed to the temptations and amusements all around him, entertainment in our “feel-good world” can dull our senses and distract us from noble purposes. Sometimes we feel like Pinocchio did in the belly of the whale—we too face overwhelming problems at work, at home, and in relationships that can consume our lives. With courage and ingenuity, Pinocchio overcame his follies and obstacles and proved himself worthy of his goal, and so can we.

  Developing real character is the noblest pursuit of life. No matter who you are—a puppet or a wood carver, an adult or a child—the fact is, acquiring truth, courage, and unselfishness are lifelong quests that require might, commitment, and consistency. Such quests call for pure hearts to match our lofty dreams.

  Pinocchio’s journey from a puppet to a real boy reminds us of the inherent potential and goodness within each of us. If we wish it with all our hearts, we, like Pinocchio, can become our best and true selves.

• When You Wish Upon a Star arr. Michael Davis
• Antiphon from "Five Mystical Songs" Ralph Vaughan Williams

• Let the People Praise Thee, O God William Mathias
• He Shall Feed His Flock John Ness Beck
• Praise Thou the Lord Richard Warner
• Processional William Mathias
• Love Is Spoken Here Janice Kapp Perry
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell “To Live a Balanced Life”

  One of the great opportunities in life is to gain a variety of experiences. It is important that we fill our days with a balance of meaningful events and activities that will stretch our minds and strengthen our relationships. Even everyday duties can provide a chance for us to improve our skills and share our love.

  Each experience adds a new dimension in the development of our character. Just like a multi-faceted jewel, we are polished here and refined there until we are complete. The end result of a life lived in this way is a balanced personality, well-rounded and whole.

  Too much of any one thing makes that balance harder to achieve. Too much work, and the playful part of our nature may go undeveloped. Too much play, and important work may be left undone. Too much focus on material things, and we find ourselves lacking in spiritual sensitivity. In life, variety and balance can be just as important as talent and expertise.

  Audiences have long been thrilled by the amazing balancing act of the tightrope walker. Perched alone and far above the ground, the brave performer carefully maneuvers the high wire, armed with nothing but a simple balancing pole. Shifting with the demands of gravity, the pole helps the entertainer keep his balance until he has safely completed his walk over the wire.

  Like a tightrope walker with a pole, we can shift our activities, vary our experiences, and keep ourselves balanced on the path of life. Then, when our days are finished, our living will have been complete.

• Improve the Shining Moments Robert B. Baird
• The King of Love My Shepherd Is Harry Rowe Shelley; arr. C. Albert Scholin

• Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise Anonymous; arr. James C. Kasen
• I Know that My Redeemer Lives Lewis D. Edwards; arr. Richard Elliott
• How Firm a Foundation Attributed to J. Ellis; arr. Richard Elliott
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell “Now Let Us Rejoice”

  It’s one thing to write a song about rejoicing when all is well and the future looks bright. It’s quite another to sing of rejoicing while enduring violence and persecution—as did William W. Phelps in Missouri in 1833. He wrote “Now Let Us Rejoice” against a backdrop of “defeat, frustration, homelessness, suffering, privation, [and] hunger.”1

  At a time when others may have had difficulty finding any good at all, William W. Phelps declared, “Good tidings are sounding to us and each nation.”2 Like William Phelps and so many others, we too can refuse to be defeated by our circumstances. Even in the worst of times, we can look with faith to the future; we can hold on to the hope of a coming day of peace and joy.

  Indeed, the trials we endure can be the very reason we recognize the good around us. Most often our sorrows make possible our rejoicings. If we never experience sadness, we never can know happiness. If we never feel pain, we cannot know relief. If we never face heartache, we cannot know a fullness of joy.

  In a heart furrowed by sorrow and suffering, seeds of faith can grow into spiritual maturity. As Isaiah taught so long ago, the Lord will help us through the hard times: “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned. . . . Fear not: for I am with thee.”3 Knowing this gives us reason to rejoice. If we patiently look to the Lord for succor and strength, “the hour of redemption will come.”4

  1. George D. Pyper, in Karen Lynn Davidson, Our Latter-day Hymns: The Stories and the Messages (1988), 32.

  2. “Now Let Us Rejoice,” Hymns, no.3.

  3. Isaiah 43:2, 5.

  4. “Now Let Us Rejoice”; italics added.

• Now let Us Rejoice Henry Tucker
• God Is Love Thomas C. Griggs
• The Spirit of God Anonymous; arr. Mack Wilberg

• I Sing the Greatness of Our God Fred Bock
• The Lord My Pasture will Prepare Dmitri Bortniansky; arr. Mack Wilberg
• The Heavens Declare the Glory of God (Psalm 19) Benedetto Marcello
• Be Still, My Soul Jean Sibelius
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Meditation"

  Throughout history, men and women have drawn strength from stepping away from the crowd to quietly commune with their Maker. Isaac of old "went out to meditate in the field at the eventide,"1 as did David2 and Jesus3 and so many others in the scriptures. In more recent history, the story is told of General Charles Gordon, who, during a wartime campaign in Africa, began each day in private meditation. Every morning while he pondered and prayed, a white handkerchief lay outside his tent door, signaling to his troops that he was not to be disturbed. No matter the emergency, General Gordon knew he could better meet the challenges of the day if he took time to meditate.4

  Some may think meditation is a waste of time. Perhaps they're too busy or too tired or too set in their ways. It may not be easy to justify a time for sitting still and thinking deeply. But as suggested in Proverbs, there is wisdom in pondering "the path of thy feet."5 Rather than aimlessly hurrying through life, stop to consider where you've been and where you want to be. Stop to ask yourself questions that don't have ready answers. Pause to consider why you feel the way you do.

  Something about closing ourselves off from worldly distractions and really pondering gives us some perspective and helps us feel better about life. When we look heavenward for guidance, our problems become less troublesome, our worries less taxing, and our heartaches less overwhelming. The more sincerely we meditate, the more inner strength we receive. Our convictions deepen, our lives become more purposeful, and our love is more abiding when we take time to meditate.

  1. Genesis 24:63.

  2. See Psalm 143:5.

  3. See Matthew 14:23.

  4. See Gordon B. Hinckley, Discourses of President Gordon B. Hinckley, 2 vols. (2005), 1:269.

  5. Proverbs 4:26.

• Be Still, My Soul Jean Sibelius; arr. Mack Wilberg
• All My Trials Spiritual; arr. Albert McNeil
• I was glad when they said unto me C. Hubert H. Parry

• Sing and Rejoice Will James
• The Lord Is My Shepherd Thomas Matthews
• Hyfrydol Ralph Vaughan Williams
• What a Wonderful World George David Weiss & Bob Thiele; arr. David Cullen
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"It Couldn't Be Done"

  During the first half of the past century, Edgar A. Guest became well-known as the "people's poet." Celebrated for his homespun, sentimental verse, he penned some 10,000 poems during his life, which were syndicated in hundreds of newspapers across the country and reprinted in several books, such as A Heap O' Livin' and Just Folks. One of his most popular poems, "It Couldn't Be Done," reflects his optimistic outlook on life:

  Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
  But he with a chuckle replied
  That "maybe it couldn't," but he would be one
  Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
  So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
  On his face. If he worried he hid it.
  He started to sing as he tackled the thing
  That couldn't be done, and he did it.

  Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
  At least no one ever has done it";
  But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
  And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.
  With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
  Without any doubting or quiddit,
  He started to sing as he tackled the thing
  That couldn't be done, and he did it.

  There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
  There are thousands to prophesy failure;
  There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
  The dangers that wait to assail you.
  But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
  just take off your coat and go to it;
  Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
  That "cannot be done," and you'll do it.

  –"It Couldn't Be Done," by Edgar Albert Guest (1881–1959)

• Come, Let Us Anew Attributed to James Lucas; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Sing Unto God from "Judas Maccabaeus" George Frideric Handel; edited by Richard P. Condie

• Arise, Thy Light Has Come David Danner
• No Man Is an Island Joan Whtney and Alex Kramer; arr. Michael Davis
• He's Got the Whole World In His Hands Spiritual; arr. Thomas M. Waldron
• Who Are the Brave Joseph M. Martin
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Fanfare for the Common Man"

  John F. Kennedy reminded us nearly half a century ago, "A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers."1

  Most of us honor and remember those close to us who have made an imprint on our lives. Who heads the list of those you admire? Ask a young boy, and he will probably mention his dad or granddad. His admiration reflects not the positions they held in society but the attention they gave him, like time spent together at a fishing hole or on a ball field, sitting on the porch, or even cleaning the garage. We hold in our hearts those special moments long after they are gone, and our memories speak volumes about the men and women who stand by us day after day.

  Some may label these men and women as common. But is anyone really common? Regardless of our stations in life, we all must be brave and have courage, most often with little acclaim. We strive to honor our commitments and our standards; to face the challenges of making a living; to accept losses, loneliness, and disappointment. At the same time we attempt to help others facing the same challenges. Society is better because each of us has a unique goodness in us, ready to come forth in times of need.

  Put simply, we honor men and women who fight the fires of life—their own and those of others. In remembering them, we honor the best in all of us. If such heroes can be called "common" men and women, then we stand in very good company.

  1 Remarks given at the dedication of the Robert Frost Library, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts, October 26, 1963. Available at www.jfklibrary.org/j102663.htm.

• Fanfare for the Common Man Aaron Copland
• A Song of Peace Based on "Finlandia" by Jean Sibelius; arr. Dale Wood

• Almighty God of Our Fathers Will James
• I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes Leo Sowerby
• Beautiful Zion, Built Above Joseph G. Fones; arr. Linda Margetts
• Did You Think to Pray? William O. Perkins; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"There Is a Balm in Gilead"

  "Is there no balm in Gilead . . . ?"1 asked the prophet Jeremiah. Anciently, an ointment known for its power to heal and soothe came from Gilead, near the Jordan River. Made from the gum of a tree, the balm was in high demand as a trade commodity at the time. Today we talk of the symbolic power of the balm of Gilead to "make the wounded whole."2

  Recently, a wise physician told his patient, "There is no cure for what you have, but there is healing." The physician understood that sometimes the healing we need does not come from medical treatment. Healing of the soul comes from unselfish concern for others, from integrity and goodness, from repentance and forgiveness. Every time we reach past personal concerns to encourage and lift others, we can experience a healing of the heart. When we feel anguish or animosity, we can find healing by letting go of anger and blame. When we feel troubled and afraid, we can find peace in the words of scriptures and hymns. When we feel like we can't face another day, we can find courage in sweet assurances and the quiet confidence of family and friends.

  Humility and meekness are the balm of Gilead. Kindness and empathy are healing ointments. Sincere prayer and meditation soothe the worried soul. Even the beauties of nature can lift our spirits and help us look to a higher source for healing.

  The Lord's promise is sure: "I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee."3

  1. Jeremiah 8:22.

  2. In Boyd K. Packer, in Conference Report, Oct. 1987, 17; or Ensign, Nov. 1987, 16.

  3. 2 Kings 20:5.

• There Is a Balm in Gilead William L. Dawson
• Somewhere Out There (Over the Rainbow) James Horner, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil; (Harold Arlen); arr. Michael Davis

• All People That On Earth Do Dwell Louis Bourgeois, arr. Florence Jolley
• The Grateful Concert Round Mack Wilberg
• Savior, Again to Thy Dear Name Edward J. Hopkins; arr. Robet Hebble
• Coronation Oliver Holden
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Always Sunny"

  On a recent flight during rainy weather, a young boy looked out the window as the airplane rose through the clouds, then beyond, into the calm, blue skies of a sunny day. Turning to his father, he shared his new discovery: "If you go up high enough, it's always sunny."

  How true. Above the clouds, the sun is bright and the sky crystal clear. But we occasionally forget the sunshine above as we bundle up against the storms here below. On the ground it sometimes feels as if there's no end to life's buffeting winds, brooding clouds, and chilling rain. Do we forget that there is a brighter future ahead, a higher purpose, a loving God who cares about us? When we focus so intently upon the storms, we lose hope and trust that sunny days will ever return.

  No one lives life without trials and setbacks. But even during our personal storms, divine light is always there above the clouds to give us inner peace, reassurance, and strength to learn and grow from our trials and to become better people.

  Let us remember, as we climb up through the storm clouds of life, that our problems, like the weather, will in time pass. A rest from the winds of adversity is sure to come. We can find comfort in the certainty that above the storm, sunlight and peace await.

• There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today John R. Sweney; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Dance, Gal, Gimme the Banjo Robert De Cormier & Eric Weissberg
• The Whole Armor of God K. Lee Scott

• Press Forward, Saints Vanja Y. Watkins; arr. Daniel E. Gawthrop
• O Divine Redeemer Charles Gounod
• Festival Te Deum Benjamin Britten
• All Things Bright and Beautiful Dale Wood
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Perseverance"

  Some of us might think that if we just had more education, more social connections or financial opportunities, we could really be something. But often the quality that makes all the difference is nothing more than perseverance, or steadfastness, even in the face of opposition. We know it as "hanging in there" and "sticking with it."

  Examples abound. For instance, Thomas Edison is recognized as a brilliant inventor, but among his most valuable raw materials was his willpower. The story is told of how Edison conducted more than 10,000 experiments before inventing the incandescent lamp. Plodding along night and day over many years, he learned from his "failures." It is said that he described the events prior to his breakthrough as 10,000 discoveries of how electricity did not work. He turned his failures into discoveries only because he was willing to keep trying.

  Believing in our strengths and not being discouraged by our setbacks will keep us going over the long haul. Such tenacity and dedication have application everywhere in our lives: parents who don't give up on a wayward child or on each other, teachers and leaders who nurture greatness in seemingly ordinary people, friends and family who believe that patience and kindness are always better than force and fury.

  True, we might not revolutionize the world with remarkable inventions, but we can bless our posterity with an example of perseverance, an attitude of devotion to principle. We might not achieve prominence in the eyes of the world, but we can conquer the inner self by persevering in worthy causes.

• Let Nothing Ever Grieve Thee Johannes Brahms
• Love Divine, All Loves Excelling Rowland Hugh Prichard; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Jubilate Deo Mack Wilberg
• Rock of Ages arr. Arthur Harris
• Thou Art the Rock Henry Mulet
• Sweet Is the Work John J. McClellan
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"What is Success?"

  Twenty years ago, a humble steelworker who appeared to have made little difference in the world died. He wasn't famous, never earned much money, and didn't associate with any VIPs. But he was a good man, a loving and dedicated father, a caring husband, and a kind neighbor and friend. At his funeral, hundreds came to pay their respects to this unassuming man who never considered himself much of a success.

  What is success? Real success is manifest more in the heart than the pocketbook; it's reflected in cherished memories of loved ones; it's defined by making a difference in others' lives. Real success is not dependent upon social, economic, or intellectual advantage. You don't have to sit in a corner office, travel to exotic places, or capture headlines to be successful. Anyone who helps another, who is a true friend, who puts in an honest day's work finds real success.

  Our days, be they many or few, will come to an end. So much of what some people think of as success will vanish in time; power changes hands, prestige comes and goes, and possessions break down. But a truly successful life is never forgotten. Love, goodness, and kindness stand the test of time; generosity and compassion outlive us; decency and integrity are everlasting. In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, "To laugh often and love much, to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children, to earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty and find the best in others—that is success."1

  1. In Emerson Roy West, comp., Vital Quotations (1968), 342.

• Sweet Is the Work John J. McClellan
• Let Me Fly
• Love Divine, All Loves Excelling Rowland Hugh Prichard; arr. Mack Wilberg

with Jenny Oaks Baker, Violin; Jenny Richards, piano
• Guide Us, O Thous Great Jehovah American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Adam-ondi-Ahman Crawford Gates
• Beau Soir (Evening Fair) Claude Debussy; arr. Arthur Hartman
• God Is Seen American Folk Hymn; arr. Alice Parker
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"A Safe Harbor"

  Old men have told fantastic stories about ancient Polynesian pilots—men who would get into boats not much larger than a canoe, launch into the ocean, and travel thousands of miles through treacherous waters to a tiny pinprick of an island in the midst of a vast ocean.

  Because of the impossibility of the task, these stories seem more like folklore than truth. But there have been those who are intrigued that such a thing is possible. In 1970 a group enlisted the help of one of the last remaining Polynesian pilots and made the attempt to reenact this remarkable feat.

  They set out from Hawaii, hoping to reach the Tahitian islands, 2,500 miles away.

  Miraculously, 30 days later—without the help of navigational instruments—their little craft reached the sands of a Tahitian island beach.

  How? The pilot had studied the heavens so thoroughly that by looking at the stars, he knew where he was and the direction he needed to go. He knew that if he set his sails and held a steady course, he would reach his objective.

  In a sense, we are like these Polynesian pilots. We are—each of us—on our own great journey, hoping to find a safe harbor.

  Though we often feel lost and without direction, we are not left alone. Our loving Heavenly Father has not left us to wander in darkness. If we will look heavenward, He has provided a kindly light that will guide us in our own journey so that we too can reach our own safe harbor.

• Lead, Kindly Light John B. Dykes; arr. Lex de Azevedo
• How Firm a Foundation Attributed to J. Ellis; arr. Mack Wilberg

• High on the Mountain Top Ebenezer Beesley; arr. Mack Wilberg
• For I Am Called by Thy Name Crawford Gates
• Gloria in Excelsis fro "Heilig-messe" 1796 Franz Joseph Haydn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Sweet Hour of Prayer Dale Wood
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Anticipation"
  

  Looking to the future with anticipation can help us feel more happy and alive. Instead of focusing only on the present, make plans for tomorrow, for a year or a decade from now. Find something that adds a little zest to life simply because it hasn't happened yet.

  A widowed grandmother starts anticipating the next event as soon as she finishes with the last. She looks forward to a granddaughter's birthday party, a summer vacation with her son and his family, even a favorite television program or a phone call from a friend. These things keep her going when life could feel uneventful.

  No matter our age or stage, we all feel more enthusiastic when we have something to hope for. A middle-school girl survives the growing pains of adolescence by looking forward to something each day. A college student perseveres in his studies by thinking of graduation day. A husband and wife keep their love alive by making plans for the weekend.

  Sometimes the planning can be as much fun as the actual event. When we think and talk about something, plan and prepare for it, it's as if we experience it over and over again. The anticipation, in and of itself, brings joy and hope.

  So if you feel disheartened or bored, think of something you can look forward to. Remember, you don't have to be on the receiving end of anticipation. You can create cheerful anticipation in someone else with an invitation or a visit. They'll look forward to it all day long—and so will you.

• The Impossible Dream from "Man of La Mancha" Mitch Leigh; arr. Arthur Harris
• The Battle of Jericho Spiritual; arr. Moses Hogan
• The Spirit of God Anonymous; arr. Mack Wilberg

Pioneer Day Celebration
• Faith in Every Footstep K. Newell Dayley
• Bound for the Promised Land American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Annie Laurie Scottish folk Song; arr. Clay Christiansen
• Come, Come, Ye Saints English Folk Song as adapted from the "Sacred Harp" 1844;arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Wholesome Recreation"
  

  A little fun makes a lot of work more doable. When we take well-deserved breaks for wholesome rest and recreation, we return to our labors feeling rejuvenated. Mentally, physically, and even spiritually, we are more alert than we were before.

  A wise religious leader compared his mind to a bow that would lose its spring if it were constantly strung. With our fast-paced lifestyles, we all need a little "down time" when we can put our work aside and enjoy a diversion. For some, leisure is best spent in physical activities. Others like to attend the theater or a sporting event. Some feel renewed after reading a good book, while many find their escape in music. And others just need time with people, especially the ones they love.

  Of course, all of this is not unique to our time and place. While today we have more leisure opportunities than our ancestors, we can learn from their examples of making time for rest and recreation. A pioneer woman wrote in her journal of the hardships she and other pioneers suffered during their thousand-mile journey to the West in the mid-1800s, but she made sure to note the singing, dancing, and storytelling they enjoyed around the campfire in the evenings. She records, "Something in the line of social enjoyment was continually transpiring to cheer our hearts amidst all the trials."2

  As the pioneers learned, recreation can be a lifeline during times of difficulty. It can give us the strength to endure and the motivation to succeed. So take a break. Find time for rest and wholesome recreation. Learn a new hobby. And then go forward with life with greater purpose and capacity.

  1 See William M. Allred, "Recollections of the Prophet Joseph Smith," Juvenile Instructor, Aug. 1, 1892, 472.
  

  2 Louisa Barnes Pratt, in comp. Carol Cornwall Madsen, Journey to Zion: Voices from the Mormon Trail (1997), 224.

• Cindy Traditional English Melody; Adapted by Franklin L. Sheppard; arr. Mack Wilberg
• May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You Meredith Willson; arr. Mack Wilberg

Guest: Stanford Olsen, tenor
• Saints Bound for Heaven Melody from Walker's "Southern Harmony" 1835; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Holy, Holy, Holy from "Messe Solennelle" of St. Cecilia Charles Gounod
• Festival Voluntary Flor Peeters
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Encouragement"
  

  Every person hearing this message today needs encouragement. Whatever our age or circumstance, we all need the lift that comes from someone who cares.

  Some years ago a speech teacher at a rural high school encouraged a shy student by giving him an opportunity to improve. The boy spoke with a slight stutter, if he spoke at all. Even so, the teacher invited him to compete in a speech contest. The boy was surprised but encouraged. He met with the teacher after school for weeks on end, practicing and rehearsing, writing and rewriting until he felt confident enough to speak in front of an audience. His teacher was not surprised when the boy won the contest—all this because of the power of encouragement.

  We're bolstered by words and actions that communicate another's belief in us. Whether with heartfelt help or in a kind note, encouragement can keep us going—sometimes years after we first received it. Encouragement that makes a difference is sincere and specific. It applauds hard work, acknowledges effort, expresses appreciation, and brings hope.

  Some people withhold encouragement because they're too focused on themselves to think of what might lift or bless another. Others hold back, thinking, "She doesn't need any encouragement. She's already so confident," or, "If I praise him, it'll just feed his ego." But sometimes those who appear to have it "all together" need encouragement just as much as anyone else. We never fully know what's inside another's heart, so we should always look for ways to encourage others.

  Just think of how good you feel when you give or receive encouragement. Never let an opportunity to encourage someone pass you by.

• This Is My Father's World Traditional English Melody; Adapted by Franklin L. Sheppard; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Danny Boy Irish Folk Song; arr. Sam Cardon
• Hallelujah Chorus from "Christ on the Mount of Olives" Ludwig van Beethoven

Guests: The Barbershop Harmony Society's Gold Medal Chorus, Jim Clancy & Greg Lyne, conductors; Int'l Quartet Champions- Acoustix
• Fanfare for a Festival Ron Nelson
• The Lost Chord Arthur Sullivan; arr. Jim Clancy
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "The Harmony of Our Lives"
  

  We love to hear the performance of a quality solo singer. An individual voice can be entertaining and inspiring. But is there really any such thing as a solo? Even a performer seemingly standing alone is usually supported by the accompaniment of other singers or instrumentalists. And someone else probably wrote the music. The blending of their talents creates a resonant harmony.

  A musical note by itself may be pleasing to hear, but a variety of tones, arranged properly, makes a harmony that cannot be matched by just one note.

  A vocal chorus is a wonderful example of bringing together separate voices in a beautiful blend of harmony. Singers may come from a great diversity of life experiences, but when they unite under the direction of a conductor, their voices combine in a grand, harmonious sound.

  Our individuality is important as we bring to the mix of life a variety of skills, interests, and abilities. But as we live together, supporting and assisting one another, contributing the best we have to offer, the sound of our daily existence will be one of peace and harmony. Then, like a great chorus, there will resonate through the world sweet tones of cooperation and community.

  Again, we pose the question, is there really any such thing as a solo? No one stands completely alone. The more people we include in our circle of love and kindness, the more we acknowledge the contributions of others, the greater will be the harmony of our lives.

• A Tribute to World Peace (Let There Be Peace on Earth; One Voice; One Song) Arranged by Jay Giallombardo (Jill Jackson/Sy Miller; Barry Manilow; Marvin Hamlisch)
• Improvisation on "Simple Gifts"
• Deep River Traditional; arr. Greg Lyne
• Thou Gracious God, Whose Mercy Lends English Folk Tune; arr. Mack Wilberg

July 4th Broadcast Filmed at Chautauqua on July 06, 2003
America the Beautiful Samuel A. Ward; arr. Mack Wilberg
Shenandoah American Folk Song; arr. Mack Wilberg
The Pledge of Allegiance Charles Osgood; arr. Michael Davis
Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "God and Country"

On September 7, 1774, as the British were attacking Boston, the First Continental Congress met in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia. The Congress voted to open that meeting with a prayer. In a letter to his wife, Abigail, John Adams described that first prayer and the disagreements surrounding it. He wrote, "We were so divided in religious sentiments, some Episcopalians, some Quakers, some Anabaptists, some Presbyterians, and some Congregationalists, that we could not join in the same act of worship." However, Samuel Adams rose and said, "that he was no bigot, and could hear a Prayer from any gentleman of Piety and virtue." Samual Adam's motion was seconded, and passed and a local reverend "read several prayers in the established form" and read the 35th Psalm, which was the designated scripture for that day of the year.
"I never saw a greater effect upon an audience," John Adams recounted to his wife. "It seem[s] as if heaven had ordained that Psalm to be read on that morning. After this, [the reverend], unexpectedly to every body, struck out into an extemporary prayer, which filled the bosom of every man present."
"Be Thou present O God of Wisdom," the prayer began. "Direct the counsel of this Honorable Assembly; enable them to settle all things on the best and surest foundations; that the scene of blood may be speedily closed; that Order, Harmony and Peace may be effectually restored, and the Truth and Justice, Religion and Piety, prevail and flourish among the people."
"It was," as John Adams remembered, "enough to melt a heart of stone."
Let us celebrate the birth of our country with continued prayers. Let us unite ourselves despite our differences as the early patriots did and ask the Lord God to bless this land, to bless our efforts at bringing peace to the world. Perhaps then God will comfort us and center our hearts on everlasting peace with His words from the 35th Psalm: "I am thy Salvation."
God Bless America Irving Berlin; arr. Roy Ringwald
Battle Hymn of the Republic William Steffe; arr. Peter J. Wilhousky

Previously Recorded on June 5, 2005 for broadcast while the Choir is on tour.
Redeemer of Israel Freeman Lewis; arr. Mack Wilberg
I Will Sing with the Spirit John Rutter
Suo Gan Welsh Lullaby; arr. Mack Wilberg
Rejoice Noel Goemanne
Now Let Us Rejoice Henry Tucker
Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Rejoice"

When was the last time you felt like rejoicing? Chances are it was after—or maybe even during—a difficult time. Often the deepest feelings of joy are the blessed reward for having endured pain, sorrow, or heartache.
But how do we get from the sorrow to the joy? While some feelings of sadness may require long-term treatment, most often gloominess is temporary. Like a cloud of high pressure, it hovers for awhile, and then it blows away. The part we play in its passing is different for every circumstance. Sometimes we feel better if we cry, and other times we may need to talk or walk or both. Often it helps if we can write down our feelings. And sometimes laughter is the best medicine. In certain situations, it just takes time—time for healing, maybe even time for repenting or repairing a wrong. In every case, we usually feel better when we stop thinking so much about ourselves.
No matter the circumstance, we can find our way back to joy, even rejoicing. Recently, a man whose wife was dying of cancer opened his heart to small moments of joy: the touch of his wife's hand, the faith of his little boy's prayer, the tender regard of friends. Even during hard times, we can experience this kind of joy. Like the Israelites of old, we need not wait until we arrive in the promised land to "rejoice in every good thing." Almost always, joy can be found on the other side of sorrow.
Deuteronomy 26:11
Ah, El Novio No Quere Dinero! 15-century Sephardic Wedding Song; arr. Mack Wilberg
The Lord bless You and Keep You John Rutter

Previously Recorded on June 12, 2005 for broadcast while the Choir is on tour.
Glory to God On High Felice de Giardini; arr. John Longhurst
Gloria from "Mass in D" Antonin Dvorak; transcribed by Warner Imig
Glory to God in the Highest Sergi Rachmaninoff
Glory Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; edited by Gregory Stone
This Is My Father's World
How Will They Know? Natalie Sleeth
Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Wise and Loving Fathers"

A good father, even in death, never dies. He lives forever in the hearts of those who cherish, honor, and love him.
One day, not long ago, a young son poured out his heart to his father. Some school kids had said some hurtful things to the boy, and he was heartbroken. The father gently listened, held his son close, and tenderly reassured him. The wise father didn't hurry his son or try to solve the problem. Instead he listened. Then, remembering his own occasional hurt feelings as a boy, the father said, "I wish I could take away your pain." And in a moment of intense bonding, the son hugged his father and said, "It feels like you already have."
The love in a father's heart is what connects fathers to their children. It's not in telling and preaching but in showing and serving; it's not in dictating and distancing but in building relationships with time and trust and tenderness.
Today and always we need wise and loving fathers who put first things first and are actively involved in family life. After all, as a good father said, "How important is a line in a resumé if it comes at the expense and neglect of loved ones?"1
Fatherhood is the source of some of our greatest joys. Yes, there's sorrow. And surely there's some pain. But wise and loving fathers don't give up. They keep loving, keep trying, keep being there for their families.
1. 1 Neal A. Maxwell, Moving in His Majesty and Power (2004), 86.
I Am a Child of God Mildred T. Petit; arr. Nathan Hofheins
Climb Ev'ry Mountain from "Sound of Music"

• Alleluia Fanfare-Praise to the Lord, the Almighty From "Straslund Gesangbuch," 1665; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Sing Praise to Him Tune from "Bohemian Brethren's Songbook," 1566, alt.; arr. Mack Wilberg
• In Joyful Praise A. Laurence Lyon
• Wade in De Water Spiritual; arr. Allen Koepke
• How Can I Keep from Singing Attributed to Robert Lowry; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"

  When you hear the first few bars of a favorite song, how can you keep from singing?

  In the year 2000, the much-loved ballad "Somewhere over the Rainbow" was named the greatest song of the century past. Its beginning, however, was not so celebrated. The directors tried to drop the song from the film The Wizard of Oz, but it survived the final cut and became the hallmark of the movie.

  This song has come to symbolize the hopes and dreams of generations. All of us have wished that life would get better, that circumstances would change, that a pot of gold would be sitting at the end of every rainbow. Our grandparents had dreams, and we now have dreams for our children.

  Hopes for riches rarely stand the test of time. But what of dreams that help "troubles melt like lemon drops,"1 dreams of companionship, of acceptance, of a happy family, of courage? Some of us hope for peace in the world, peace at home, good health, or simply a few good days.

  Dreams point us to the future. Some argue we must let go of our dreams as we grow older, as life passes us by. But is that so? With humble hearts we can face disappointments and still dream. With faith we can find promise enough for here and now and for the future. It's a matter of how we look at things and what we do about them. It's a matter of perspective. Dreams are the best of tomorrow when they are built on the best of today. Yes, even today "the dreams that you dare to dream really [can] come true."2

  1. E. Y. Harburg, "Somewhere over the Rainbow," The Wizard of Oz (1939).

  2. "Somewhere over the Rainbow."

• Over the Rainbow Harold Arlen; arr. Arthur Harris

• O Be Joyful in the Lord John Rutter
• Peace Like a River African-American Spiritual; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Awake the Harp from "The Creation" Franz Josef Haydn
• Bist du bei mir J.S. Bach/G.H. Stolzel; arr. John Longhurst
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Joy in the Morning" Everything seems better in the morning. Dark though the night may be, deep though the shadows fall, there's always light at the break of day. In the morning, we tend to think more clearly and act with more purpose.

  Henry David Thoreau believed that "The morning, the most memorable season of the day, is the awakening hour…" and that "…for an hour, at least, some part of us awakes which slumbers all the rest of the day and night."

  No wonder parents, and their parents before them, have counseled children to "sleep on it" when faced with important decisions. Fatigue, even weariness of mind and body, can affect our outlook in the evening hours. Work that seems so daunting at night somehow becomes more doable at dawn. The aches and pains that went to bed with us are often not so sharp when we first awake.

  Something about the fresh outlook of a new day helps us feel rejuvenated and alive. A gift from God to His creations, daybreak is a time of rebirth: blossoms bend, almost backwards, to find morning light; droplets of morning dew wash the grass and leaves, as if to prep them for the day's work; birds proclaim the beginning of another day with their merry songs. All nature seems aware, even dependent on morning's blessings. And, in a sense, we are too.

  So next time you find yourself weighed down with worry, remember the promise of old: "…weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

  Thoreau, Henry David, Walden, "Where I Lived," p. 133.

  Psalm 30:5

• Morning Has Broken Traditional Gaelic Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Oh, What a Beautiful Morning from Oklahoma Richard Rodgers; arr. Arthur Harris
• Arise, O God, And Shine, John Darwell/Arr. Mack Wilberg

Dr. Janet Harms, Guest Conductor
• God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand George W. Warren; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Pilgrims' Hymn Stephen Paulus
• Let Us Now Praise Famous Men Ralph Vaughan Williams
• Amazing Grace Arr. Robert Hebble
• Distant Land John Rutter
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell In Remembrance of a Life Well Lived Memorials and monuments have been erected in remembrance of great people since the beginning of time. Statues, walls, and obelisks are put in place to memorialize those who paid the ultimate price in defending their country, who lifted the downtrodden, who brought the light of peace, and who rescued others in political or spiritual bondage.

  Unfortunately, all the people worthy of our acknowledgement have not had large stone monuments erected in their memory. For many quiet heroes, a simple marker may lie unheralded in the grass of a city cemetery. For others, no memorial exists at all except in the hearts of those who recall their acts of service and sacrifice.

  Perhaps the greatest monuments ever built are monuments of love, put together piece by piece through individual deeds of kindness. Such memorials are created by selfless caregivers who sit by a sickbed through a long and painful night, by helpful neighbors who love enough to notice a need and then willingly lend a hand, and by anonymous helpers who offer everything from a passing smile to a substantial sum to rescue those in distress.

  Public recognition is not the real memorial for tender acts of kindness or worthy deeds of service. The freedoms won, the opportunities given, the hearts that were touched are the most enduring tributes. Whether for the Unknown Soldier or the well-known hero, the sheer number of people who remember is not the criterion which will, in the end, determine the importance of a good deed. The most enduring memorial is the sincere appreciation which rises to the heavens in testament of a life well lived.

• My Country, 'Tis of Thee From Thesaurus Musicus, London, 1744
• America the Beautiful Samuel A. Ward; arr. Mack Wilberg

Guest Nokuthula Ngwenyama, violist
• All Things Bright and Beautiful John Rutter
• Wayfarin' Stranger American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Our Savior's Love Crawford Gates
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell The Magic of Love Building Home

  The classic story The Velveteen Rabbit was read to many of us when we were young. Now we read those pages to our children and grandchildren. The timeless tale reflects on the love between a little boy and his stuffed toy. As the story progresses we read: “The little Rabbit grew very old and shabby, but the Boy loved him just as much. He loved him so hard that he loved all his whiskers off, and the pink lining to his ears turned gray, and his brown spots faded. He even began to lose his shape, and he scarcely looked like a rabbit anymore, except to the Boy.”1

  Love, the rabbit learned, is found in simple acts, like the attentions of a child. Love is the affection of a parent. And ultimately, love is the tender mercies of our Father in Heaven. We show love when we offer quiet encouragement to another, applaud a friend’s success, easily accept another’s differences or shortcomings, or refuse to be offended. We feel love when others show us patience, when they don’t judge or turn away from us if we let them down. We find that sharing love helps us past changes and challenges—just because someone is with us along the way.

  All of us in this hard-edged world long for the kind of love that ages with us. The rabbit was more precious when his fur wore thin. And so it is with us. Love brings us to life; it grows with time and connects us soul to soul. Love is what the Velveteen Rabbit called “magic.”

  1 Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit or How Toys Become Real, in The World Treasury of Children’s Literature, book one, sel. Clifton Fadiman (1984), 253.

• My Heavenly Father Loves Me Clara W. McMaster; arr. Nathan Hofheins
• Komm Susser Tod J. S. Bach; arr. Fritz Kreisler
• Oh, What Songs of the Heart William Clayson;arr. Mack Wilberg

• For the Beauty of the Earth Conrad Kocher; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Prayer from "Hansel & Gretel" Englebert Humperdinck; arr. Michael Davis
• Simple Gifts Shaker Song; arr. Mack Wilberg
• All Through the Night Welsh Folk Song; arr. Mack Wilberg
• All Things Bright and Beautiful Joanne Bushman Doxey and Marjorie Castleton Kjar; arr. Sam Cardon
• Homeward Bound arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Building Home We live in a world of home improvements. Television shows, magazines, and superstores are devoted to making our homes more livable. The possibilities are endless. But what of the home building that happens in our hearts?

  A wise religious leader taught: “There is no home without love. You may have a palace and yet not have a home, and you may live in a log house with a dirt roof and a dirt floor, and have there the most glorious home in all the world, if within those four log walls there permeates the divine principle of love.”

  Homes are not made of brick and mortar, timber and tile. Homes are made of compassion and caring, service and sacrifice, kindness and love.

  In the children’s classic reader The Best Nest, Mrs. Bird becomes discontent with her home. “I’m tired of this old place,” she complains. And so Mrs. Bird and Mr. Bird set out to find a new home. But in the commotion, they become separated and wonder if they’ll ever see each other again. Suddenly, all that becomes important to them is being reunited.

  And so it is for each of us. As we grow older, we realize that home is not so much a place as a feeling: knowing that you belong, that you’re part of a family. If our homes are not as we would like them to be, begin today by doing your part. Apologize. Make amends. Spend time together. Listen attentively. Pray fervently. Whether living alone or with a house full of children, it’s never too late for home improvements.

• Home Is a Special Kind of Feeling John Rutter

• All Things Bright and Beautiful English Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• I Often Go Walking Jeanne P. Lawler; arr. Nathan Hofheins
• Turn Around Malvina Reynolds, Allen Greene, Harry Belafonte; arr. Michael Davis
• Meditation on an Old Covenanters' Tune Robert Elmore
• Where Love Is Joanne Bushman Doxey and Marjorie Castleton Kjar; arr. Sam Cardon
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell Motherhood

  A day to honor mothers is well deserved and important. Unfortunately, some women have mixed feelings about all the attention. They’re not used to spending much time thinking about themselves. Some mothers feel discouraged when they hear praise poured out about idealized motherhood. Who doesn’t fall short of the ideal? Others are working to repair relations with their own mothers. And some women, though skilled nurturers, know a deep longing for motherhood that doesn’t seem to go away.

  If motherhood didn’t matter so much, it wouldn’t merit such feelings of the heart. Only because motherhood is a sacred responsibility of boundless importance does it engender such depth of feeling.

  Motherhood is not a checklist of attributes. It’s a description of a person who loves another more than life itself. No two mothers are just alike. Not a single one is expected to be perfect—or close to it. Mothers with foresight know they do their best simply by doing a little better every day.

  Mothers nurture and love; they create homes of warmth and safety; they cultivate strengths and see potential. “A mother is the first and most important teacher in a child’s life.”

  No one can adequately take a mother’s place. She willingly walks into the valley of the shadow of death as she gives life. And then she walks alongside her children, sustaining them until they venture on their own. Even then, her heart follows close behind and skips a beat every time she hears their footsteps—every time their thoughts turn to home.

• Love Is Spoken Here Janice Kapp Perry; arr. Sam Cardon
• I Feel My Savior's Love K. Newell Dayley; arr. Sam Cardon

• Cry Out and Shout Knut Nystedt
• Discovery Edvard Grieg
• Vitae Lux
• Herre Gud Ditt Dyre Navn Og Aere
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Changing Direction"

  Nearly a century ago, the brave Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen set off for the North Pole after many years of study and preparation. His plans were shattered, however, when news came that Robert Peary had reached the North Pole first. Instead of wasting time in pity or anger, Amundsen simply continued preparations and changed his course. He was now determined to be the first to reach the South Pole. With his ship Fram, his crew of four hearty Norwegians, and his carefully selected sled dogs, they set off for Antarctica. More than a year and many hardships later, the heroic explorers achieved their goal as they pushed the flag of Norway into the snow of the South Pole on December 14, 1911.

  Few people set out on such daring expeditions, but all of us know that life can be an adventure at times. We face disappointments and setbacks that test our resolve. Like Amundsen, we may set out on a planned course and then need to change direction. We may think this is what we want but find out that all along it was really something else that was needed for our growth and happiness. Our goals and plans sometimes need to be reevaluated. And often, it's not till years later that we see the wisdom and divine purpose in those changed plans.

  So when you have a dream or a plan that needs to be modified, remember the great Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. Sometimes wonderful things can happen when we work toward another goal by changing direction.

• Norway, My Norway Alfred Paulsen
• An Angel Passing Through My Room
• Norway, Thine Is Our Devotion (Norwegian National Anthem)

• Holy, Holy, Holy John B . Dykes; arr. Arthur Harris
• Sanctus from Requiem, Op. 48 Gabriel Faure; edited by Craig Jessop
• Take Time to Be Holy Traditional Irish Melody; arr. John Longhurst
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "The Touch of the Master's Hand"

  'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer

  Thought it scarcely worth his while
  To waste much time on the old violin,
  But held it up with a smile:
  "What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
  "Who'll start the bidding for me?"
  "A dollar, a dollar"; then, "Two!" "Only two?
  Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
  "Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
  Going for three—" But no,

  From the room, far back, a gray-haired man

  Came forward and picked up the bow;
  Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
  And tightening the loose strings,
  He played a melody pure and sweet
  As a caroling angel sings.

  The music ceased, and the auctioneer,

  With a voice that was quiet and low,
  Said: "What am I bid for the old violin?"
  And he held it up with the bow.
  "A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
  Two thousand! And who'll make it three?

  Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,

  And going, and gone," said he.
  The people cheered, but some of them cried,
  "We don't quite understand
  What changed its worth," Swift came the reply:
  "The touch of the master's hand."

  And many a man with life out of tune,

  And battered and scarred with sin,
  Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
  Much like the old violin.
  A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine;
  A game—and he travels on.

  He is "going" once, and "going" twice,

  He's "going" and almost "gone."
  But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
  Never can quite understand
  The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought
  By the touch of the Master's hand.

  Meditation from "Thais" Jules Massenet

  N.A. Oh, May My Soul Commune with Thee Lorin F. Wheelwright

  Behold, God the Lord Passed By! from "Elijah" Felix Mendelssohn; edited by Robert Shaw

• A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Martin Luther; arr. John Rutter
• Let Us With a Gladsome Mind Alan Ridout
• Nearer, My God, to Thee Lowell Mason; arr. Arthur Harris
• Now Let Us Rejoice Henry Tucker; arr. Clay Christiansen
• Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel Will L. Thompson
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "The Worth of Work"

  Have you ever wondered what makes people happy?

  A noted psychologist made it his life's work to find out. Over a period of 25 years, Professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi from the University of Chicago studied the lives of athletes, artists, and assembly-line workers. Through exhaustive research, interviews, and surveys, he sought to discover what it is that makes people feel the most alive, the most fulfilled—in short, the happiest.

  The more he studied, the more he realized that happiness didn't have much to do with what people did for a living. A janitor, for example, might feel more fulfilled than a judge; a farmer happier than a physician.

  At the conclusion of his research, he discovered that genuinely happy individuals are engaged in activities that stretch their minds or bodies to their limits "in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile."1

  He also concluded that happiness is not something that happens by chance or is reserved for the chosen, lucky few. Happiness is available to all who lose themselves in work that is meaningful.

  To poets it could be writing a sonnet; to parents, raising a family. To a modern-day pioneer, it might be putting the "shoulder to the wheel" and taking one more step into the unknown. Whatever our passion or task may be, if we "push ev'ry worthy work along [and] put [our] shoulder to the wheel,"2 then we too can discover the path to greater happiness.

  1. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (1990), 3.

  2. "Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel," Hymns, no. 252.

• Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel Will L. Thompson; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Praise the Lord Cameroon Processional Song; collected by Elaine Hanson; arr. Ralph M. Johnson
• All Creatures of Our God and King German Hymn Tune; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand Traditional; arr. Arthur Harris
• Frohlocket Ihr Volker Aus Erden Felix Mendelssohn
• In Remembrance - Lux Aeterna Jeffrey Ames
• Trumpet Voluntary John Stanley; arr. Richard Elliott
• My Lord, what a Mornin' Spiritual; arr. H. T. Burleigh
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Music of Hope"

  After being freed from bondage in Egypt, the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. They finally found refuge across the River Jordan in a promised land. It was centuries later, that songs would be sung to encourage others who also longed for deliverance. This unique expression of music, known as the spiritual, has reached far beyond its original audience to touch many people in many lands.

  Loved for their rhythms and melodies, spirituals resonate in our hearts because of their message. Despite the circumstances that inspired the songs—or maybe because of them—the words encourage us, they lift us. They proclaim hope to our weary souls. They celebrate the joy that comes from knowing and loving God, not just fearing Him.

  One of the most popular spirituals is "Deep River." It tells of a desire to cross the River Jordan and find peace and safety in the "campground," or place of refuge. While this song was intended to express the longings of a people in physical bondage, the song also captures the yearnings for something better that perhaps all people feel when they are hurting. Because spirituals can express our shared human longings, generations have loved and sung them. They are a gift to us—a reminder that even in the depths of difficulty, there is hope.

• Deep River Spiritual; arr. Norman Luboff
• Thanks Be to God! from "Elijah" Felix Mendelssohn; Edited by Robert Shaw

• Arise, O God, and Shine John Darwell; arr. Mack Wilberg
• My Shepherd Will Supply My Need American Folk Hymn; Melody from "Southern Harmony" 1835; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Improvisation on "All Creatures of Our God and King" John Longhurst
• Come, Ye Disconsolate Samuel Webbe
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "The Healer's Art"

  "Earth has no sorrow that heav'n cannot heal." This wonderful promise can bring great comfort and hope in times of distress. Our experiences in life, with all its joy, often bring pain and anguish and when our hearts ache, we search for help and comfort.

  The great 19th-century Danish artist Carl Bloch captured such a moment in his beautiful narrative painting Christ Healing the Sick at Bethesda.

  Over 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem, multitudes of the blind, the sick, and the disabled would gather at the pool of Bethesda to be healed. Among them was a certain man who had suffered with an infirmity for 38 years. As Jesus visited the pool, he had compassion on the man and asked, "Wilt thou be made whole?" In his despair, the sick man answered that he had no one to put him in the water. Jesus showed him another way. He blessed the man and said, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." Immediately the man was healed.

  We are all in need of help and healing at various times. In our lives, our infirmities may not be visible, but we, too, come to "the pool"--wounded and weary. However, the loving touch of another, the care and concern of a sincere offer of help can lift us from our gloom and discouragement. We partake of the healer's art whenever someone provides a listening ear and a caring heart. And somehow we feel a little better.

  The prophet Isaiah assured that "the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces." He'll offer the "oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." Hearts will find joy, and tears will stop flowing as we reach for heaven's healing hand.

  "Come, Ye Disconsolate," Hymns, no. 115.

  See John 5:2–9.

  Isaiah 25:8.

  Isaiah 61:3.

• Lord, I Would Follow Thee K. Newell Dayley
• O My Father James McGranahan; arr. Crawford Gates

• Christ The Lord Is Risen Today Melody from "Lyra Davidica" arr. John Rutter
• God So Loved the World John Stainer
• In Thee Is Gladness Giovanni G. Gastoldi; setting by Daniel Kallman
• Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee Improvisation by Richard Elliott
• Cheer Up! He Lives! Robert Wetzler
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "The Promise of New Life"

  The promise of new life, even everlasting life, is everywhere at springtime. A once-bare tree dons a new coat of pink blossoms. A red-breasted robin searches the dry grass for just the right twig for her nest. A baby lamb makes a test run of his little legs. A mother holds her baby for the first time and forgets the long winter of waiting. New life is so much more than just another beginning. In the weary eyes of any who have endured long winters, it is hope and continuity, meaning and purpose. New life is the color in a gray and darkening world.

  Several years ago, on Easter weekend, a young girl came to auction her lamb at the county fair. Her parents were not there. The girl stood alone with her little lamb while the auctioneer called out a small sum. Everyone whispered when someone bid unusually high. And then everyone became quiet when the bidder gave the lamb back to the little girl, along with the money. The auctioneer explained. Her daddy was in the hospital dying of cancer. Her mommy was there with him. Nothing more was said. One hand after another was raised. The lamb was sold again—and then again and again and again. With each offering came a ray of hope, not so much for the money earned but for the promise of living in a world where strangers treat each other like good neighbors.

  Every unselfish act breathes life into another's existence. Just as each splash of spring color reminds us of the ultimate victory of life over death, so do acts of goodwill revive feelings of faith, hope, and charity. Such acts are merely a reflection of that divine light within us, that spark of goodness that lights our way and leads us back to the God who gave us life. He sent His Son, the Lamb of God, that we might have new life and have it more abundantly —in every season of every year.

  1 See "The Day the Lamb Was Sold," Ensign, March 2005, 8–9.

  2 See John 10:10.

• He Is Risen! William H. Monk
• Jesus Shall Reign arr. Mack Wilberg

• When In Our Music God Is Glorified "Sine Nomine" arranged with additional music by Emily Crocker; Brass arrangement by John Moss
• The Lord Is My Shepherd Thomas Koschat; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Rejoice, the Lord Is King Malcolm Archer
• Carillon Myron J. Roberts
• Abide with Me! William H. Monk
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "More Than Close of Day"

  For 24 years, Henry Francis Lyte dedicated his life to serving his congregation of humble English fishermen in the coastal village of Brixham. He lived with his wife and two children in the rectory overlooking the tumultuous but life-giving sea. Devoted to his hearty parishioners, Lyte was known to climb a high lookout to warn the fishing fleet of approaching storms.

  In 1847, with failing health, Lyte preached his last sermon and then retired to his study, watched the sun slip below the horizon, and penned the words in his soul: "Abide with me! fast falls the eventide; the darkness deepens. Lord, with me abide!"1 He died just weeks later.2

  His poem was later put to music and now is considered one of the greatest of all hymns. It speaks of more than close of day; it tells of trust in the Almighty.

  The words comfort many in times of trial, when disappointment, rejection, loneliness, or simply a string of very bad days bring darkness. In our hurried lives, when storms arise, do we turn to the One who will bring true peace and calm? "When other helpers fail and comforts flee," do we plead, "Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me"?3 For the Lord's promise is sure: "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."

  The last words uttered by Henry Lyte are telling. With arms uplifted he exclaimed, "Peace, joy."5 At the end of the day, that's what we all want. When we reach for such solace, may it be there. When we hope for serenity, may it come. And when we seek the joy of life everlasting, may we find it and abide in the Lord's infinite love.

  1. "Abide with Me!" Hymns, no. 166.

  2. In George D. Pyper, Stories of Latter-day Saint Hymns (1939), 124–5.

  3. "Abide with Me!"

  4. John 14:27.

  5. Stories of Latter-day Saint Hymns, 125.

• Abide with Me! William H. Monk
• Worthy Is the Lamb that was Slain from "Messiah" George Friderich Handel

• Glory to God On High Felice de Giardini; arr. John Longhurst
• A. Psalm 150 Charles Villiers Stanford
• Justorum Animae, Op. 38, No. 1 Charles Villiers Stanford
• A. Agincourt Hymn John Dunstable
• A. Sure on This Shining Night Samuel Barber
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "The Still of the Night"

  Sure on this shining night

  I weep for wonder wand'ring far alone

  Of shadows on the stars

  On this shining night.1

  In the still of night we stand in awe of the cosmos. No matter where we live, we see a canopy of stars—most likely, the same stars seen when we were born, when our ancestors lived, when the world began. And they will be seen by those who come after us.

  Gaze at the night sky. Find a place away from the hustle and bustle of the day, a place where it's dark and quiet, and look up into heaven. Ponder its vast magnificence and infinite immensity.

  Most of us rush about during the day, coming and going in a hurry to get things done. We fall into bed, tired and relieved—another day is over. The day is beautiful, but so is the night. Night is the time when the world sleeps and our bodies rest. We need quiet, silence, peace. We need the stillness and darkness of night to rejuvenate, to see our place in the cosmos.

  Here we are, living and breathing on this beautiful planet, wondering if our lives matter, if things will work out, if there is life everlasting. Just look into the night sky. We are part of something bigger, something significant, something more. Even in the darkness of night, we are not alone. Small though we may be in the midst of such vast creations, we are part of the Creator's plan. We are here for a purpose.

  Just as the stars glitter in their spot in space, no one can take your place. You matter. Life on earth would be different if you were not here. There's a reason you're here. Just as the stars reflect ages past and future, so do you. You are here to make a difference, to shed light and love on others. As you make contributions in your unique way, you'll see that in the darkness of the night, the light of each star shines with divine purpose.

  1. James Agee, "Sure on This Shining Night" (1934).

• Come Unto Him Samuel Webbe
• A. Hark, I Hear the Harps Eternal Traditional; arr. Alice Parker
• Wie Lieblich Sind Deine Wohnungen from "Requiem" Johannes Brahms; Edited by Robert Shaw

• Psalm 148 Gustav Holst
• Jesu, the Very Thought Is Sweet Mack Wilberg
• Fugue in G Major Johann Sebastian Bach
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Who Is Your Shepherd?"

  We've all seen people who appear to be ignoring a conversation until a word comes up that catches their attention. And we all know children who seem to have "selective listening" when reminded about their chores. Many of us hear only what we want to hear.

  Sheep know the voice of their shepherd and will come only to his call. If someone else calls, they go on grazing, oblivious to the unfamiliar voice.

  We are often the same way; we have trained ourselves to perk up at topics that interest us. It could be the score of a ballgame, news of a way to make more money, or a splashy headline about favorite celebrities. We give our attention to the things that hold priority in our lives. Just as we tune our TVs and radios to stations that broadcast our favorite programs, so do we tune our mental attention to our favorite subjects.

  So who is our shepherd? Is it wealth, popularity, pleasure seeking, indulgence in the creature comforts? Is it the accumulation of material goods? Or have we trained ourselves to ignore these distractions and listen to the still, small voice of God?

  If the Lord is our Shepherd, we learn to block out the allurements of the world. We seek His guidance through prayer, study, and quiet contemplation. We look upon others with love and compassion and seek to bless and lift those around us, just as the Good Shepherd would. His is the voice we try to follow. Others may beckon, and crowds may follow after fleeting distractions. But if we carefully choose our priorities, we will hear the one True Shepherd. His is the voice we will seek and follow, the voice that will never lead us astray.

  The past has its place and is valuable for lessons learned. The present also has its place, and what we cannot change should not now needlessly keep us from looking and moving forward. Nothing lost or left behind should keep us from now becoming what we can become, from learning what we now can learn.

  There are new decisions every day, every hour, and reasons to improve and to repent. Whatever we are, wherever we've been, each day we have some opportunity to determine direction.

• The King of Love My Shepherd Is Irish Tune; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Ride the Chariot Spiritual; arr. William Henry Smith
• A Gaelic Blessing John Rutter

• Let Zion In Her Beauty Rise Anonymous; arr. James C. Kasen
• Hail, Gladdening Light Charles Wood
• Cantate Domino Claudio Monteverdi
• Come, Follow Me Samuel McBurney
• What Stood Will Stand Paul Halley
• Lord, Make Me An Instrument of Thy Peace John Rutter
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "No Birds in Last Year's Nest"
  

  Originally written and given by Richard L. Evans; April 23, 1967

  These lines from Longfellow suggest some self-searching:

  For Time will teach thee soon the truth,

  There are no birds in last year's nest! 1

  Often we regret and brood about past decisions—what we should or shouldn't have done. Or we think of what we should now be doing and are not doing, of what we would like to learn, and it makes us uneasy.

  We regret misunderstandings—words we wish we hadn't said—words we wish we had said—mistakes we have made, people we have offended, opportunities gone by—errors and carelessness that could have been avoided—places we might have gone, things we might have been.

  The past has its place and is valuable for lessons learned. The present also has its place, and what we cannot change should not now needlessly keep us from looking and moving forward. Nothing lost or left behind should keep us from now becoming what we can become, from learning what we now can learn.

  There are new decisions every day, every hour, and reasons to improve and to repent. Whatever we are, wherever we've been, each day we have some opportunity to determine direction.

  Each day we need to win, or keep—and certainly to deserve—the love of loved ones; each day to be more patient, more pleasant, more understanding. If there have been loved ones neglected, unreconciled differences, unspoken gratitude, unacknowledged debts, we ought to do now what we should do. If there has been within something that has soured us, we well would turn now to sweetening ourselves, for we hurt ourselves as well as others when we live below the level of our possibilities.

  Whatever the past or its meaning, or its length, or its losses, or its lessons learned or left unlearned, we go on from where we are—wherever we are—and become what we can become; with work, repentance, improvement; with faith in the future.

  For Time will teach thee soon the truth, There are no birds in last year's nest!"

  NOTE 1. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, "It Is Not Always May."

• More Holiness Give Me Philip Paul Bliss
• Abide With Me: Tis Eventide Harrison Millard; arr. Crawford Gates

• In Hymns of Praise Alfred Beirly
• Be Still, My Soul Jean Sibelius; arr. Mack Wilberg
• O God, Our Help In Ages Past William Croft
• Love Is Spoken Here Janice Kapp Perry
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "To Learn Is to Love"
  

  To learn in love and safety is the right of every person. Occasionally, the burdens of life crowd out this important opportunity, but with some effort, our hearts and minds can be enlivened by knowledge and blessed with learning.

  The story is told of a woman who lost interest in life. She felt oppressed by what had become her daily routine. A wise friend recommended that she rekindle her zest for living by finding something to learn. Her friend suggested that she need not look far. As she pondered this advice, she looked down, right where she was standing, and determined to begin by learning about the bricks that paved her walkway. She explored this topic with great fascination and became quite an expert. When she had exhausted this subject, she decided to dig a little deeper for knowledge. She lifted a brick and, finding an ant beneath it, began a study of insects. As she continued her pursuit of learning, the clouds of despair parted and the light of enthusiasm shone brightly on her life.

  What is there about learning that can put such a spark into an otherwise dreary existence? Learning instills a sense of adventure and anticipation for the bit of new knowledge soon to be revealed. Learning brings us peace, for we often fear that which we do not comprehend. If we have a desire to learn, a weakness or disability can become a springboard for greater awareness.

  And if we add to our learning a true understanding of how we can use our knowledge to help others, then the joy of our discovery is amplified. In sharing our knowledge, we increase the pleasure of knowing and the value of what we know.

  The more we learn, the more clearly we will see. The sunshine of knowledge will warm our path and even light our way until nothing seems out of reach and it looks as though we can see forever.

• On a Clear Day from "On a Clear Day" Burton Lane; arr. Arthur Harris
• Wade in de Water Spiritual; arr. Allen Koepke
• Thou Lovely Source of True Delight Mack Wilberg

• Let the Mountains Shout for Joy Evan Stephens
• Awake the Trumpet's Lofty Sound George Frideric Handel; Edited by Richard P. Condie
• Sheep May Safely Graze Johann Sebastian Bach
• Ubi Caritas Maurice Durufle
• A Red, Red, Rose James Mulholland; Edited by Walter Rodby
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Real Love"
  

  Ask married couples, and they will tell you that the honeymoon always ends. Daily living, with its inevitable stresses and problems, tends to crowd out the bloom of romance in even the best of relationships. But we all know that love, real love, never dies.

  Noted psychiatrist and writer M. Scott Peck has said, "Of all the misconceptions about love the most powerful and pervasive is the belief that ‘falling in love' is love."1 In reality, falling in love requires minimal effort, little willpower, whereas being in love involves much work and a steadfast commitment to the comfort and well-being of one's companion. Dr. Peck says that "love is an act of will—namely, both an intention and an action. Will also implies choice. We do not have to love. We choose to love."22

  Real love enlarges the soul. It helps us to bite our tongue when it would be easy to say hurtful words. It gives us an understanding heart that is filled with compassion for another. It enables us to be more patient with others' imperfections and acknowledge our own. And it means that we stay loyal and true when it would be easy or enticing to find someone else to love. The miracle of real love is that those who choose to love blossom under the sunshine of trust and appreciation—they even become more lovable.

  Whenever we make a choice for lasting love, we grow. Our hearts expand in kindness; our minds are more open to another's point of view. Our vision of the future is more hopeful as we continue to nurture our relationship over the long haul, through the ups and downs of life.

  Yes, honeymoons come to an end, but the life and love of a relationship can continue to grow—even flourish—"like a red, red rose that's newly sprung in June"3 when we love and choose to stay in love.

  1. The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth (1978), 84.

  2. The Road Less Traveled, 83.

  3. Robert Burns, "A Red, Red Rose" (1794).

• One Hand, One Heart from "West Side Story" Leonard Bernstein; arr.Michael Davis
• Achieved Is the Glorious Work from "The Creation"

Broadcast prerecorded on January 2, 2005 aired, since the Choir is on tour to the American Choral Director's Association convention in Los Angeles.
Praise God! Fred Bock; based on "Old Hundredth" by Louis Bourgeois
As the Bridegroom to His Chosen John Rutter
Every Time I Feel the Spirit Improvisation by Richard Elliott
Sing a New Song Heinrich Schutz; arr. Carolyn Jennings
Nearer, My God, To Thee
Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "A Merry Heart"

A young man walked cheerfully from the hospital room of his ill mother, his hopes higher and his step lighter than when he had come. He marveled that, despite her illness, his mother retained the ability to lift the spirits of others.
Even in her troubled condition, this good woman was able to maintain "a glad heart and a cheerful countenance."1 She had learned the important lesson that in the face of setbacks and the difficult experiences of life, we can maintain a feeling of peace and joy. She believed the ancient proverb that "a merry heart doeth good like a medicine."2
At times it would be easy and perhaps understandable for us to give in to pessimism and a bleak outlook on life. In reality, however, physical comfort might be taken from us or worldly possessions might be lost, but no one can rob us of our good cheer. Personal happiness is not stolen; it is given away, surrendered to situations which seem to demand that we yield our contentment and stop being happy. How valuable the knowledge that even in the midst of grieving and significant suffering, we can keep our good spirits.
As we consider our circumstances, whatever they may be, may we not lose sight of all that is truly meaningful in our lives and of the kind deeds which we can do for others. Even in hard times, "a merry heart" will serve as a soothing tonic, doing great good for all who taste of its hope and joy.
Psalm 40:3.
1. Doctrine and Covenants 59:15.
2. Proverbs 17:22.
Consider the Lilies of the Field Roger Hoffman; arr. A. Laurence Lyon
Hallelujah! from "Messiah" George Frideric Handel

• Praise to the Lord, the Almighty from "Staslund Gesangbuch," 1665; arr. Mack Wilberg
• O Holy Jesus Jonathan Willcocks
• I am Jesus' Little Lamb Bruder Choral-Buch, 1784
• Ah, El Novio No Quere Dinero! Sephardic Wedding Song; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "A New Song"
  

  A song is an expression of the soul. Notice how children spontaneously erupt into song. Their underdeveloped language and motor skills cannot keep them from singing. They simply have to express themselves, and oftentimes they depend upon melodies, drums, or music makers to do so.

  Perched on a rock in the picturesque landscape of a national park, a three-year-old girl could not keep from singing. How else could she connect with all the beauties around her? She raised her voice and started to sing as her parents looked on. Tourists passed by; cars came and went; but she kept singing. Some adults, burdened with backpacks and their faces buried in maps, glanced up for a moment and smiled. Perhaps they too felt a song in their hearts.

  What makes a person feel like singing? Do people, like characters in a musical, ever really just start to sing? Those who are musically-minded might. Others make such soulful expressions in different ways. Some write in journals. Some call a friend. Some dance or paint or pray when their hearts are full of song.

  Think of the times when you've felt like singing. Perhaps it was when you first fell in love. Maybe it was when you walked under a canopy of snow-covered trees. It might have been when you completed a difficult project or found something you were looking for. Or maybe it was the morning you felt better after days of battling an illness.

  Whether or not we are singers is not as important as whether or not we have something to sing about—something that stirs our souls and lifts our thoughts to God. Most often those who feel like singing are they who remember their Creator. They glory in the wonders of everyday life and find ways to keep their own creativity alive. Like the Psalmist, they thank the Lord for putting "a new song in [their] mouth" and know they must find a way to sing it.

  Psalm 40:3.

• How Can I Keep from Singing? American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing Melody from Wyeth's "Repository of Sacred Music, " 1813; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Saints Bound for Heaven Melody from Walker's "Southern Harmony," 1835; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Shenandoah Traditional American Folksong; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Bound for the Promised Land American Folk Hymn; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Morning Has Broken Traditional Gaelic Tune; arr. Fred Bock
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Lullaby"
  

  As sure as morning breaks and nightfall comes, lullabies are for children. And each of us was once a child. But who enjoys the lullaby more: the babe in arms or the loving adult who sings it?

  Around the world, probably since the beginning of time, lullabies have been passed from one generation to the next, each in its own language and tradition. Lullabies express common themes of love, security, and peace. They call down the protective powers of heaven and express the heart's desire that a precious child be warm and safe and loved.

  Children deserve to hear lullabies, to be held close to their loved ones, and to drift into slumber with peaceful cradlesongs. Children need affection and guidance, safekeeping and stability. They need to feel the unconditional love of parents who rise above personal disappointments or preoccupations to reassure their children. The babies we hold, the children we raise can be taught great truths in such quiet, tender moments. As we sing with voices of love, their little hearts beat in harmony with ours.

  Babies are the future of the world. Nearly a hundred years ago, F. M. Bareham wrote: "We fancy God can manage His world only with great battalions, when all the time he is doing it with beautiful babies. When a wrong wants righting, or a truth wants preaching, or a continent wants discovering, God sends a baby into the world to do it." Indeed, the infants we cradle are the promise of tomorrow.

  One of life's greatest joys is holding a baby and dreaming of his or her potential and possibilities. In the miracle of life, who knows what the future holds for one small child? That child, every child needs the reassuring embrace of loved ones, the calming, quiet song of a lullaby.

  In Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Precedes the Miracle, (1972), 323; paragraphing altered.

• Suo Gan Welsh Lullaby; arr. Mack Wilberg
• The Battle of Jericho Spiritual; arr. Moses Hogan
• Come, Come, Ye Saints English Folk Song as adapted from the "Sacred Heart" of 1844; arr. Mack Wilberg

• Gloria from "Mass in D" Antonin Dvorak; transcribed by Warner Imig
• Glory to God in the Highest from "All-Night Vigil, No.7" Sergei Rachmaninoff
• Glory Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakoff; edited by Gregory Stone
• Lyric Interlude Alexander Schreiner
• Sing Praise to Him Tune from "Bohemian Brethren's Songbook" 1566, alt.; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "All Loves Excelling"

  "Sing praise to him, . . . the fount of love"1 for blessings large and small. Love pours down from heaven in the beauties around us. It is the salve that ancients called "the balm of Gilead." But what of the love we express in our own lives?

  A couple walking hand in hand speaks of the romance we call love. That picture is even more endearing when the couple is older and their walk slower than in earlier years. But love is more than just romance. Love is shown through serving one another. It manifests itself in little things that cascade through an otherwise difficult day.

  Our founts of love are made up of a drop of this and a drop of that. Think how a hug from a grandchild, a simple phone call from a friend who just wants to say hello, or a mother's comforting words fill the soul and then some. Singing a beloved song to a child, reading a story together from a tattered book, finding Dad's favorite slippers, or sharing a box of chocolates make up what we call love. Home is the headquarters of our founts of love, the source of care and concern we pour out on others—for a lifetime.

  Love is measured one drop at a time. A friend's applause or honest critique of our performance says, "I love you; you matter to me." Spilling out of our founts of love can be forgiveness, sincerity, long-suffering, generosity, and warmth for someone we may never meet again. Picture the outpouring when a recent natural disaster washed across a cluster of nations. Images of catastrophic devastation and death continue to fill our television screens; urgency to help fills our hearts. Nations step up with their many resources; strangers pool together funds and offer prayers.

  The fount of love is life at its best—life in its goodness, purity, and simplicity. We love because we have been loved.2 May we praise Him who "so loved the world" 3 with that "love divine, all loves excelling."4

  1. "Sing Praise to Him," Hymns, no. 70.

  2. See 1 John 4:19.

  3. John 3:16.

  4. Charles Wesley, "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling," (1747).

• Love Divine, All Loves Excelling Rowland Hugh Prichard; arr. Mack Wilberg

• O Clap Your Hands John Rutter
• Zadok the Priest George Frideric Handel
• Tuba Tune in D Major C.S. Lang
• The Lamb John Tavener
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "One Step Enough"

  Life is lived one step at a time. If we're patient, we can learn a lot from taking one step of faith—and then another and another.

  In 1833 John Henry Newman was traveling from Europe back to his home in England. He was already ill and homesick when he was seized by an attack of malaria. To make matters worse, the easterly breezes stopped blowing, fog closed in, and his ship was stalled at sea. He longed for England—for home—and became frustrated at the delay.

  While stuck at sea, his heart turned heavenward. In the past, pride and self-interest had weakened his faith. But not now. He was discouraged and needed divine comfort and assurance. He was enshrouded in fog and needed heaven's light.1 During those days while becalmed at sea, Newman wrote the words for which he would long be remembered: "Lead, kindly Light, amid th' encircling gloom; Lead thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home; Lead thou me on! Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene—one step enough for me."2

  Often one step is enough. We may be paralyzed by pride or fear, not willing to take another step unless we know exactly where it leads. Or we may plot our whole path, complete with milestones along the way. Such goal-setting and determination can enhance life and be important for growth and progress. But as John Henry Newman learned, patience and peaceful resignation are also needed. Being stationary at sea can be as difficult as being tossed by the sea. We can't always get the ship of life moving by our own resourcefulness and willfulness. Sometimes we just have to wait, to stay awhile in life's present moments. During those seasons of life, inspiration and beauty can be born; faith in everlasting things can be rekindled. We can take comfort in the words of the psalmist: "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart."3

  1. See "Lead, Kindly Light," in Karen Lynn Davidson, Our Latter-day Hymns: The Stories and the Messages (1988), 126.

  2. "Lead, Kindly Light," Hymns, no. 97.

  3. Psalm 27:14.

• Lead, Kindly Light John B. Dykes; arr. Mack Wilberg
• O, Clap Your Hands Ralph Vaughan Williams

Rebroadcast of 75th anniversary broadcast #3909 from July 18, 2004.

The performance taped this day was broadcast on February 6, 2005.

• Ding Dong! Merrily on High (France) arr. Mack Wilberg
• Whence Is That Goodly Fragrance Flowing? (France) French Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Trepak from "Nutcracker Suite" (Russia) Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
• O, Green and Shimmering Tree, Good Day! (Denmark) C.E.F. Weyse; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "The Gifts We Open at Christmas Time"
  

  So many family traditions are wrapped up in Christmas: green and shimmering trees; homes decked with twinkling lights, tinsel, and holly; stockings hung in hopes of St. Nick; eager little hands helping frost cookies in the kitchen; plates of turkey and trimmings; and candles beckoning welcome to all. These are the glitter and glow of Christmas.

  For centuries, nations have added their touches to the traditions of Christmas. Germany brought us the Tannenbaum—the evergreen Christmas tree. Japan taught us the wonder of folded paper ornaments. From Scandinavia we learned about kissing under the mistletoe. Nigeria added to our canon of carols the rhythmic "Betelehemu," a tribute to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. And England touched us all with Tiny Tim's salutation, "God bless us every one!"

  The tradition of exchanging gifts at Christmas began with the Three Magi who offered gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ child. They had followed a brilliant star in the heavens to pay tribute to Him. Today, many place a star atop their trees in honor of that wondrous night when the heavens were filled with angels. In countless homes a simple crèche sits on the mantle, and up and down the streets carolers sing of the humble beginnings of the King of Kings.

  The spirit of Christmas can't be purchased or unpacked from last year. It is found and felt in the heart. It is kindness and generosity, affection and reflection manifest in reaching out to those we don't even know because they too are part of the great family of God. Christmas is a season of hope and peace. It is coming home to share in the richness of being with kinfolk and friends. It is a time of worship, a time to mend wounds, to love and to be loved. These are the gifts we open at Christmas and then give away all year long.

  Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol (1936), 52.

• Betelehemu (Nigeria) Via Olatunji and Wendell Whalum; arr. Barrington Brooks
• Silent Night (Germany) Franz Gruber; arr. John Rutter

• Processional French Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Over the Hills and Everywhere Spirituals; arr. Michael Davis
• Infant Holy, Infant Lowly Polish Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• The Christmas Story-Luke 2 Peter Graves (Spoken Word)
  "And on Earth Peace, Good Will Toward Men"

  And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

  And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem…

  To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

  "And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

  And the angel said unto them, Fear not, for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes,lying in a manger.

  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God,and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

  1 Luke 2:1, 3-14

  Angels, from the Realms of Glory French Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg

• O Come, All Ye Faithful Traditional; arr. Leroy Robertson
• Shepherd's Pipe Carol John Rutter
• Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella Keith Chapman
• Still, Still, Still Austrian Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Christmas Bells"

  Few sounds gladden the heart like church bells ringing. In days gone by, villages full of people gathered to the sound of bells. On Christmas Day, church bells rang far and wide resonating with hope and goodwill.

  The story is told of a village where the church bells stopped ringing for many years. No one really knew why. But Christmases had come and gone without bells echoing against the mountainside. The townspeople were concerned. They began to think it had something to do with their offerings. So they put more jewels, more treasures, more of everything on the altar. But the bells remained silent.

  Then one year a boy named Pedro and his younger brother set out from their humble home, miles from the church, to attend the wonderful Christmas Eve service they had heard so much about. The boys walked through the wind and chill more than half the day and into the night so they could join in the festivities. But just as they entered the city, they saw an old woman lying in a bed of snow. She was cold and weak and barely breathing. Pedro could not pass by without helping. He looked into the distance and knew that he would miss the service, but he asked his little brother to go ahead and take his only silver coin, still warm in his pocket, and place it on the altar. Pedro stayed with the woman and helped her. He did not hear the organ play or the choir sing, but he did hear the bells ring—for the first time in many, many years. The people said the bells started ringing when Pedro's little brother dropped his silver coin onto the altar. No one in the Church knew why—but Pedro did. He had given away what he wanted for himself to help someone else.

  This year as we hear the Christmas bells chime, remember the wondrous gift that was given so long ago in Bethlehem. As we selflessly give, we too will hear the bells on Christmas Day.

  "Why the Chimes Rang," Pure Love: Readings on Sixteen Enduring Virtues, sel. Marilyn Arnold (1997), 188–92.

• I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day John Baptiste Calkin
• Hark! The Hearld Angels Sing Felix Mendelssohn; arr. Mack Wilberg

• And the Glory of the Lord from "Messiah" George Frideric Handel
• Angel's Carol John Rutter
• Prelude on "O Little Town of Bethlehem" Arranged by Clay Christiansen
• How Far Is It to Bethlehem? English Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• **Fum, Fum, Fum! Catalonian Carol; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Candlelight Carol John Rutter
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Sovereign of the Heart"

  "Joy to the world, the Lord is come; let earth receive her King!"1 Those words resound in the hearts of all who seek real peace, abiding love, and true joy.

  In a quiet village in the meridian of time, lowly animals welcomed the King of Kings to an obscure cave-stable. Joy came to the world that silent, holy night. Joy comes to the world every time an infant is born, but that night in Bethlehem was unlike any other. Joy enters our hearts whenever we hear good news, but the heavenly news the shepherds received changed the world. Choirs of angels sang "good tidings of great joy . . . to all people" and proclaimed to those who had ears to hear, "Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."2

  In the gospel of Luke we read that Mary and Joseph had gone home to Bethlehem, to Joseph's "own city,"3 but found no welcome there. Then, as now, the real problem was not one of space. Room might have been found for someone else. But the King of Kings did not need a palace, pageantry, prestige, or possessions to define His kingdom. He was, and ever will be, sovereign of the heart.

  "He came unto his own, and his own received him not."4 No matter what He did not receive, He still freely gives. He rescues those of us who are lost. He welcomes the outsider. He invites the unwanted, the lonely, and the afraid. He brings the light of life to the darkest caverns and the coldest hearts. We need only prepare Him room. "Rejoice! Rejoice in the Most High . . . like stars that glitter in the sky, and ever worship God."5 May joy fill the farthest reaches of our hearts as we contemplate that night of nights when joy came to the world.

  1. "Joy to the World," Hymns, no. 201.

  2. Luke 2:10, 11.

  3. Luke 2:3..

  4. John 1:11.

  5. "Joy to the World."

• Joy to the World Adapted from George Frideric Handel by Lowell Mason; arr. Mack Wilberg

• How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place John Leavitt
• Behold, the Tabernacle of God William H. Harris
• Now Thank We All Our God
• Bless This House Mah H. Brahe; arr.Friedrich Janssen
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Within These Walls"

  The Tabernacle on Temple Square has been the beloved home of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for 137 years. Millions have entered within these walls since it was completed in 1867, and millions more will return when it reopens following an 18-month renovation.

  Beginning next week, the Choir will broadcast its weekly program across the street from the Tabernacle, in the Conference Center. The Tabernacle will close while it undergoes extensive renovations to meet seismic standards; it will be reinforced structurally and brought technologically into the 21st century. Its appearance, its historic 19th-century character will remain much the same.

  Built by pioneer ingenuity and skilled craftsmanship, the Tabernacle is a place of history, made sacred through sacrifice. The bare hands and faithful hearts that raised these walls gave their all that God might be glorified. The Salt Lake Valley was a remote wilderness then – not even a railroad graced its barren landscape. So when marble was wanted but not found, wooden pillars were carefully painted to look like marble columns. Pine benches were painstakingly painted to look like oak. And 44 stone buttresses were topped with a huge elliptical roof – a latticework of timbers that was held together by wooden pegs and rawhide. Then, as now, it is a symbol of devotion. Fifty years ago, well-known architect Frank Lloyd Wright called this national historic landmark "one of the architectural masterpieces of the country, and perhaps the world." 1

  The Choir has performed in the great concert halls of the world. But each week when the Choir fills the Tabernacle with the joyful sounds of music, we are home.

  Just as people have personalities, this building has a personality. This venerable companion is a peaceful place of beauty, history, worship, and refuge.

  We will miss it for a season but will soon return home. And so we say good-bye to an old friend for a time. Until we meet again.

  1. In R. Scott Lloyd, "Pioneer Edifice Fulfilled a Pressing Need," Church News. Oct. 16, 2004, 5.

• We Love Thy House, O God Leroy J. Robertson
• In My Father's House Are Many Mansions James G. MacDermid; arr. Eugene W. Mott & L. Emile Cote
• Glorious Everlasting M. Thomas Cousins

• Come, Ye Thankful People, Come George J. Elvey; arr. Mack Wilberg
• For the Beauty of the Earth arr. Mack Wilberg
• In Joyful Praise Laurence Lyon
• All Beautiful the March of Days English Melody; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Gratefulness"

  So often we fail to be grateful for the present moments of life. We consume the joys of the here and now with a longing for something else. When we're on vacation, we may think of pressures mounting at home; and when we're at home, we long to be away on vacation. Or, when the children are young and energetic, we may wish for a quiet and clean house; and when they're gone, how we yearn for the joyful noise of children to fill our empty home. Life teaches us that the longer we live, the more we value a grateful heart.

  The fact is, grateful people are happier than ungrateful people. And they are more interested in helping others find happiness. Feeling grateful for the blessings of life, they are more inclined to give back to the world. Thankful for life's experiences and lessons, they gain wisdom and are more apt to pass that wisdom on to the next generation.

  Grateful people are realists. They know that life has its challenges and heartaches, its satisfactions and joys. To be grateful doesn't mean we don't recognize the difficulties of life. Gratefulness flows from an abundant heart that rejoices in another day of life, for another opportunity to love and interact with God's creations. Thankfulness flows from wide-open eyes that see beauty even when it's surrounded by ugliness and peace amidst the storms of life. It may even be that our sorrows and trials become the very things that help gratitude grow in our hearts. We can be grateful that, more often than not, things tend to work out. We can appreciate the good people around us. And we can be thankful for those in the past upon whose shoulders we stand.

  During this season of thanksgiving, we can rethink our attitude toward life. Happiness comes from feeling grateful. This day and always, we rejoice in the bounty of our blessings and lift our hearts in grateful praise.

• Prayer of Thanksgiving Folksong of the Netherlands; arr. E. Kremser
• Zion's Walls Revivalist Song adapted by Aaron Copland; arr. Glenn Koponen
• Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing Melody from Wyeth's "Repository of Sacred Music, 1813; arr. Mack Wilberg

• At the River Adapted by Aaron Copland; arr. R. Wilding-White
• Come In from "Frostiana" Randall Thompson
• Carillon de Westminster Louis Vierne
• Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening Randall Thompson
• Abide With Me
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "The More You Know"

  A mother of four children was busy running errands one afternoon when she saw a sign in the window of a truck. It read, "The more you know, the less you need." As she pulled into a parking lot, the phrase gave her pause, and she stopped to consider whether she really needed the items she was going to shop for.

  Like many of us, this mother found that advertising had blurred her distinction between wants and needs and many of her days were crowded with the effort to accumulate more. In the chase for material prosperity, we, like this mother, often follow fads, compete for social status, and overspend.

  The poet William Wordsworth described this problem when he wrote, "Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers: Little we see in nature that is ours."1 As we scurry to accumulate material things, we forget to smell the roses, to gaze at crimson leaves against the blue of an autumn sky, to slow down and listen to the very young and the very old. If, at the end of another exhausting day, we fall into bed and very little of our time was spent lifting the lives of others or appreciating God's wonders, we have forsaken our knowledge and bought in to the message that simple necessities are not enough.

  If we were to keep a close communication with God throughout our day, however, how often might we pause before a purchase and realize it's simply not needed? Might families climb out of debt and might parents have more time to parent if we ignored the siren song of yet another sale? Perhaps life would be simpler, richer, more satisfying and purposeful if we simply closed our wallets and walked away. The more we know about God's plan for His children, the less of the world we need.

  1. "The World Is Too Much with Us," in The Longman Anthology of British Literature: The Romantics and Their Contemporaries, vol. 2a (1999), 360.

• Simple Gifts Shaker Song; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep Irving Berlin; arr. Michael Davis

• God Of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand George W. Warren; arr. Mack Wilberg
• An American Salute based on "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" Traditional; arr. Morton Gould
• Bring Him Home from "Les Miserables" Claude-Michel Schonberg; arr. Barlow Bradford
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "In Reverent Rememberance"

  The year was 1918. On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in the Forest of Compiègne, World War I came to a close. It had been a harrowing time. For four punishing years, brave young soldiers on both sides of the conflict had taken up arms, and each mother carried a prayer in her heart: "God on high, . . . bring him home."1 Now, after years of bloodshed and violence, more than 10 million soldiers would not return.

  Nations have honored their fallen with Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, and Veterans' Day. In 1920 the British buried the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey, the resting place of kings and queens. That same year the French Unknown Soldier was interred at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, where a perpetual flame burns. In 1921 America paid homage to its Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery with the tribute, "Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God."

  Hope was that World War I indeed would be "the war to end all wars," yet conflicts continue. Still we seek harmony with neighbors as well as with nations. We long for lasting peace when men "shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks,"2 when the lamb shall lie down with the lion,3 when love shall be the decisive force, triumphant across boundaries.

  Is not the substance of a peaceful world all around us in the dignity of each human soul, the power of fellowship one with another, understanding and respect for differences, love of family, and universal hope for the future? These may be lost in conflict, but they are not totally abandoned. Peace begins in the heart of each one of us and in reverent remembrance of those who have served, those who have carried the message of goodwill to all people.

  1. Alaine Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, "Bring Him Home," from Les Misérables (1985).

  2. Isaiah 2:4.

  3. See Isaiah 11:6.

• Highland Cathedral Traditional Scottish Meldoy
• Hymn to the Fallen from "Saving Private Ryan" John Williams

• Rejoice, The Lord Is King John Darwall; arr. John Rutter
• Alleluia , Amen from "The Place of the Blest" Randall Thompson
• Hornpipe from "Water Music" George Friderice Handel
• The Paper Reeds by the Brooks Randall Thompson
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Choose Something Like a Star"

  Life today is noisy and chaotic. Many of us navigate busy traffic, take phone calls, make appointments, run errands, and manage homes—all against the backdrop of a changing, rattling world. Sometimes it seems we are almost skidding down a hillside, grasping at twigs to slow us down.

  Many of us look for a safe mooring in the wrong places. We invest our loyalty in material wealth, which can vanish overnight, or in the acclaim of the world, which is always fleeting. Some follow false leaders, whose charisma hides their empty promises. Others try to break free of pressure by pursuing luxury and leisure, but stress is always waiting for them when they get back.

  Where can we turn to steady ourselves, to "stay our minds,"1 as the poet Robert Frost said? In his poem "Choose Something like a Star," Frost writes of looking to the heavens to fix our gaze upon something immovable, something to help us align our compass and set our course. If we choose something like a star, like the God of heaven, we can feel constancy and peace. No matter the tumult around us, we can look up at the grandeur of the heavens, fix our gaze upon eternity, and let the uncertainty of life fall away. Quietly we can anchor our souls to everlasting things: truth, virtue, integrity, loyalty.

  When life is darkest, when disasters mount, these are the times when God's shining light gleams brightest. Just as the darkness brings out the light of the stars, so do troubled times reveal the strength and potential within the human soul. Only when we are tethered to eternal truth do we know that despite a swirling world around us, we are calm and safe, our compass is true, and our star is an unfailing guide.

  1. "Choose Something like a Star," in The Road Not Taken: A Selection of Robert Frost's Poems, comp. Louis Untermeyer (1971), 216.

• Choose Something Like a Star from "Frositana" Randall Thompson
• The Impossible Dream from "Man of La Mancha" Mitch Leigh; arr. Arthur Harris

• Redeember of Israel Freeman Lewis; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Say Ye to the Righteous from "The Peaceable Kingdom" Randall Thompson
• Con Moto Maestoso from "Sonata III" Felix Mendelssohn
• The Road Not Taken from "Frostiana" Randall Thompson
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "The Heights of Human Potential"

  Nearly all of us, young and old, have a desire to do our best. A powerful allure draws us to scale the heights of human potential. We may hear the call of lofty goals or simply desire to make the most of our everyday circumstances. Regardless of our target, it seems natural to aim high.

  In this human endeavor, some work harder and longer and rise above obstacles. They reach the highest level of accomplishment. One of these is Yang Yang of China.

  Born in humble circumstances, Yang Yang began ice-skating at age eight. For nearly two decades she honed her skills as a speed skater and raced in local, then national, and, finally, international competitions. Her disciplined practice resulted in some competitive triumphs – and disappointments. In the 1998 Olympic Winter Games, though she set a world record in a preliminary race, Yang Yang narrowly lost in the final. Olympic gold, the ultimate prize, eluded her.

  But perseverance paid off for this gifted athlete. At the 2002 Winter Games, held in Salt Lake City, Yang Yang was victorious in two events and joyously received the first ever Winter Olympic gold medals for China. She and her entire nation celebrated not only this singular success but also Yang Yang's determined effort for so many years to do her best.

  Our personal objectives may not have the notoriety of an Olympic race, but each of us will be called upon to overcome obstacles of various kinds in order to fulfill our life's promise. Overcoming physical, emotional, and relationship challenges can be even more daunting than world-class athletic achievement. And so we run the race of life and climb the mountains of mortality and do the best we can, in spite of setbacks and almost overwhelming odds. As did Yang Yang, the Olympic champion, we try and try again and give it our all every day of our lives.

• Climb Ev'ry Mountain from "The Sound of Music" Richard Rodgers; arr. Arthur Harris
• Call of the Champions John Williams

• Thanks Be to God! From "Elijah" Felix Mendelssohn
• Peace Like a River Afican-American Spiritual; arr. Mack Wilberg
• Wondrous Love arr. John Longhurst
• Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord from "Elijah" Felix Mendelssohn
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell "Perspective"

  "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee."1 Those words resonate in the hearts of all who worry, all who are burdened in some way, all who face challenges and disappointments—and that is each of us.

  Life is difficult. Sometimes we make it more difficult by comparing ourselves with others who seem to have a perfect life. From the outside looking in, appearances can be deceptive. We see only snapshots of people's lives, brief glimpses of best behavior. We need not despair when we hear others talk of their high-achieving children, their successful and exciting careers, their marvelous lives filled with adventure. Life—in all its aspects—is rarely like that for anyone. Some part of others' lives may be wonderful. We can be glad for them. But let's keep perspective. No one gets through life without experiencing heartache, pain, or discontent. Look in anyone's heart and home, and you will find some cause for sorrow.

  But life is not all sorrow. With anguish comes the promise of peace. With despair comes the hope of happiness. If we realize that life is the good and the bad, enjoyment and heartache, pleasure and pain, we will be less likely to feel disheartened when all is not ideal.

  And remember, life is not a competition. Those who find real joy are not discouraged by the success of others but are more interested in how they can make the best of their given situations. We—our children, our families—are not competing against anyone else. Each life has a purpose. Each person has great potential. Let go of the comparisons and do the best you can each day to love, to be kind, to smile, and to continue on. The Psalmist reassured us that the Lord slumbers not nor sleeps as He watches over us.2 He will sustain us.

  1. Psalm 55:22.

  2. See Psalm 121:4.

• He Watching Over Israel from "Elijah" Felix Mendelssohn
• O Come, Everyone That Thirsteth from "Elijah" Felix Mendelssohn
• And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth from "Elijah" Felix Mendelssohn

• The Lord Is My Light John R. Sweney; arr. James C. Kasen
• Alleluia Randall Thompson
• In Christ There Is No East or West, Dale Wood
• Eternal Life Olive Dungan; arr. Fred Bock
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"On the Fringe"
  

  Richard L. Evans was the voice and writer of the Spoken Word for 41 years. Today's timeless message was written and presented by him back in 1954.

  In thumbing through some commonplace words we find the word fringe—and we find it in part defined as "an ornamental border . . . " or ". . . as the outer fringe of a crowd," etc.

  No doubt there are fringes in almost everything; but as to actual performance, fringe doesn't seem to play a very important part. It is there. It may look well—but it is only on the edge. And that in part describes people who are "on the fringe," as well as the fringe on fabrics.

  Families have their fringe. Clubs and committees have their fringe. Communities and countries have their fringe. Churches have their fringe. Every organization, every institution has its fringe of those who hang out on the edge. They aren't altogether in or altogether out. They claim to be part of the picture when there is something good going on but refuse to be part of the picture when there are obligations to be borne. They want the advantages of citizenship without assuming their full share of service. They want the privileges of membership without meeting their measure of obligations. They want the love and loyalty of the family without carrying their fair share of the family load. They may want the blessings and benefits of the church without conformance or service or support. They want the freedom and protection and prosperity of the country without giving full loyalty or allegiance.

  Surely there is some stigma in just staying on the edge and never quite being a participating part. And one wonders how much patience the Judge and Father of us all will have with those who choose to live their lives on the fringe, without becoming a real functional part of the fabric.

  The blessings and promises of life are predicated upon performance, upon participation, upon the doing, upon the living of the law. When we do what we should do, we shall somehow, somewhere, receive the promised reward. But if willingly we fail to perform, if willingly we are found on the fringe, if we cannot quite be counted in or out, we shall fall far short of full effectiveness—and far short of the compensations that come to those who can be counted on.

  © 1954 by the Richard L. Evans family. Used by permission.

• Who Are the Brave? Joseph M Martin
• Have Ye Not Known? / Ye Shall Have a Song from "The Peaceable Kingdom" Randall Thompson

• All Creatures of Our God and King German Melody; arr. Barlow Bradford
• Pilgrims' Chorus from"Tannhauser" Richard Wagner
• I Know That My Redeemer Lives Lewis D. Edwards; improvisation by Clay Christiansen
• Faith of Our Father, Living Still Henri F. Hemy; arr. John Longhurst
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"Integrity of Heart"
  

  Living a life of integrity means that we live truthfully. What we believe is reflected in who we are: how we think, act, and interact.

  The Biblical account of Abraham, the father of the faithful, is a lesson in integrity. When Abraham and his nephew Lot left Egypt and returned to the land of Bethel, they had so many flocks, herds, and tents that it became difficult for their families to continue to live together.1 So Abraham invited Lot to look over the land and take whichever half he wanted. Lot chose the fertile eastern plains, leaving Abraham to settle the arid and less desirable land.2

  Abraham could have reneged on his offer, but he didn't. He could have held a grudge or reprimanded Lot for his selfish choice. Instead, he demonstrated "integrity of...heart."3 He lived peaceably beside Lot for many years and even rescued him, his land, and possessions from marauding kings.4

  Today we need that kind of integrity more than ever. Living truthfully invites deep trust, abiding love, and inner peace. It fuses right actions with pure motives. When we have integrity of heart, not only do we choose the right, but we choose it for the right reasons. We act out of love rather than outward appearance. We show our family the same courtesies and respect we show others. We uphold sacred truths regardless of setting or circumstance.

  That is not to say we won't make mistakes and fall short. We all do. But people with integrity know that life is a process of growth. They find the humility to change, because they "[love] that which is right."5 They strive with all their hearts to learn from shortcomings, ask forgiveness, and cleave to truth eternal, truth divine.

  1. See Genesis 13:5–6.

  2. See Genesis 13:7–11.

  3. Doctrine and Covenants 124:15.

  4. See Genesis 14:16.

  5. Doctrine and Covenants 124:15.

• Truth Eternal Alexander Schreiner
• Canticle of Faithfulness Daniel Bird; Based on "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" by William M. Runyan
• The Lord Bless You and Keep You John Rutter

• Fight the Good Fight John Gardner
• I Will Sing with the Spirit John Rutter
• Gloria from "Mass in D" Antonin Dvorak; transcribed b y Warner Imig
• I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say Thomas Tallis; arr. John Longhurst
• Come Thou, Lord, Creator Spirit Jeffrey H. Rickard
• Spoken Word Lloyd D. Newell"The Law of the Harvest"
  

  As our calendars turn to autumn, nature's grand finale of seasons dresses up around us. On many mountainsides and hills, the robes of summer's green have given way to quilts of red, orange, yellow, and amber. Overhead, autumn shines down on everyone as the harvest moon fills the sky with its singular brilliance. Soon winter will come, and with it shorter days, frosty mornings, trees stripped of their foliage, quiet skies, and rest for the farmers' fields—for a season.

  What does fall bring to our lives after so many sun-drenched days? A backdrop of rich new colors; fallen leaves that pile up on lawns and crunch underfoot; a new school year for students; festivals, fairs, and football games; patches of pumpkins and hay stacked in the barn.

  We see evidence of the law of the harvest all around us: "For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."1 It has been so since the beginning of time. We must plant a seed to watch the sprouting, nurture the growth, then face the scorching sun, wind, floods, and droughts before we gather in the harvest. Then, only then, do we reap autumn's glory.

  Before we know it, spring will emerge