upcoming concert with Matthew Smith!

Funny story I’m about to tell.


I took a bold step and emailed recording artist Matthew Smith (of Indelible Grace and solo artist of “All I Owe” and “Even When My Heart is Breaking”) because I saw he has an opening in his tour schedule when he comes through North Carolina, my newfound home state for the last 1.5 years. Turns out he does his own booking, so he called me in person the next day to my surprise. We talk about the possibility of a solo concert at my church here in North Carolina and he gives me information to relay to the leadership of the church. The first person I call next is my pastor to discuss it all. He is in disbelief that the guy called me in person and excited to the point of geeking out because he’s a huge fan of Matthew Smith and Indelible Grace. We talked about it today after our morning service and discussed why our church needs to do this and any concerns, mostly which were financial. It gets voted on officially in a few days but the majority has already voiced their support for it, so it looks like we are hosting a concert and I’m the appointed ringleader of this whole event- putting up posters and promoting it, lining up volunteers, lining up accommodations for Matthew Smith, setting up and possibly running sound or introducing him. This is huge.

To give some background as to why this is a big deal; I have to say that I go to a really small Presbyterian church. We have like….. maybe 50 people on Sunday mornings when our sanctuary could seat 250, or maybe 300. Some pews sit completely empty. And to make matters even worse most are retired, or near retirement age, with hardly any families, children, or college age people. Due to this, it is in fact somewhat….. sleepy and lethargic. Why do I attend and why did I join? Well I love the PCA (Presbyterian Church in America), I love our pastor who is solidly Reformed and preaches with a lot of Biblical integrity, the fact that it’s a fairly loving congregation, and that I have hope for this church. (It has actually existed in some form or another for over 200 years through 4 or more different buildings.) Lately we’ve had some issues in the congregation, and even more recently some budget problems. I need to either help this church with whatever gifts I’m inclined to believe I have, in what areas God enables me….. or I have no business being there. I’ve spent time being ministered to greatly by other men in my old church, now is my time to step up and be on the other side of the table, so to speak. I’ve become the youth Sunday school teacher, and lead music on Sunday nights on guitar with our pianist where we’ve even tackled some new songs by incorporating Indelible Grace tunes into our worship!


Also, literally just yesterday before the elders approved of this, I found out the only other couple under the age of 30 is seriously considering leaving our church. That leaves my wife and I along with a couple guys in their early twenties as the only members between 18-35 years old. We have a private Catholic college a mile down the road from us which drives me to reach out to college students and young people in their 20’s but that’s kind of hard when you lack young people to begin with!

Hymnody

This past year I've been overjoyed to discover Reformed University Fellowship's hymn project called Indelible Grace where they re-work old hymns, some by writing completely new tunes or just by giving it a fresh sound with contemporary instruments. Their third cd "For All The Saints" contained a song by hymnwriter Thomas Pollock that I liked so much that I looked him up and found the only other hymn he ever had published., and sadly these days about the only place to find it is the old Presbyterian Trinity Hymnal.
I'm currently working on a new tune for it. Here's the words:

"We Have Not Known Thee as We Ought" Thomas Pollock 1889
We have not known Thee as we ought,
Nor learned Thy wisdom, grace and power;
The things of earth have filled our thought,
And trifles of the passing hour.
Lord, give us light Thy truth to see,
And make us wise in knowing Thee.

We have not feared Thee as we ought,
Nor bowed beneath Thine awful eye,
Nor guarded deed and word and thought,
Remembering that God was nigh.
Lord, give us faith to know Thee near,
And grant the grace of holy fear.

We have not loved Thee as we ought,
Nor cared that we are loved by Thee;
Thy presence we have coldly sought,
And feebly longed Thy face to see.
Lord, give a pure and loving heart
To feel and know the love Thou art.

We have not served Thee as we ought,
Alas, the duties left undone,
The work with little fervor wrought,
The battles lost or scarcely won!
Lord, give the zeal, and give the might,
For Thee to toil, for Thee to fight.

When shall we know Thee as we ought,
And fear and love and serve aright?
When shall we, out of trial brought,
Be perfect in the land of light?
Lord, may we day by day prepare
To see Thy face and serve Thee there.