The title of our album is taken from the following lines of one of our favorite hymns: "Out of my bondage, sorrow and night, Jesus, I come... Into thy freedom, gladness and light, Jesus, I come to thee." We are moved to worship in song and in all of life not only because the Lord God is infinitely worthy of our praise and obedience, but also because in his great mercy and love he has redeemed us and will redeem us from all our bondage, sorrow and night. The hymns and songs we sing—old and new alike—express our passionate desire to draw near to God through his Son, Jesus, who by his astounding incarnation, obedient life, sacrificial suffering and death, and glorious resurrection has become our great Redeemer. Once the "man of sorrows," he is "now in heaven exalted high"!
Christ Presbyterian Church is a young church plant in New England in the historic university town of New Haven, Connecticut. Formerly a stronghold of Christian thought and culture, New Haven today is situated in a distinctly post-Christian culture. We labor to proclaim the good news of Christ to a parish and a university community desperately in need of the transforming grace of God. Through Reformed University Fellowship we extend the gospel to the undergraduates of Yale University and several neighboring universities.
This collection of hymns and songs reflects both how we treasure the ancient hymns of the church—and the broad communion of saints they represent—and how we take a passionate interest in contemporary musical styles that enrich our worship. We sing old hymns with traditional tunes, old hymn texts set to new tunes (a couple of our own and many that have emerged from the students and campus ministers of Reformed University Fellowship nationwide), and songs with contemporary texts and melodies. They all have in common the ability to give voice to some aspect of the wondrous gospel of our God and to help us respond in devotion and praise. The arrangements reflect the rich and varied musical gifts God has brought together in New Haven.
The Musicians:
Acoustic Guitars: West Breedlove (1,2,5,6,7,11,13) and Trip Lehn (2,3,5,11-13)
Bass: Daniel Kellogg
B3 Organ & Piano: Matthew Croasmun (1,5,7)
Classical and Electric Guitars: Joseph Shields
Percussion: David Schotzko
Piano: Hsing-ay Hsu Kellogg (all except 5)
Violin: Michelle Lee
Lead Vocals: West Breedlove (1,6,7) Bill Cerynik (4,9) Hannah Cerynik (2,10) and Trip Lehn (2,3,5,8,11-14)
Harmony Vocals: West Breedlove (14) Bill Cerynik (13,14) Hannah Cerynik (1,4,5,7) Matthew Croasmun (14) Daniel Kellogg (9,14) and Trip Lehn (1,2,4,5,8,9,13)
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