St. Paul United Methodist Church
Welcome to our Praise & Worship page!
Here at St. Paul we have a variety of music and lots of talented musicians & singers. We would love to share our love of music with you. We will be featuring various songs, musical instruments, music events, special concerts, etc. For many of us, we relate music to how we feel. Music can relate to a certain trial or tribulation in our life, and when we praise and worship, our spirits are lifted high.
If you have a passion for singing or playing an instrument (Praise Band or Handbells), please see our staff page for contact information. If you are more of a behind-the-scenes kind of person, contact our SonLight Coordinator for more information.
Music Events:
Videos are from 2015 Spring Hand Bell Choir concert
Songs that inspire us
Over time we will be posting short posts about various songs that speak to us. We hope you will find a new song to like! Scroll down to see older posts made about songs thst inspire us.
Lynne Storms
I don’t know if I can say I have a favorite song because I love so many of the songs the Praise Band has taught us over the last 5 years. But one of my favorites is "Everything Glorious" by David Crowder. The lyrics to this song are so simple, yet they send a message that we all need to hear and that we sometimes forget. It speaks to all of the beautiful and glorious things in this world that God has made, which in my mind makes me think of all of the natural wonders and beauty of this world – like our beautiful mountains of southwest Virginia. But then the song asks, if God makes EVERYTHING glorious, what does that make ME? Answer: It makes ME glorious!! This song reminds us that God made each one of us and he has made us wonderfully & glorious! I encourage you to click on the link below and listen to David Crowder sing this song – it will lift your spirits!
Listen to Lynne's favorite song!
Leslie Mabe
My favorite hymn is "Draw Me Nearer."
I grew up in Big Stone Gap, VA and attended Durham's Chapel Free-Will Baptist Church. We sang weekly from a small red hymnal called "Gospel Hymns." Each time I hear a hymn from this book, it takes me back to the little church where I learned about Jesus and His love for us. My favorite hymns are the old ones. We have a saying about them that goes: 'We don't sing the great old hymns because they are old. We sing them because they are great.'
Sally James
One of my favorite praise band songs is Where I Belong. Whenever I see it I always think of hope. The lyrics just talk about how this is not our final home. The worries and fears of this world don't matter as much as we make them out to be. It just makes me so happy thinking about that!
Listen to Sally's favorite song!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he32vwlKQPY
Lyrics:
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/building429/whereibelong.html
Keith Storms
Before I started playing in the St. Paul Praise Band, I hardly knew any contemporary Christian songs and certainly could not play any on guitar. However, as we have learned songs together over the past few years and sung them in worship service, I have found that the music and lyrics often resonate with me. I will find myself humming or whistling one of our praise songs during the week.
One of my favorite songs that I have learned as part of the praise band is I Refuse by Josh Wilson. Though the song’s title sounds negative, the song is a powerful declaration and call to action!
Singing and playing this song motivates me to try and live each day as Christ would want me to. It reminds me that we are called to be people of action. It nudges me to not be a passive Christian.
Listen to Keith's favorite song!
http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=7PKK7PNX
Lyrics are listed below! Enjoy!!
Favorite hymns from some ladies in the Adult Choir: Thank you for sharing ladies!
Clayta Bryant- In the Garden was my Grandmother and my Mother's favorite song. I sang it as one of my first church solos when I was young. The Hymn of Promise is one that has always touched me from the first time I heard it.
Mary Beth Rodgers- One of my most favorite hymns is "When Peace Like a River" or "It Is Well With My Soul". I am not sure how it would be listed. The story is that the author's wife and daughter (I think) were drowned when the ship they were on sank. He was suffering greatly but turned to his faith for comfort and wrote this hymn. I hope that if or when I have to face grief, my faith will be as strong as his was.
Karen Karnei - It is nearly impossible to choose a favorite Hymn. Is it the tune or the words that stick in my head and heart? Today I'll choose - "Living for Jesus" in the Cokesbury Hymnal, because that is the daily struggle we all have and this hymn reminds me of that in so many ways. It also might be, "There's Within My Heart a Melody", in the Methodist Hymnal, because God loves a happy heart. Zella plays it often after the benediction, as we're heading into the week ahead, with that happy melody and with it's up lifting words in our minds and heart. The story behind that hymn reminds us of all we have to be thankful for instead of focusing on what bothers us. A great way to start the week!