Great Is Thy Faithfulness - AFC 2025

As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way, and who shall wear the starry crown? Good Lord, show me the way.

Oh, sisters, let's go down, let's go down, come on down. Oh, sisters, let's go down, down in the river to pray. As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way, and who shall wear the robe and crown? Good Lord, show me the way.

Oh, brothers, let's go down, let's go down, come on down. Come on, brothers, let's go down, down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way, and who shall wear the starry crown? Good Lord, show me the way.

Oh, fathers, let's go down, let's go down, come on down. Oh, fathers, let's go down, down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way, and who shall wear the robe and crown? Good Lord, show me the way.

Oh, mothers, let's go down, come on down, don't you wanna go down? Come on, mothers, let's go down, down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way, and who shall wear the starry crown? Good Lord, show me the way.

Oh, sinners, let's go down, let's go down, come on down. Oh, sinners, let's go down, down in the river to pray.

As I went down in the river to pray, studying about that good old way, and who shall wear the robe and crown? Good Lord, show me the way.

Good morning, and it's such a privilege to be here with you. We've had an enjoyable weekend of working together on this music, and it's a wonderful group of singers, very resilient, very hardworking, and people who believe in the resurrection and have taken that to heart, and we want to share that with you this morning.

So the first set of songs here are songs of praise and centered around the idea of Jesus Christ as the unchanging, the solid rock that is always there, that we can depend on. The first in the set has some text in Swahili, but the translation is provided in your programs for you.

One of the key phrases in there, "Tower of refuge and strength." Then you'll hear other phrases like, "Thou, my high tower," or "Cornerstone and solid ground," or "Upon this rock I will build my church." Following that, we'll sing a song, a set of songs from early Anabaptists, ones who wrote of their life experience in their founding of the Anabaptist movement, as this is the 500th year of the founding of Anabaptists or the Anabaptist movement. And so we wanted to honor that with a few songs, and I'll speak a little bit more about that when we get there.

Thou might best

heart, my day or my night, waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my wisdom, be Thou my true word. I ever waken and Thou with me forever Thou will be Lord. Thou my great Father, I Thy true son. Thou living well in me, Thou living well, and I Thy with thee one.

Be Thou my buckler, my sword, my sword for the faith and my dignity. Thou mighty light, Thou my sole shelter, Thou my high tower, my tower. Raise Thou me and work, O power, power of my power.

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart, Lord of my heart.

High King of heaven, when victory is won, may I reach heaven's joys of bright and sound. Heart of my heart, whatever before befall, still be my vision, O ruler of all.

Be Thou my vision, my vision, my vision, my vision, my vision, my heart of my heart, be Thou my vision, Lord of my heart.

In Christ alone.

In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song. This cornerstone, this solid ground, burned through the fiercest droughts and storm. What heights above, what depths of peace, when fears are still, when striving cease.

My comforter, my all in all, here in the love of Christ I stand. There in the ground His body lay, light of the world, my darkness lay. When bursting forth in glorious pain, up from the grave He rose again.

And as He stands in victory, since birth has lost its grip on me.

For I am His, and He is mine, born with the precious blood of Christ. No guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the power of Christ in me. From life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny.

No power of hell nor scheme of man can ever block me from His hand.

For I am His, and He is mine, born with the precious blood of Christ. No one can block me from His hand. In Christ alone I stand.

You are the Son, the Son of the living God. You are the Son, the Son of God, the living God. Upon this rock, this rock, I'll build my church, my church. Upon this rock, this rock, I'll build my kingdom.

Here upon this earth I'll build, I'll build my church, my church. Upon this rock, this rock, this solid rock, this rock. Upon this rock, this rock, I'll build my church, my church. Upon this rock, this rock, I'll build my kingdom.

Here upon this earth I'll build, I'll build my church, my church. Upon this rock, this rock, this solid rock, this rock. And we say, "You are the Christ, you are the Son of the living God. You are the Christ, you are the first begotten Son, born from the love, the love of heaven."

And we are the church, and we will serve and glorify. We are the church to be a living sacrifice offered to You through all we are. And so our love, our love, our love for Christ, for Christ, will be the cause, the cause, the reason why we live our days, our days, to walk in faith, in faith, faith in the rock, the rock, the solid rock.

Shout it out now. You are the Christ, you are the Son of the living God. You are the Christ, you are the first begotten Son, born from the love, the love of heaven. And we are the church, and we will serve and glorify. We are the church to be a living sacrifice offered to You through all we are.

Upon this rock, this rock, I'll build my church, my church. Upon this rock, this rock, I'll build my kingdom. Here upon this earth I'll build, I'll build my church, my church. Upon this rock, this rock, this solid rock, this rock, I'll build my church, my church. Upon this rock, this rock, I'll build my church, my church. I'll build my church, I'll build my church upon this rock.

Who now will follow Christ in life, must corn the world in salt and strife, and bear the cross each day. For this hull of leaves to the throne, Christ is the only way.

Christ servants follow Him to death, and give their bodies life and breath. On cross and rack and bar, as glorious tried and glorified, they stand the test of fire.

Renouncing all they chose the cross, and claiming it count all as lost. Evil men child and wife, forsaking gain, forgetting pain, they enter into life.

O Christ our Lord with teaching true, come now and meet Your faithful few. And grant that each with patience and care, His cross of love shall daily bear.

O Christ we would disciples be, with peace and joy and grace from Thee. Thy truth obey forevermore, Thy word Thy will and be adored.

O Christ Thy people truly keep, who follow deftly as Thy sheep. And if to bitter death we fast, Thy grace will keep us true to the last.

O Christ our God upon the throne, we praise the Father and the Son. We praise the Holy Ghost to sing, O come Thine own blessed kingdom claim.

The first song we sang was "He Who Would Follow Christ," that was written by Jörg Wagner. Following that, "O Christ Our Lord," by Michael Sattler. The next one will be a song written originally by Felix Muntz, "Oh I Will Delight in Singing." And we'd like if you would join us for that one. It's, I believe, number 604 in your Hymns of the Church, yes.

And then we will follow that with one by Leopold Scharnslager called "In the World Love's Fire Has Vanished." All of these four songs were originally in the Ausbund, in one book or the other, during the time that the Ausbund has existed. It still does, I guess. And so, of course, they've been translated into English. But as you hear, as you see what the text is, written from personal experience. And we know that these people didn't have the best life once they decided to take Christ at His word and follow Him with all their hearts.

But they have been rewarded and blessed for it, and we now can share in that by singing their songs. So 604, let's sing together, "I Will Delight in Singing."

I will delight in singing in God who rejoices my heart, for grace He is me bringing as I from death depart. Which lasting ever and no end, Thy grace deep Christ from heaven, who doth my grief attend. Near God to me is standing, exampled and true light, who here my life sending doth to His kingdom sight.

Let I with Him abend us bliss, and from my heart may love Him and all His righteousness. Christ the One is cowersing, His glory world to share. They heaven are traversing, who willingly prepare. Through faith and baptism rightly wrongs we repentance with hearts holy, for them is heaven heart.

Where Christ's love is abiding, His very enemy. And Christ proclaims His hiding to all who heirs would be. That who shows mercy lovingly and keeps His Lord's clear teaching is ready eternally.

In the world love's fire has vanished, no one strives her prize to win. Will she thus be wholly banished? Though she is the love's true end, those who know your love are right, and the Father understand, soon will comprehend the Gospel, and believing will be born again.

Love is friendly, kind, and patient, bridles passion, bears all blame. With her quarreling is not present, not walked out, she spurns all fame. Love triumph and steals all strife, never speaks in shameful ways. Slow to anger shuns all cursing, speaks of all with words of noble praise.

Love takes no delight in evil, but rejoices quite in truth. Covers hopes of glory treeble, keeps to God's commands in faith. Suffering all things love endures, trust believes, accurses none. Patience is her princely token, much she dares discourt to overcome.

Love must truly never faileth, worlds may end, but love grows on. Poor man's needs love shall free faileth, love and God hold sway as one. Knowledge blossoms, fields are mown, things collapse unless she reigns. Bind us love by bonds eternal, lead us by your sure and holy hand.

Hitherto have the Lord helped us, we will bless the Lord from this hour forth and forevermore. Praise, O praise the Lord.

By Thy heaven he's aroused, through Thy kindly deepest grace. With Thy grace all hearts I own, hitherto Thy help I've known.

What may be my future lot, well I know, concerns me not. This should set my heart at rest, what Thy will ordains is best.

By my all truthy resigned, Father let Thy will be mine. May but all my dealings true, truths of God, paternal love.

Guard me, Savior, by Thy power, guard me in the trying hour. Let Thy unremitted care save me from the lurking snare. Hitherto have the Lord helped us, we will bless the Lord from this hour forth and forevermore. Praise, O praise the Lord.

Sing the lullaby when we go in heartache. Sing the lullaby, a should not wake the infant. The angels are watching, stars are shining, over the place where He is lying.

Sing the lullaby. Sing the lullaby, the angel who swears meeting. Sing the lullaby, a should not wake the infant. Soon will come sorrow with the mourning ring, soon will come bitter grief and weeping.

Sing the lullaby.

Sing the lullaby, lullaby love adores. Sing the lullaby, a should not wake the infant.

Soon comes the cross and little's the piercing, then in the grave at last reposing.

Sing the lullaby.

Sing the lullaby, lullaby little's the way I'm waking. Sing the lullaby, a should not. Heard the infant hearing, dreaming of eastern lights of mourning, conquering death, its bondage breaking.

Sing the lullaby.

Ride on, no man can hinder me. Ride on, no man can hinder me. Ride on, King Jesus, ride on, King Jesus, ride on. No man can hinder me. I'm gonna ride on, King Jesus, Jesus. No man can hinder me. I'm gonna ride on, King Jesus, ride on. No man can hinder me. I'm gonna ride on, King Jesus, Jesus.

No man can hinder me. I'm gonna ride on, King Jesus, ride on. No man can hinder me. King Jesus rides on no white horse, no man works like Him. Like Him, the river of joy and heat and cross. No man works like Him, like Him. Ride on, King Jesus, Jesus.

No man can hinder me. I'm gonna ride on, King Jesus, ride on. No man can hinder me. King Jesus rides on the milliard, no man works like Him, like Him. He calls and sings from everywhere, no man works like Him, like Him. Ride on, King Jesus, Jesus.

No man can hinder me. I'm gonna ride on, King Jesus, ride on. No man can hinder me. No man can hinder, no man, no man can hinder me. No, no man can hinder, no man, no man can hinder me.

Ride on, King Jesus, Jesus. No man can hinder me. I'm gonna ride on, King Jesus, ride on. No man can hinder me. No, no, no, no man can hinder me. No, no, no, no man can hinder me. No man can hinder me.

No, no, no, no man can hinder me. No, no, no, no man can hinder me. No man can hinder me.

Ride, ride, ride, ride, O Jesus. Ride, ride, ride, ride, O Jesus.

Jesus.

Christ rising again from the dead. From the dead Christ rising again. From the dead I am not, I am not dead. From desolate lands of earth, from the wilderness of the hill, the wilderness of the earth. The world comes to an end, the world will always be saved.

The world is present everywhere, everywhere. The world is present everywhere, everywhere. The world is present everywhere, everywhere. The world is present everywhere, everywhere. Everywhere is the world, everywhere. The world is present everywhere, everywhere. The world is present everywhere, everywhere. The world is present everywhere, everywhere.

The world is present everywhere, the world is present everywhere. The world is present everywhere, everywhere. The world is present everywhere, everywhere. The world is present everywhere, everywhere. The world is present everywhere, the world is present everywhere. Save the living water to the night. Jesus, the night Jesus is our daughter, our lifeblood. The Lord.

Christ is risen again, the first fruits of man. The first fruits of man, dusty earth has seen.

The man of soul, with the rise of Christ, he's the rise of the dead. The rise of Christ, he's the rise of the dead. For

as he never will, for as he never will, the wind will die. Thy Christ cometh, thy shall be chained. For his cross all flesh tells the truth. Christ comes to rise from the dead. For as thou rise thou, it is thy will.

Rise thou, it is thy will to now.

The Lord is risen deep, hallelujah. The Lord is risen deep, hallelujah.

Now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleep. Now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleep. How is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleep.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

And did he rise, and did he rise, and did he rise, did he rise, did he rise.

Hear all ye nations, hear it, all ye dead. He rose, he rose, he rose, he rose. He burst the bars of death, he burst the bars of death, he burst the bars of death. The triumph's o'er the grave.

And did he rise, and did he rise, and did he rise, and did he rise, did he rise.

Hear all ye nations, hear it, all ye dead. He rose, he rose, he rose, he rose. He burst the bars of death, he burst the bars of death, he burst the bars of death. The triumph's o'er the grave.

Shout, shout of the dead, this summon the two men whose nature them took with. Whose nature them took with, whose nature them took with. Whose nature them took with, whose nature them took with. And mounted with him from the tomb, and mounted with him from the tomb.

Then, then, then I rose, then I rose, then I rose, then I rose. Then first humanity triumphed and passed the crystal ports of life and seized eternal youth, and seized eternal youth.

Men, all immortal hail, hail, and in all lavish outstretched gifts to men. Thine all the glory mags of boundless bliss. Thine all the glory mags of boundless bliss. Thine all the glory mags of boundless bliss.

My flesh shall slumber in the ground. My flesh shall slumber in the ground.

In the ground, in the ground, in the ground. In the ground, in the ground, in the ground.

In the ground. Still the last trumpet joyful sound, then bursts the jazz that speaks, that speaks, that speaks, that speaks. I rise, and in my Savior's image rise, and in my Savior's image rise.

Besides the signs and images shall be shown, but the bright world to which I go. Hath joice and stone shall turn to tears, turn to tears, turn to tears. Tells it still, tells it still. When shall a raken find me there? When shall a raken find me there? When shall a raken find me there? When shall a raken find me there?

Where shall a raken find me there?

There.

Poverty, wandering, misery, suffering, loneliness, bitterness. Wise only sweat sings in me. Poverty, wandering, misery, suffering, loneliness, bitterness. Wise only sweat sings in me, sings in me, sings in me. In gentile paradiso

For I love and I adore the devil, and he shall stand at last on the earth. And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God. I shall see God.

And I mounted with him from the mountain, and therefore I shall take with me the devil, the risen Christ, his risen Savior.

Yet I do not rise with you, yet I stand right to you. What gift of grace is Jesus, my Redeemer? There is no more for heaven now to give. He is my joy, he is my righteousness and freedom.

My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace. Truly so I hope, for hope is my place to resound. For my life is wholly bound to Him. For how strange and divine I can sing! All is mine, yet not ours, but through Christ.

Yet I mounted with him from the mountain, and therefore I stand right to you. The night is dark, and I am not forsaken. For by my side the Savior keeps us safe. I labor on in weakness and rejoicing.

For in my knee His power is displayed. To this I hope, to this I shop, who will defend me? Through the deepest valley He will lead me. Oh, the night has been won, and I shall overcome ever. But through Christ, yet not ours, but through Christ in me. Yet not ours, but through Christ in me.

Christ in me. No fate I dread; I know I am forgiven. The future sure, the price it has been paid. For Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, rather from my heart, for He was raised to love without the grave. To this I hope, to this I shop, who will see us in deep despair.

Jesus now and ever is my plea. Oh, the chains are released; I can sing, I am free. I am free.

Yet not I, but through Christ in me. Yet not ours, but through Christ in me. Yet not ours, but through Christ in me. With every breath I long to follow Jesus. For He has said that He will bring me home. And day by day I know He will renew me. Until I stand with joy before the throne.

To this I hope, my hope is only Jesus. All the glory evermore to Him. When the race is complete, still my limb shall repeat. Yet not I, but through Christ in me. When the race is complete, still my limb shall repeat. Yet not I, but through Christ in me. (Yet not I, but through Christ in me.) Yet not I, but through Christ in me.

Yet not I, but through Christ in me. Yet not I, but through Christ in me. Christ in me.

This year, the Committee for Anabaptist Festival Choir commissioned a new piece of music, and we asked Samuel Heatwold to write us something for this year's festival, and he's in the choir with us, so glad to have him here. I'm going to have him come down and just introduce the piece for us.

Good morning. I'd like to just invite you to imagine what it was like before the creation of light. So Scripture says that it was darkness; there was a void. Darkness was upon the face of the deep, and then the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters, and then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. So what I've tried to do with this song is to parallel that event with the event of the new birth, because the same God who commanded light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts.

And I just find that concept so indescribable; I can't totally wrap my mind around that, that the Creator that created the physical light that we see and the whole world that we see is the same God that is shining light into our hearts and dispelling the darkness within.

And so this song just attempts to kind of picture with music, or to illustrate with music, what maybe that was like. And so on the chords for light, there's some dissonance, but then it resolves, and that's to portray the shimmering quality of light. Now, I imagine when God said, "Let there be light," there was instantaneously a lot of light, because nature obeys God.

But was it a light that just got brighter and brighter, or was it instantly bright? I don't know. But in the same way, the light of God that penetrates our hearts keeps working, keeps getting brighter. We believe in progressive sanctification. There's always areas of darkness that the light of Christ needs to penetrate. And so I hope you can find encouragement that the same God that created the universe, that created physical light, is the same God who is shining light into your hearts.

Darkness was upon the face of the deep.

Darkness was upon the face of the deep. Darkness, stillness of God moved upon the stakes of the darkness. Darkness, stillness of God moved upon the stakes of the waters.

And God said, "Let there be light, let there be light," and there was light.

And I will bring the blind by the way that they knew not. I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them. I will make darkness light before them. The people that sought in darkness, the people that sought in darkness, have seen a great light, have seen a great light.

Upon them hath the light shined.

In Him was, in Him was life, and the light was the light of men. In Him was, in Him was life, and the light was the light of men. The people that sought in darkness, the people that sought in darkness, have seen a great light, have seen a great light.

Upon them hath the light shined.

Ride the mountain, and heal that bowl, and he shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Oh, the moon of men, let the light shine out of darkness that shines in our hearts. Oh, God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness that shines in our hearts.

Who give the light of the knowledge of the glory of Jesus Christ?

For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the star, for the glory of the star, for the power of which draws over draws over and around us all, over and around us all.

Christ our Lord, to you we raise this our grateful song and praise. For the wonder of each hour, of the day and of the hour, will and will and dream and thought, sun and moon and stars of heart, and stars of heart.

Christ our Lord, to you we raise this our grateful song and praise. For the joy of human love, mother's distant parent child, friends of earth and friends of heart. For all gentle thoughts and love, Christ our Lord, to you we raise this our joyful song, this our joyful song, this our joyful song, this our joyful song, this our joyful song, and this our joyful song and praise. For your selfless gentle gift, gentle gift, gentle gift, gentle gift, gentle gift, of dreaming end, of dreaming end, age and age, age and age, and hours, strange desire, peace on earth and joy in men.

Christ our Lord, to you we raise this our joyful song, this our joyful song, this our joyful song, this our joyful song, this our joyful song, and this our joyful song and praise. For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the star, for the glory of the stars, this our grateful song, this our grateful song, this our grateful song and praise, this song and praise.