A live recording of a bluesy version of this beautiful spiritual from this past Sunday.
A live recording of a bluesy version of this beautiful spiritual from this past Sunday (04.29) at The Gathering @5:50pm ( a new worship service at Glenn Memorial UMC where I’m helping to coordinate the music for the worship).
This is my own interpretation of the Spiritual “There is a Balm In Giliead.” I spent much time in conversation with a good friend Rev. Michael A. Hunt about how to bring my style and who I am into the singing of a such a song…
This is my own interpretation of the Spiritual “There is a Balm In Gilead.” I spent much time in conversation with a good friend and accomplished singer, Rev. Michael A. Hunt, about how to bring my style of music and a bit of who I am into the singing of a such a song as Balm in Gilead.
It was recorded in preparation for a sermon for Emory Wesley Fellowship (http://emorywesley.org) and Glenn Memorial UMC (http://glennumc.org) in Atlanta, Georgia, USA on 09.18.10 in a chapel at Glenn Church on Emory University’s Campus.
“That ultimate message of hope and healing…is the product of creative tension between awareness of painful oppressive circumstances and the simultaneous envisioning of a hopeful future. This is not a naive optimism, but rather a genuine inner transformation.” Arthur C. Jones
This is a sermon I wrote and preached on Sept 19th, 2010 at the 8:30am Service at Glenn Memorial UMC in Atlanta, GA for Glenn-Emory Day. I really enjoyed working on this one–special thanks to Rev. Michael Hunt for his collaboration and help in interpreting and working with the Spiritual “There Is a Balm in Gilead.” Great quote from author & musician Arthur C. Jones about There is a Balm In Gilead: “That ultimate message of hope and healing…is the product of creative tension between awareness of painful oppressive circumstances and the simultaneous envisioning of a hopeful future. This is not a naive optimism, but rather a genuine inner transformation.”
pdf of the Sermon: “Making the Wounded Whole” by Joseph McBrayer
a version my good friend Rev. Michael A. Hunt and I worked up in Spring of 2009
This is a version my good friend Rev. Michael A. Hunt and I worked up for a worship service at Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Spring of 2009. Michael is an excellent and accomplished singer and should be singing instead of me, but he is now in Iowa in work/ministry at Grinnell College. (you can read his blog here)
This song is an African American Spiritual and has deep roots in the black church tradition. As are many spirituals, this song is a prayer–but, as Michael puts it, it is not a prayer of someone who doesn’t think that Jesus is there, but it is a song that helps us to remember and have reaffirmed that fact that Jesus IS with us.
In worship settings it can be used for congregational song or for use as a special music or solo/duet. In this version, the guitar is tuned a 1/2 step down (Eflat) for a more blues-like sound (it can go another whole step down if needed/desired).
It is a suitable song and prayer for the liturgical season of Lent (40 days before Easter) in the Church year and is a fitting song to sing when you’re going through the trials and troubles of life.
I want Jesus to walk with me lyrics/chords (guitar tuned a half step down to Eflat)
Rev. Dr. Joseph McBrayer 