NEW WORSHIP FRIDAY: Sarah Kroger, REVERE, Unified Sound & Dreaming the Impossible
Light Has Come
Sarah Kroger releases “Light Has Come,” her first-ever Christmas project featuring worshipful originals and festive classics. Having done a Christmas tour for the past decade and having released a few songs for the occasion last year, she expands her seasonal setlist with the new EP. Her heart to unite the Church in worship shining through each track.
“Light Has Come” introduces Sarah’s new song “Ave (King of Kings)” written with Matt Maher and Nick Herbert. The song is based on the powerful canticle of Mary from Luke chapter 1.
“In my opinion, this prayer shows that she was a woman of great faith who understood that God had a plan for her life beyond what she could comprehend for herself,” Sarah commented.
Meaning “hail,” the Latin word “ave” is a very intentional addition to this song of exultation, declaration, and faith as Sarah seeks to remind listeners of God’s worthiness throughout the Advent season with new EP “Light Has Come.
How Great Thou Art
REVERE releases a unique quadrilingual version of well-loved hymn “How Great Thou Art.” The collective recently took their worshipful sound to Sweden, gathering songwriters from various nations in the pursuit of writing and recording reverential songs. The first taste of this time is a live rendition of “How Great Thou Art” recorded in Stockholm’s historic St. Clara Church alongside 600 church goers and visitors joining in. The song captures REVERE’s heart to bring every tribe together in worship of God in an unscripted and beautiful moment. “How Great Thou Art” is led by Becca Folkes (English), Joseph Espinoza (Spanish), Rodrigo and Mari Campos (Portuguese), Sarah Lündback Bell and Johan Åsgärde (Swedish), with Dwan Hill masterfully playing on grand piano.
Cantaremos (En Vivo)
Unified Sound releases their awaited debut album, “Cantaremos (En Vivo),” a 10-song “journey of worship” that takes listeners through revisited, lively versions of influential songs that have shaped the Church over the past few years. The band is comprised of musicians and worship leaders from various cities, all playing an integral part in their Hispanic church communities and enriching their music with a unique Latin flavor.
“Our mission is to play a vital role in sharing a unique and refreshing musical expression that reflects the essence of God's heart encompassing worship from people of all tribes and languages,” said band leader Joel Lopez.
“Cantaremos (En Vivo)” features various artists such as Dr. Ron Kenoly, Ingrid Rosario, Abraham Velazquez, and more. With their new album, Unified Sound aspires to awaken a passion for worship in the Church, which they uniquely express in a genre that sets itself apart from most of today’s North American worship sounds. “We believe in the power of embracing diverse elements from our beautiful world and various cultures, uniting together to craft a harmonious sound that binds the body of Christ in worship,” Lopez concluded.
“Cantaremos (En Vivo)” highlights the joy of worshipping God in community.
Arms of Love
Vineyard Worship announces their third and final single, “Arms of Love,” recorded live at Dreaming The Impossible, a festival for young people from churches everywhere which grew to 4,000 this past summer.
“Arms Of Love,” written by Craig Musseau, was first published by Vineyard Worship in 1991 and has been rearranged and reimagined for a new generation by the Dreaming The Impossible band. Worship leaders Jon Solway and Beth McNeil explain why the song is a perfect fit for young people in 2023:
“This song, while it may be a blast from the past, has a unique way of drawing us into deep intimacy with Jesus, reminding us that God extends loving arms towards us, where we can rest secure in the love of Jesus and trust that He is in control.”
Vineyard Worship hope that, in recording this song, a new generation will be able to grasp the Father’s love for them, the peace that He gives, and the intimacy that is available through Jesus.