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Last Minute Christmas Shopping

One of the things I like most about running Greg Scheer Music is the relationship I have with all of you. You’ve probably noticed that I try to send a personal note to each person who downloads music from my site. (I’d bet Chris Tomlin can’t say that!) Even more fun is when I get notes from you, letting me know how you used a particular piece, what a song meant to you, or asking for a resource you didn’t find.

It was just these types of interactions that led to a few new items you might want to check out for some last minute Advent and Christmas ideas:

Stephen wrote me to say he liked my new arrangement of “Once in Royal David’s City,” but needed it for cello rather than violin. Boom! You now have the option of violin or cello.

Carlos included “Once in Royal David’s City” in Baylor University’s Advent Service. You can hear the recording here: https://musicblog.gregscheer.com/2022/12/06/once-in-royal-davids-city-live-at-baylor-university/ I especially like that they doubled the lower voices of the piano accompaniment with cello. It sounds beautiful! 

Linda Bonney Olin, a frequent collaborator, found her way to my Orphan Tunes page and paired my tune BLEST BE THOU with her hymn text “A Guardian’s Prayer/Joseph’s Song.” I don’t know of any other hymn that so fully explores Joseph’s role as a human father to a heaven-born Savior. Linda notes that this song would fit beautifully with the Matthew 1:18-25 reading in the lectionary on December 18. (And of course, any service exploring Joseph’s part in the Christmas story.)

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Improved searching

We’re always trying to steamline the user experience here at GSM, getting you more quickly to just the right resource for your congregation. Our most recent web update includes search filters. Let’s try it out: If you head to the Music Catalog drop-down menu and choose Congregational Songs, you may be overwhelmed to see 238 songs. Take a deep breath. Let’s say you’re looking for songs for Thanksgiving. Click on Category–> Seasonal–>Fall/Thanksgiving. Now you will see a much more manageable list of five Thanksgiving resources.

Speaking of Thanksgiving resources, the latest GSM newsletter includes lots of ideas for Fall and Thanksgiving worship services. If you would like to be included in the GSM mailing list, you can subscribe here.

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Editor’s Choice at JW Pepper!

I just discovered that my arrangement of the Arabic “Anta Atheemon” is featured as an editor’s choice at the JW Pepper website. My publisher tells me the plan to feature it in their next catalog. But wait–there’s more! It turns out three more of my anthems are editor’s choices: “Jesus, Lord of Life and Glory,” “Abana,” and “Kwake Yesu Nasimama.” I think you should head over to the JW Pepper website and purchase one (or more!) of these *award-winning* choral anthems for your choir.