Vineyard Worship announces the release of their latest EP Christ In All Things. The title track, penned by Vineyard writers Kat Wilde and Jonny Riggs alongside Integrity Music’s Lucy Grimble, also quickly became the central theme of the EP during the recording process. Kat shares insights into the writing process, explaining, “We wanted to write a song that was both a call to worship and a reminder of who Jesus is and why we worship him.
Nashville-based band Local Sound introduce their debut album ‘This Is My Local’. After many prolific years of singles and EP releases, Local Sound explore new horizons with their first full length record, one that unveils more of their heart for Christ-centred communities. Born from a house church movement in Tennessee’s capital, Local Sound seek to create culture through highly energetic and innovative music that reaches society. ‘This Is My Local’ captures the essence of what the Lord is doing among this group of people, as one of the band’s members, Alexis Butcher, shares: “This album is full of prayers, stories, and the personality of different church members, as well as struggles we’ve walked through together in the last few years.” The personal and contextual stories that brought Local Sound’s new album to life don’t make it irrelevant, but wholly relatable. The ten tracks on ‘This Is My Local’ are full of truth delivered on fresh melodies that ride the spectrum of emotions. From more mellow tracks like ‘Through The Night’ and ‘On Christ’ making space for vulnerability, to lively songs like the album opener ‘To The King’, Local Sound bring an array of worship flavors from their various backgrounds making the album a “little piece of us for Jesus,” as Alexis notes.‘This Is My Local’ boldly and creatively encapsulates the band’s vision for Church –be it in homes or more traditional settings –to lift a beautiful aroma of praise to the heavens and ignite renewed faith in the Lord. With their debut album, Local Sound are eager to share what they have learned about worship and loving Jesus.
The UK & Ireland contingent of the Vineyard Worship family are releasing their first body of work in a while, a 7-track EP titled ‘Room At The Table’. After setting the scene with first single ‘Awaken Us’ and the project’s title track as a second offering, Vineyard Worship now introduce their new record high in various flavours and colours. ‘Room At The Table’ came out of a writing retreat that happened in late 2021, capturing the wonder of being reunited after two years of global unrest, but also deep vulnerability and honesty as the songwriters involved got to open up to each other again. This EP emerged from friendships and collaboration, highlighting the fruit of the Vineyard Worship and Integrity Music partnership over the last few years with features such as Lucy Grimble, Nathan Jess, Marc James, and Rich Dicas from Integrity Music as well as Vineyard Worship leaders Olu Meduoye, Jonny Riggs, Harmony Smith, Jodie Alexander-Frye among others. As it is diverse in contribution, ‘Room At The Table’ also can’t be encapsulated in one theme, but its “patchwork project” feel gives it a unique wealth of resources for worship leaders and listeners alike. Whether one is looking for a Sabbath lullaby such as ‘Catch Your Breath’, or a song to gather together like ‘Thanks And Praise’, the new EP covers broad horizons in the worship sphere. Produced by Rich Dicas, the latest Vineyard Worship project includes songs that are Scripture-filled, modern Psalms, songs of declaration, confession, and communion – with God and one another – as well as melodies that call us to worship with passion and humility alike. ‘Room At The Table’ is an all-encompassing project that was worth waiting for.
German band Urban Life Worship continue with their “Worship Song Series” – a project covering some of the biggest worship songs into German. Their third single, ‘Anker’, is their version of Hillsong Worship’s ‘Anchor’.
Vineyard Worship UK release a second single and title track ahead of their August EP, ‘Room At The Table’. The new song is full of warmth from the first note, with elements of mellow blues and soft rock. The balmy vocals of worship leader Olu Meduoye are adorned with a delicate reverb that adds to the overall inviting sound. ‘Room At The Table’ follows Jesus’ journey to the cross and meditates on the beauty of his body and blood given for us. It is a song of remembrance and invitation to take part in the endless life He offers. Written by Vineyard Worship artists Olu Meduoye, Jonny Riggs and Marc James, ‘Room At The Table’ is the musical expression of a central value in the Vineyard movement to “come as you are”. The new single is a melody of God’s open arms towards us, inviting dusty feet and broken hearts to the table of the Lord. Marc James shares that the song journeyed from starting around the act of communion,“which in many parts of the global Church is seen as the highest point of worship,” he says, “to a broader invitation to join the great feast of the kingdom, bringing everybody in.” ‘Room At The Table’ is a relatable song, welcoming our human frailty to sit at the feet of Jesus. Vineyard Worship penned a new song full of character, trading a heavily produced sound for rawness and approachability.
After recently coming back with a Pentecost-themed single titled ‘Move’, Worship For Everyone release a new song, ‘Love In Action’. Nick and Becky Drake, who lead the all age worship movement, are based at Gas Street Church in Birmingham, UK, where the local primary school’s strap-line is “God’s love in action.” The new single takes inspiration from this motto and involves the St Peter’s and St John’s CE Primary choir, building delicate vocal layers on an electropop background.‘Love In Action’ showcases Worship For Everyone’s trademark energetic and clean sound as the lyrics point to the reality of living out Christ’s love, reminding us that love is a verb and not just a hopeful concept. ‘Love In Action’ is a missional song, “it is important as we seek to raise a generation of disciples who will represent Jesus in their schools, homes and workplaces,” Becky, who lends her vocals to the new track, says. Carrying the heart of the Worship For Everyone movement, the new single seeks to be a great resource for churches, schools and families to remind them of their purpose and calling as members of God’s family.
Local Sound introduce their second post-EP single called ‘My Confidence.’ As they gear up towards a new project releasing this summer, the Nashville-based band and house church movement keep teasing us with songs that capture the essence of their community’s deep love of Jesus and each other. ‘My Confidence’ is a response when fear and anxiety come knocking at our door, such as when covid broke out and many experienced these disturbing emotions, including some of Local Sound’s band members. This new song emerged to encourage and teach from the inside out, pushing listeners into the arms of God, a safe place where confidence can be found when all else fails. Singer Alexis Butcher points out that, “in order to place Christ as our confidence and foundation, [we] have to surrender everything into His hands and trust that He is good.”‘My Confidence’ features a beautiful slow pop soundscape and is as catchy as it is profoundly hopeful. With their new single, Local Sound nudge us to embrace the beauty available in surrender.
Vineyard Worship UK release a second single and title track ahead of their August EP, ‘Room At The Table’. The new song is full of warmth from the first note, with elements of mellow blues and soft rock. The balmy vocals of worship leader Olu Meduoye are adorned with a delicate reverb that adds to the overall inviting sound. ‘Room At The Table’ follows Jesus’ journey to the cross and meditates on the beauty of his body and blood given for us. It is a song of remembrance and invitation to take part in the endless life He offers. Written by Vineyard Worship artists Olu Meduoye, Jonny Riggs and Marc James, ‘Room At The Table’ is the musical expression of a central value in the Vineyard movement to “come as you are”. The new single is a melody of God’s open arms towards us, inviting dusty feet and broken hearts to the table of the Lord. Marc James shares that the song journeyed from starting around the act of communion,“which in many parts of the global Church is seen as the highest point of worship,” he says, “to a broader invitation to join the great feast of the kingdom, bringing everybody in.” ‘Room At The Table’ is a relatable song, welcoming our human frailty to sit at the feet of Jesus. Vineyard Worship penned a new song full of character, trading a heavily produced sound for rawness and approachability.
Thrive Worship recently released ‘Pour Your Spirit (Live)’, an album that brought listeners and church communities to experience the powerful culmination of years of intensively seeking the Lord. The Californian worship team introduced the project with standout song ‘Coming Back,’ a track that encapsulates the ardent desire for an authentic relationship with God and extends the invitation to lay down all striving and get back to the wonder and joy of truly knowing Jesus. Now introducing a deluxe version of ‘Coming Back’ including a radio edit, Thrive Worship remind us that there is still a lot to come from their worshipful expression of what God is doing in and beyond their community.
W/E 16th October 2021
The pandemic forced us all to minister in different ways and as a result, Deeper Fellowship Church began streaming for the first time. Their worship team, Deeper Worship, led to an empty room for 15 months and brought new passion and dimension of faith to songs such as Hillsong’s ‘I Surrender’, Elevation Worship’s ‘Here As In Heaven’, Cody Carnes’ ‘Nothing Else’ and Jesus Culture’s ‘In The River’. This time also birthed some of the most dynamic and impactful experiences for Deeper Worship and they began recording these precious encounters.
‘Rivers: Sunday Mornings Live’ oozes with the powerful presence of God. Deeper Worship is the free-flowing expression of Deeper Fellowship Church, led by award-winning gospel artist Pastor William McDowell.
Returning to God is an everyday call. It’s a constant direction to head in and a daily posture, but now more than ever, what is needed is simple devotion. Gas Street Music introduce their newest single ‘Return To You’, a response to the global chaos of the last few years experienced through our own lives and communities. We can find ourselves feeling tired, weak and vulnerable and out of this place, we easily strive. ‘Return To You’ encourages us to hear the Father calling us to greater surrender, to return to our greatest love, to give him all of our worship. Let this new single be the song of our hearts in these complex days.
“I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.” Jeremiah 24:7
Sandra McCracken‘s EP ‘Duets (Canyon Sessions)’ releases a couple weeks after her very first book, Send Out Your Light, from B&H Publishing. The EP includes two acoustic guitar driven duets recorded at Laity Lodge, a beautiful retreat centre in the hill country of Texas, and a never before released live version of ‘Trinity Song’ featuring All Sons & Daughters. Ashley Cleveland features on the track ‘Send Out Your Light,’ combining her powerful blues vocals to Sandra’s distinct voice and giving the song an especially emotive and sincere quality. Based on Psalm 43, the piece asks very honest questions and leads both singer and listener to God, looking to and trusting Him for guidance. ‘Patient Kingdom’ features Vito from The Welcome Wagon – an additional voice filled with sweet sincerity. The sound of this song embodies what it’s about: when there are things we don’t know we can affirm praise to God, in humility ask Him questions, and cultivate Kingdom patience. May ‘Duets (Canyon Sessions)’ bring you hope and light.
Vineyard Worship release ‘Prayer of Consecration’, an atmospheric new single featuring vocalist Olu Meduoye centred around the call to surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. The song draws us to recognise holiness as a joyful dimension – the beauty of oneness with the Divine where yielding one’s life to Christ is synonymous with life to the full. In a world of confusion and desperate need for meaning, ‘Prayer of Consecration’ invites the listener into a meditative and life-giving journey as co-writer Jonny Riggs (Coastline Vineyard Bournemouth) explains, “the lyrics are a prayer of aspiration rather than a confident declaration – it’s an opportunity to surrender afresh, offering God the dry wood of our lives in the hope that He might breathe on us, that we would be aflame, set apart for Him.”‘Prayer of Consecration’ points to the mind-blowing invitation to relationship with God and gives language to respond to Him. Whilst challenging lyrics acknowledge our undeserving nature, the sacred love and grace of God are weaved in at its core. The new single came in a time of honest dialogue with God and Vineyard Worship’s hope is for this language to encourage prayerful conversation. “We’re not simply trying to ‘be consecrated’, but we’re bringing God our all and asking Him to respond,” Jonny continues. Co-written and produced by Rich di Castiglione, ‘Prayer of Consecration’ opens a spacious soundscape with a delicate instrumental background that carry Olu’s authentic and stunning voice. Still, beyond its essence of quiet devotion, the new Vineyard Worship song captures undeniable power. And perhaps that is the main point after all; consecration is giving up our own delusional control to receive God’s endless power…
‘Light Has Come’ came from Sarah Kroger‘s desire to write some Christmas songs from her heart in 2021. Initially, the idea was to name her Christmas tour ‘Light Has Come’, but it opened up a new depth of inspiration when the singer-songwriter sat down to write around the concept. Drawing inspiration from the Canticle of Zechariah, Sarah Kroger translated the eternal promises into a new song of hope and joy for the festive period.
In the tender compassion of our God,
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.‘Light Has Come’ proclaims that as it did two-thousand years ago, light will always come! The light will always shine in the darkness!
The Sing Team take another unique take on a traditional Christmas song with frontman Brian Eichelberger’s sweet voice disarming and inviting the listener to join in the well-known melody. ‘Do You Hear What I Hear’ is sprinkled with horns and a chorus of voices you’d anticipate in a Christmas carol, but with a gospel choir flair. The song builds to a joyful celebration and by the end, you can feel the anticipation of the hope of Christmas in your bones! ‘Do You Hear What I Hear‘ is a prayer for peace, and recognition of the hope that has come:
Listen to what I say
Pray for peace people everywhere
Listen to what I say
The Child, the Child, sleeping in the nightHe will bring us goodness and light.
Never for Nothing 