The Sojourn Music team at Sojourn Church New Albany has just released a new single of the classic hymn “It Is Well With My Soul.” They did a beautiful job, as one would expect from Justin and Meg Shaffer, Ryan Marsh, Philip Turner, Miguel Monroy and Joe Ficarra. Soon it will be on Apple Music, Spotify and the other major stores and streaming sites, but for now you can listen at our Bandcamp page:
And read Worship Director Justin Shaffer’s story behind the recording:
“Through war, famine, persecution, and pandemic, God sustains his church and gives her songs to sing. Even as we long to be together again, we connect… we encourage one another… we sing. After singing this great old hymn the second Sunday we gathered via FaceBook Live, we knew we had to record it by whatever means necessary… a tricky feat while maintaining social distancing! Ryan got things started, Miguel, Philip, and Joe emailed in their parts, and so it went.
As the CDCs guidelines have required sparse instrumentation, so our arrangement begins. Yet as the longing and lament of Lent gives way to the hope and celebration of Easter, so our arrangement builds – the rhythm section joining through the miracle of playing remotely – Meg, Ryan, and me layering our voices a hundred times when the circumstances prevent us from hearing hundreds sing together. We hope you can imagine yourself in the choir or playing in the band as we long for the day the Lord restores us to fellowship again; that day itself but a foretaste of the day we gather before his throne singing with all tribes, tongues, and nations. Let us sing together in our hearts and homes, It is Well with My Soul!”