The Gospel Coalition #TGC19 Playlist

A couple of the hymns I recorded for Come Away From Rush & Hurry made it onto a great playlist the Gospel Coalition put together as a soundtrack to their conference. You can check out the entire playlist here:

Really glad these hymns, “Blest Are The Pure In Heart” and “At The Cross Her Vigil Keeping” are getting some exposure. They have blessed me tremendously. The first time I heard “At The Cross…” was during Lent. We prayed each verse of the hymn in between the Stations of the Cross liturgy. It was as beautiful as it was haunting.

“Blest Are…” is certainly a memorable text but it was the melody that first lodged in my heart and mind. I heard this gem a few years ago for the first time.

Anyway, I’m so grateful to be included on a playlist like this, with so many artists I both listen to and admire. I hope you’ll enjoy and share the playlist on Spotify or Apple Music or wherever you get your tunes!

Here’s the playlist/article from TGC’s website.

JB

Worship & Liturgy: An Interview With The Stone Table Podcast

Podcasting with @baylife_cc about the different traditions of Christian worship and how I love them all...

52 Likes, 0 Comments - Josh Bales (@joshbalesmusic) on Instagram: "Podcasting with @baylife_cc about the different traditions of Christian worship and how I love them..."

Recently had the pleasure of sitting down with my friend, Travis, to talk about Christian worship in all of its variety. It was so. much. fun. You can hear the interview below- and then get more from The Stone Table Podcast- HERE.

LISTEN…

The story behind the album art for "Come Away From Rush and Hurry"

Saint Mary's Chapel (The "Lady Chapel"), 1950s

It was a gift to me to have permission to use archived photos of the Cathedral Church of St Luke - Orlando, FL as the artwork for my upcoming album.  The Cathedral is my home parish, my church family, the place I've served since 2015, and the place I was ordained as a Transitional Deacon, and then a Priest.  I love my church.

Cathedral Church of Saint Luke, Front, 1940s

It's also the place where I first heard many of the hymns that I recorded for Come Away From Rush and Hurry.  Despite having grown up in the church, singing hymns, I had never heard the likes of, "...and to their longing eyes restored, the Apostles saw their risen Lord..." a great 5th Century Latin text translated by J.M. Neale (a poet, musician, priest, and scholar).  I had never sung at a funeral, or any other service, "The strife is o'er, the battle done, the victory of Christ is won..."  Singing these hymns, directly from worn out hymns books, over the past few years, has been staggeringly awesome, in the true sense of the word.

Cathedral Church of Saint Luke, Inside, 1910s

So, it was very important and meaningful to me to get to utilize images of the Cathedral for the album's artwork.  The building is indelibly connected to the songs themselves, for me.  And, as I've mentioned elsewhere, I did much of the piano tracking inside the Cathedral, after work, when things got quiet. Those were very special recording sessions for me, in such a sacred place.

Get the album: "Come Away From Rush And Hurry"