Adventures in Sheltering in Place

Hello everyone. This site has been quiet for several years now, encompassing a move, a new job, a new child.

There's a lot going on for everyone right now, with the coronavirus outbreak, social distancing, sheltering in place. I've been inspired to see so many friends and artists I admire posting and sharing their lives, their music, their art, their hearts, to bless others stuck at home at this time.

My small contribution, musically speaking, is a little weekly live show I'm doing on my facebook page, called "Tuesday Tunes at 2." I'm sharing a few originals, a cover song or two, usually around some theme that strikes me as meaningful to the day and what we're all going through.

I'd love to have you join me live each Tuesday at 2pm, or afterwards as the videos stay up. You can currently view videos from the first two Tuesdays, one in which I covered a couple Celtic Psalms for St. Patrick's Day, and another which included some scripture songs and a Jackson Browne cover.

If you need a place to connect spiritually in this time, I also invite you to join me for the live-streamed worship services from my church, Cascade View Presbyterian Church.

We're streaming to our church's facebook page at the following times:
10:30am on Sundays
12noon on Wednesdays for a "Midweek Midday" prayer service.

May God's grace sustain you, and God's peace rule in your hearts.

APCE Chicago Worship Recap

It was such a blast last week to lead worship for about 750 folks gathered in downtown Chicago for the 2016 national conference of APCE (the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators)!

Everyone was so engaged in worship, and I was blessed to collaborate with a fantastic planning team (thanks, Shawna Bowman and Nanette Sawyer!) and amazing musicians (thanks, Corey Nelson, Jodi Craiglow, Rob Clearfield, John Erickson & Jim Batson!), many of whom have become good friends of mine over the years. I am indebted to my dear friend and colleague, Roberta Dodds Ingersoll, and the rest of the APCE planning team for inviting me into this incredible opportunity.

I am also humbled by the many kind and encouraging words from conference attendees who made a point to come talk to me between sessions, or with whom I was privileged to share an elevator. :)

Many asked for a list of the songs we sang, and the resources where they can be found.

So, below is the list that I've compiled.

Also, for those who attended my workshop on "Spiritual Journaling through Songwriting," or anyone interested in checking out more of my music, you can find my new EP, Pilgrim Miles, on iTunes, and CDs can be ordered on CDBaby.

I also often post leadsheets and/or audio for original worship songs, retuned hymns, and hymn arrangements on this blog, or on my SoundCloud page.

Stay tuned here for future musical adventures, and thank you for checking this out!

Grace and peace,

luke <><

APCE Chicago 2016 Songs Resource List:

WEDNESDAY – OPENING WORSHIP

From Above Us (by Luke Hyder)

Here in this Place/Gather Us In (by Marty Haugen – Glory to God #401)

The Spirit is Moving in My Heart (by Kathy Galloway – Iona Abbey Worship Book)

I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me (arr. Wendell Whalum – Glory to God #700)

THURSDAY – AM WORSHIP

10,000 Reasons (by Matt Redman & Jonas Myrin – worshiptogether.com, CCLI #6016351)

How Long, O Lord/Ps. 13 (by Barbara Woollett & Christopher Norton – Glory to God #777)

Open My Eyes (by Jesse Manibusan – spiritandsong.com, CCLI #1188054

His Eye is on the Sparrow (words by Civilla Durfee Martin, music by Luke Hyder)

We Will Walk With God/Sizohamba Naye (trans. & arr. John L. Bell – Glory to God #742)

THURSDAY – LUNCHEON

Gathered As One (by Deanna Light & Paul A. Tate – GIA Gather Comprehensive #745)

One Generation Will Call to the Next (by Greg Scheer – gregscheer.com, CCLI #4769466)

FRIDAY – AM WORSHIP

Bless the Lord (by Jacques Berthier – Taizé Community resources published in the US by GIA)

You Are My Guide (by Matt Ulery – Chicago bassist and composer, mattulery.com)

Don’t Be Afraid (by John L. Bell – Iona Community’s Wild Goose Resource Group, pub. by GIA)

Abana in Heaven (by Laila Constantine, trans. Anne Zaki, Emily Brink & Greg Scheer – published by Faith Alive Christian Resources in Global Songs for Worship and Lift Up Your Hearts #911)

SATURDAY – CLOSING WORSHIP

God Beyond Knowledge (text by Pat Bennet – Iona Abbey Worship Book)

Open Our Eyes (by Sandra McCracken – from the album, “The Kingdom of Heaven Is Like This”, by the children’s music collective, Rain for Roots, available at rainforroots.com)

Live into Hope (text by Jane Parker Huber – Glory to God #772)

Open Up (by David Gungor & John Arndt – The Brilliance, self-titled CD, thebrilliancemusic.com)

The Lord’s Prayer (by Randall Goodgame – Sing the Bible with Slugs & Bugs, slugsandbugs.com)

Pilgrim Miles CDs now available!

Happy New Year!

Today is a big day ... the physical CDs of "Pilgrim Miles" have finally arrived!

I have begun the process of signing copies and packaging them up to ship out to all of the Indiegogo backers who selected perks that include signed CDs.

But everyone else can now order physical CDs online TODAY through my CDBaby store!

Also, I just found out that the album has been posted to iTunes (At a price point that is a bit cheaper than the download on CDBaby)! Exciting stuff! Check it out in your iTunes store.

Feel free to pass these links along to any music fans you know!

Grace and peace,

luke <><

"Pilgrim Miles" can now be purchased online!

Hello, friends!

"Life" has converged on our family in a big way over the past few months (I'll share more details when it's appropriate), and that has caused delays in getting my EP released this Fall ... But despite delays, I have good news!

"Pilgrim Miles" is now available for purchase and download online!

The digital album has been uploaded, complete with cover art, on my CDBaby page.

I had hoped the physical CDs would be here before Christmas, but alas, we will have to wait until mid January for those ... I am really bummed about that, and I apologize.

But the physical CDs have been ordered, and WILL come soon into the New Year! And if you were a supporter of our IndieGOGO campaign at a level that gets signed CD's, you'll be the first to get them.

In the meantime, please feel free to share the download link with any music lovers in your life.

And keep checking back here, or on the facebook-twitterverse, for updates about when the EP will be available on iTunes and for when CDs can be pre-ordered.

Grace and peace,
luke <><

Radio Debut and Guest Blog Post on UTR!

Exciting news!

Today, a pre-release sneak-peak of a song from "Pilgrim Miles" was featured in an all-DIY-artist episode of my favorite music podcast and syndicated radio show, Under the Radar!

Check it out at RadarRadio.net, and find it on iTunes or your Podcast app!

Also up today is a guest post I wrote for Under the Radar's blog, chronicling the journey of writing, recording, and crowd-funding my EP. There are even some behind-the-scenes pictures!

Thanks for your support!

Grace and peace,
luke <><

Indiegogo Campaign SUCCESSFUL!

Hello friends! This is a bit delayed, but we are celebrating the successful completion of the Indiegogo campaign for my new EP, Pilgrim Miles! Woohoo!

We were blown away by the generous outpouring of support from friends all over the country, who surpassed our initial goal in less than 48 hours, and ultimately helped us raise almost $4000 toward making this dream become a reality. Marla and I couldn't be more grateful!

Lots of other things have been happening behind the scenes for this project lately.

My friend and producer, Chris Meyers, and I have been going back and forth getting the mixes of each track tweaked just right. The songs are sounding great! One of my biggest hopes for this project was for Chris to surprise me with some great ideas that were totally not my own ... and he has done that. I can't wait for you all to hear them!

I also had the opportunity, thanks to the additional funds raised in the campaign, to go back into a local studio here in Chicagoland, and record an additional song, "Be Like Trees (Psalm 1)." It was a simple session, with vocal and piano, but with the lovely addition of Audrey Snyder on cello!

At this point, I'm not sure whether it will end up as a sixth track on the CD, or if it will be the exclusive bonus track that get sent to backers of the EP. Either way, it's a song that really, in my mind, fits with the rest of this project, so I'm really excited we got to record it.

Then just a week or so ago I was out in the middle of the Rollins Savanna preserve near our house, with good friend and fantastic photographer, Vanessa Griffin, for a photo shoot. Vanessa is designing the CD packaging in addition to doing the photography, and she just send me the first proofs. It's all looking so great!

At this point we are on pace for a release sometime early Fall. I'm still hoping for the month of September, but we'll see. Stay tuned here, or (even better) on facebook, and I'll keep you posted!

These myriad pieces are coming together, and I couldn't have done it without the help of all of these friends, my amazingly supportive family, all of you who have pledged your financial support and helped spread the word, and the One from Whom all blessings flow. Thank you!

Grace and peace,
luke <><

IndieGogo Campaign LAUNCHED!

Hello friends!

Today my IndieGogo campaign for my upcoming EP release, "Pilgrim Miles", officially launched!

Woohoo!

Find out more, spread the word, and PRE-ORDER the CD right HERE.

Thank you!