Pastor Stephen Cornils of Mt. Olivet West Campus talked about the tradition of music in worship, while being interviewed for the news brief on the upcoming appearance of classical pianist Marc Peloquin. Cornils passed along this background information on the three composers whose music will be showcased Sunday, July 27 at both the 9:15 and 10:30 a.m. services.

"Johann Sebastian Bach, 1750; Heinrich Schutz, 1672; George Frederick Handel, 1759, musicians.

These three composers have done much to enrich the worship life of the church. Johann Sebastian Bach drew on the Lutheran tradition of hymnody and wrote about two hundred cantatas, including at least two for each Sunday and festival day in the Lutheran calendar of his day. He has been called 'the fifth evangelist' for the ways he proclaimed the gospel through his music.

George Frederick Handel was not primarily a church musician, but his great work 'Messiah' is a musical proclamation of the scriptures.

Heinrich Schutz wrote choral settings of biblical texts and paid special attention to ways his compostion would underscore the meaning of the words.

Remember to include a prayer of thanksgiving for organists, choir directors, composers, and all who make music in worship."