Love is the Spirit of this Church

A feast of old-time gospel, with a vision for our time

Music: Elisha Hoffman, arr. Elizabeth Alexander

Words: Tony Larsen, additional lyrics by Elizabeth Alexander

Love is the Spirit of this Church does not hesitate to declare religion’s true purpose! In this progressive reimagining of an old-time revival tune by Elisha Hoffman, the faith community expands beyond its “walls and steeple” to become “a gathered people,” blessing the world with its words and deeds.

This enthusiastic arrangement includes two unusual features: 1) an optional instrumental introduction which may be played under a spoken welcome, and 2) a dramatic “testimony time” during which soloists enumerate the community’s embodied acts of love. Drums, bass, and other auxiliary instruments are welcome.

A note from Elizabeth: Every so often I hear from someone wishing to substitute a different word for “church.” If you’re a reluctant “church-sayer” yourself (or if you’re just curious!) take a look at my blog post Music in a Time of Word Wariness, OR A Church by Any Other Name

Details and Ordering Information

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SATB, soloist, piano, opt. bass and drums

Choral Score

Composer Notes

It took three ministers and a minister’s daughter to create this song. It all started in 1878, when Presbyterian minister and hymnwriter Elisha A. Hoffman penned the classic altar call warhorse Washed in the Blood.

A century later Unitarian Universalist minister Tony Larsen began leading spirited revivals for religious liberals, writing new lyrics for well-known revival songs. Tony’s lyric for Hoffman’s song was based on an 1894 church covenant by Unitarian minister James Vila Blake: “Love is the spirit of this church and service is its law. This is our great covenant: to dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in love, and to help one another.”

Tony’s popular revivals were performed all over the country, including in Madison, Wisconsin where this minister’s daughter showed up in 1993 with a baby on one hip and a tambourine on the other. Twenty years later a commission dedicating a new church building offered her the perfect opportunity to create a revised and full-fledged arrangement of Love is the Spirit of this Church.

Whew, what a family tree this song has! I wonder what branches will sprout next?

Text

Love is the Spirit of this Church

Oh our church is built of neither brick nor stone,
For it’s love that’s the spirit of this church.
It’s a shelter fashioned from our hearts alone.
Yes it’s love that’s the spirit of this church.

For it’s love, yes it’s love,
For it’s love that’s the spirit of this church.
Not the walls or steeple but a gathered people
Is what makes up the spirit of this church.

It is not stained glass that makes these windows bright,
For it’s love that’s the spirit of this church.
They’re illuminated by compassion’s light,
Yes it’s love that’s the spirit of this church.

For it’s love, yes it’s love,
For it’s love that’s the spirit of this church.
Not the walls or steeple but a gathered people
Is what makes up the spirit of this church.

And our sacred altar is not carved of wood,
For it’s love that’s the spirit of this church.
It is consecrated by the greater good,
Yes it’s love that’s the spirit of this church.

For it’s love, yes it’s love,
For it’s love that’s the spirit of this church.
Not the walls or steeple but a gathered people
Is what makes up the spirit of this church.

Performers

Premiere: Choir of Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lansing / Lyle H Brown (Lansing, MI)
Choir of First Unitarian Universalist Church of Rochester / Joe Mish (Rochester, MN)
Choir of Unitarian Congregation of West Chester / Miriam Davidson (West Chester, PA)
Choir of Unitarian Univeralist Church of Vancouver / Patrick Scofield (Vancouver, WA)
Choir of Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair / Marcus Grae-Hauck (Montclair, NJ)
Choir of UU Fellowship of Durango / Alane Brown (Durango, CO)
Choir or Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church / Henry Sgrecci (South Kensington, MD)
Pacific Northwest UU Music Festival Choir / Elizabeth Alexander (Shoreline, WA)