Home: Songs for my Soul

Songbook/Resource Book PLUS Music CD

Songs For Worship is a unique and powerful resource for your musicians and worship leaders and planners. Each song is presented in piano/guitar/vocal format. Also, each song is presented in lyric/guitar format, with graphical fretboards.

Songs For Worship, volumes 1 & 2, also provides lectionary based worship leader planning for each song, appropriate to the scripture and theme references for the church year.

Songs For Worship, vol. 2, includes the Music CD of original recordings by your favorite groups and artists such as Lost And Found, Peder Eide, Dakota Road, Echelon, Jonathan Rundman, Nate Houge, Cathy Pino, Lloyd Garrelts, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan, Gretchen Mertes, Agape, Mudhouse, and Tangled Blue.

(19 songs in vol. 2, 16 songs in vol. 1)

Listen to Free Song Samples from both volumes 2 and 1

Go to the Purchase Music Page

The Lutheran Magazine says, (October 2009);

"When Martin Luther was frustrated that there wasn’t music in the language of the people and the Reformation, he wrote hymns for worship. The same has happened today: Let your worship leaders know about Lutheran Songs Today. . . and you’ll discover a wealth of wonderful songs for more than just youth gatherings."

reported by Tom Lyberg, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Findlay, Ohio

and host of the Wired Jesus Podcast (www.wiredjesus.com)

Check out the full article on Songs for Worship, vol. 1 here: The Lutheran magazine, October 2009

Lutheran Songs Today! Live concert August 20, 2010

Hosted by the Center for Missional Leadership at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota

Nationwide Worship Song Contest Winner!

First, begin with independent singer-songwriters who have touched the hearts of many through song. Gospel, folk, rock, meditative. From the Superdome in New Orleans packed with 37,000 high school youth in enthusiastic worship, to gatherings of thousands of youth in Germany. From Finland to the cornfields of Iowa to retreats at church camps. From meditation and song retreats in California, to Youth Encounter middle school events scattered across North America with hundreds of kids each time caught up in song. Singer-songwriters who lead healing retreats for peace and community-buiding, from northern Minnesota to war-torn Bosnia.

Now take the very best worship songs of these amazing singer-songwriters. Arrange the songs in piano/guitar/vocal formats with graphical fretboard helps. Provide a Resource Page for each song detailing scripture and lectionary guidance. Add a music CD of recordings by the original artists.

What do you get?

Songs for Worship, vol. 1

Now sold worldwide on FOUR continents!

June 19, 2009 First Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

"The Lutheran Songs Today tour rolled into town with a boatload of amazing post-modern worship songs that blew us away. What is vital is that these are songs both theologically-sound and musically excellent-- beautiful, energetic songs in a variety of styles designed for congregations to sing with confidence. Eric has gathered the best [Lutheran] songwriters in the country, and we are overjoyed that Lutheran Songs Today introduced our worship musicians to them. A number of songs have made their way into our rotating contemporary worship repertoire. Thanks, Eric and crew!"
Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan
Director of Contemporary Worship
First Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

June 21, 2009 Grace Lutheran Church, Andover, Minnesota

"Grace Lutheran in Andover, [Minnesota] was very happy to host a great workshop/concert by the artists included in the compilation 'Lutheran Songs Today.' The music and the insights of the artists are wonderful, and the songbook/CD is a very valuable resource. My only question is, 'Why didn't someone think of this sooner?' Thanks Eric W!"

Scott Stivers

Director of Music

Grace Lutheran Church, Andover, Minnesota

June 30, 2009 at the Torrskogs Lutheran Church, Torrskogs, Sweden.

" En harlig kvall med bra och upplyftande musik. Jag tyckte mycket om det aven om jag inte forstod varenda ord. " -Gertrud Wallin (age 89) ("A great evening with exciting and uplifting music. I loved it even though I did not understand every word.")

"In Torrskog, Sweden, on June 29th, Warwick, Rhode Island resident Kajsa Teitelbaum offered a concert featuring music [gathered] by Eric Wefald. Pieces during the concert came from Eric's latest publication, 'Lutheran Songs Today,' including All are Welcome, Glory in the Highest, and Abba, I belong to You. Though all music was performed with the original English text, reception was positive among the Swedish audience, and expectations for future performances are high." – Ben Teitelbaum, Graduate Student in Brown University's Ethnomusicology Program. He has completed auxiliary studies with the Royal Conservatory of Music, Stockholm, and the Eric Sahlstrom Institute in Sweden.

The Christian Century says, (February 23, 2010);

"The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America [and Lutheran Church Missouri Synod] has its own music scene, with a wealth of artists in many styles. This 16 track disc features several of the most prominent, including vocalist Peder Eide (with Bob Stromberg on the gentle "Abba, I Belong to You"); Jonathan Rundman (getting grungy on "Hey Hey Samuel"); and Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (poppy and perky on "God's Love Endures Forever"). The first of five discs in a series, this collection is well suited for youth-group gatherings and upbeat retreat worship."

Why “Lutheran” music? Isn’t other Christian music worthy of being sung in worship?

Throughout our history, Lutherans have drawn upon worship music from a variety of sources. In leading alternative/contemporary worship, I and many others have done the same, looking to multiple sources. We have found worthy songs from sources and genres such as Gospel, Catholic, Taizé, Maranatha, Vineyard, Integrity, WOW, Paul Baloche, Rich Mullins, Chris Tomlin, Tim Hughes, Brian Doerksen, Hillsongs, Mexican, African and South American music, etc., in addition to reworking old hymnal and country favorites.

But parsing through each song’s lyrics and tune takes time and effort. Examining each song’s suitability to a particular Sunday or season takes time and effort. Not all lyrics work in a Lutheran setting. Not all tunes are easily sung by Lutheran congregations.

Songs for Worship, vol. 1, provides a Lutheran dish at the feast of all Christian worship music. Worship songs by Lutheran singer-songwriters and bands, with a worship planner’s resource guide that is lectionary based, is what Lutherans can bring to the potluck dinner table of great worship music to our Lord God. It’s time to say grace, give thanks, and join the feast. This is most certainly true.

Song Contest - Your song could be included in the next volume of Songs For Worship! For details, and to enter, go to www.LutheranSongsToday.com and click the "Song Contest" tab. Right now judges are reviewing the submissions of worship songs for Volume 2. An announcement of a winner is coming soon!