For All The Saints (EP) – Fernando Ortega
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For All The Saints, a beautiful five song EP, is Fernando Ortega’s first new release in four years, following his 2020 Christmas EP Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming. The release is co-produced by Ortega and Matthew Tobias, and engineered and mixed by Russ Long.
About the new project, Ortega said “There are so many hymns that are not really sung anymore; they’re, by and large, just not known. So, I like bringing those hymns back. These hymns also bind us together in a transcendent way with generations of Christians who have gone before us.”
Below are a few brief comments about each song:

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

• More of this review
• Music News
• Song of the Week Lyrics ~ Christus Victor (Amen) by Keith & Kristyn Getty and Cochren & Co.

Gloria – This traditional song, sometimes known as “Gloria Patri”, was also included on Ortega’s 2020 Christmas EP Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming. The song features piano, bass, soft backing vocals, guitar, and drums.

Jesus, Bread Of Life – This communion song was written by Ortega and Audrey Assad. The song features, piano, drums, bass, and backing vocals.
Key lyric:
O, Lord, come fill us with your love
This table laid for us
There is more than enough
Jesus, bread of life

Let The Peace Of Christ Rule In Your Hearts – This joyful song, based on Colossians 3:15-17, features piano, drums, bass, and backing vocals.
Key lyric:
Everything you do in word or in deed
Do it all in the name of the Lord
Giving thanks through Christ to God the Father

How Can I Keep From Singing – The song features strings, piano, and backing vocals.
Key lyric:
No storm can shake my inmost calm
while to that Rock I’m clinging.
Since Love is lord of heav’n and earth,
how can I keep from singing?

For All The Saints – About this song, Ortega has said “I remember hearing the song for the first time in an Anglican church in Boston where Elisabeth Elliot used to attend. The text was so moving. Later on, I heard N.T. Wright talking about hymns, and he cited the song as one of the most complete theological thoughts. So much of the Christian theology is contained in this hymn. I’ve always wanted to record it.” The song was written by William Walsham How and Ralph Vaughan Williams, features piano, drums, backing vocals, guitar, and bass.
Key lyric:
For all the saints who from their labors rest,
Who you by faith before the world confessed,
Your name, O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

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• Happiness.  Here is the lyric video for “Happiness” by U2 from their How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb album.
• Darkest Places. Here is “Darkest Places” performed by Amos Lee at Red Rocks.
• New Getty Song Rivals “In Christ Alone”. Trevin Wax writes “What makes “Christus Victor (Amen)” remarkable is its unique blend of melody and biblically rich lyrics, focused on Jesus’s triumph (the “Christus Victor” theme), while emphasizing his substitutionary atonement as the means of that triumph.”
• How an Australian Church Is Changing Christian Songwriting. On this episode of the TGC Recorded podcast, Sarah Eeekhoff Zylstra tells us about a church in Australia that is producing songs through CityAlight that are being sung in churches around the world.

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Christus Victor (Amen) by Keith & Kristyn Getty and Cochren & Co.
This week’s song of the week is “Christus Victor (Amen)” by Keith & Kristyn Getty and Cochren & Co. The song was written by Matt Boswell, Bryan Fowler, Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, and Matt Papa, and was recorded at the 2024 Sing! Getty Worship Music Conference in Nashville. Watch the performance of the song here.

Verse 1
O Most High, King of the ages
Great I AM, God of wonders
By the blood You have redeemed us
Led us through mighty waters
Our strength, our song, our sure salvation
Chorus 1
Now to the Lamb upon the throne
Be blessing, honor, glory, power
For the battle You have won
Hallelujah! Amen
Verse 2
O Most High, dwelling among us
Son of man sent for sinners
By Your blood You have redeemed us
Spotless Lamb, mighty Savior
Who lived, who died, who rose victorious
Chorus 2, 3
Now to the Lamb upon the throne
Be blessing, honor, glory, power
For the battle You have won
Hallelujah! Amen
With every tribe and every tongue
We join the anthem of the angels
In the triumph of the Son
Hallelujah! Amen
Last Chorus Tag
Sing the victory of the Lamb
Hallelujah! Amen
Verse 3
O Most High, King of the nations
Robed in praise, crowned with splendor
On that day who will not tremble?
When You stand Christ the Victor
Who was, and is, and is forever
Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen, amen