Composed By: Carolyn Jennings
Voicing: SATB w/ Piano or Organ & Treble Instrument
Season: General, Justice, Mission & Service
To Delores Dufner's fine mission text, this new musical setting lends expressive fervor, together with the lyricism of a treble instrument. Following the third stanza, which has a different melody, the fourth stanza lifts up the church's resounding Alleluias, in acceptance of this mission to be Christ's presence in the world.
Composer Commentary:
"Our Mission Bold and Blest" was commissioned by Zion Lutheran Church, Muscatine, Iowa, in celebration of its 125th anniversary. Reflecting the congregation's anniversary theme of service, the selected text was chosen by the commissioning committee from several I had suggested. The original treble instrument was violin, as requested. Flute, oboe, or clarinet would also be effective, and separate parts are included for either C or B-flat instrument. For the title I chose to include two significant words: "bold" (from stanza 2) and "blest" (from stanza 3), which together capture the essence of this mission text.