The Song
Two years ago, we decided to record a bluegrass Christmas album. As we finished up the project, I wrote a Christmas song that was a very different approach for me. It felt more like a country song than anything else I had ever written.
The concept of the song was my attempt to deal with the lack of peace in our world when Jesus’ incarnation was supposed to have already provided that. Simple observational skills tell us that this world is in serious need of peace. Where is the peace on earth that Jesus promised?
A few days before the first time we ever sang that song at church, we learned the tragic news of the Sandy Hook shooting. With outside images of the school on the screen, we sang that song to our church, and the message really stuck with our congregation. Out of all the things I have ever worked on, I have received more encouraging words concerning this song than any others.
New Recording
Since it was a last minute effort to put the song on the project, I always wanted to do a full band recording of the song. Last Wednesday, I put together a small team to record the song and also work on some recording practices as we gear up for our next project.
In the end, the song came together in a simple yet beautiful way. Tracey’s vocal was made to sing this song. You believe every word that she is singing. Ted and Peggy add such sincerity and grace as they backup her vocals. John’s electric guitar parts add the right amount of twang to it. Ted’s drums provide just the right feel.
Recording the new edition of the song was twofold in purpose: 1) an experimentation in recording for our group, and 2) to have a fuller band sound for a song that has meant a lot to our church.
Lyrics
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
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