It was a vision that the Principal, Mr. Paul Fua, and Mr. Vaughan Jones had, that TVAC (Tweed Valley Adventist College) would have a recording studio to spread the story of Jesus through music. With the generosity of Andrew Thompson, Yvan Vitry, and God’s gracious hand, a recording studio came to TVAC in 2019. We have used the studio by creating music, audio for plays, books, messages and sermons, and God has richly blessed through it. With our first big project being a hymn album, we have dedicated this album to the working of the gospel. Choosing students and staff whom God has gifted with amazing musical talent to feature as soloists on some of the greatest hymns that have ever been written, we hope that you not only enjoy the music, but that it can bring you closer to Jesus. “Lift Hymn Up”, that is what we are doing through this album, because He deserves all the glory.
By purchasing a CD, not only will you get your hands (and ears) onto this great album, but you will be supporting the music program at Tweed Valley Adventist College so that more music can be produced in the future.
Lift Hymn Up
“I was studying Matthew chapter 24 and I was particularly interested in verse 14. One thing that I couldn’t shake was the phrase, “as a witness”. Every sermon and Bible study that I have listened to, did not address the phrase “as a witness”, and I wanted to know what it meant. Through my study, I found that it wasn’t only about preaching, but witnessing. The gospel will be seen in the lives of His people, and Christ’s character will be fully manifested to the world, then the end will come. It was through this personal study that I was led to write a song using these words. It’s a prayer that I have for every Christian that they would allow God to use them as witnesses to the gospel, so that we can go home.”
Artist: David Williams
Soloist: Noah Herrington
Instrumental and Vocal Arrangement: David Williams
Mixing and Mastering: Rhys Zacher
Audio Production: Shanna Duke & David Williams
Even though he had a poor education in both high school and college, Thomas became a high school teacher at the age of 16. Later, he became an ordained pastor, but due to his health, he had to leave the ministry. During this time, Thomas became a lover of poetry and wrote a vast number of poems. He then sent a collection of them to William Runyan, who was a good musician. William was so impressed by the depth and meaning of the words in the poem “Great is Thy Faithfulness”, that he prayed earnestly that his tune may carry its message in a worthy way. Lamentations 3:22-23 was Thomas’ favourite verse and is what the hymn is based on.
Artist: Thomas Chisholm
Soloist: Paul Fua
Instrumental and Vocal Arrangement: David Williams
Mixing and Mastering: Rhys Zacher
Audio Production: Shanna Duke & David Williams
Reginald lived in England, and because of the vast practice of idolatry around him, too often he was impressed to pen the words “Only Thou Art Holy”. He then wrote the words to “Holy Holy Holy” while serving as a vicar of Hodnet in Shropshire. He desired to celebrate a triune God and he based the words of the hymn from Revelation 4:8, “The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”. John Dykes then composed the tune “Nicea” to match the words, and it was at the council of Nicea, that the doctrine of the trinity was upheld.
Artist: Reginald Heber
Soloist: Max Grolimund
Instrumental and Vocal Arrangement: David Williams
Mixing and Mastering: Rhys Zacher
Audio Production: Shanna Duke & David Williams
Horatio was a lawyer and businessman in Chicago with a wife and five children. His family boarded on a boat to Europe, but he had to stay home in Chicago to solve an unexpected business problem, and to leave a few days later. Four days into the journey, the vessel collided with a Scottish ship and it went underwater, along with 226 passengers, including his children. A sailor spotted his wife floating on a piece of the wreckage still alive and pulled her into the boat. She landed in Wales and wrote Horatio a letter saying, “Saved alone”. Horatio booked the next available ship. The captain told him they were over the place where his children went down, and that was when he penned the words, “It is well with my soul”.
Artist: Horatio G. Spafford
Vocals: Tweed Valley Adventist College Choir
Instrumental and Vocal Arrangement: Paul Fua
Mixing and Mastering: Rhys Zacher
Audio Production: Paul Fua
Frances was a thorough Bible student. She was able to recite the book of Psalms, Isaiah, and most of the New Testament. She also learned Hebrew, where she took note of the word shekinah. In this hymn, shekinah becomes an illustration of the abiding of Christ in us. Upon arranging this Hymn, Johanna writes “Each verse touches on a different aspect of total submission and in arranging this song, I wanted to add a chorus which summarised this idea of being a vessel in which God can live and breathe to use for His purpose, to show the world His good character of love. I pray that as this song is heard, people will be able to echo the desire to have Christ live and breathe in them for His glory.”
Artist: Frances R. Havergal/Johanna McKay
Soloist: Johanna McKay
Instrumental Arrangement: Johanna McKay & Paul Fua
Vocal Arrangement: David Williams
Mixing and Mastering: Rhys Zacher
Audio Production: Shanna Duke & David Williams
Samuel was born in Chestnut, London, in 1834. It was here that he developed a deep love for poetry and music. He had been a cultural Christian for most of his teenage years, until he experienced the love of Jesus for himself. Through the feeling of misery and loneliness, he contemplated ending his life by jumping off a bridge. Whilst on the bridge a voice said, “Jump and end the misery”. Another voice said, “Do you believe in Jesus?”, Samuel replied, “Yes!”. This event greatly impressed him, and it was here, where his journey began, to make Jesus his personal friend. He then penned the beautiful and well-known words, “O the deep deep love of Jesus”.
Artist: Samuel Trevor Francis
Soloists: Nela Breski, Sarah Tucker & Lili Grace
Instrumental and Vocal Arrangement: David Williams
Mixing and Mastering: Rhys Zacher
Audio Production: Shanna Duke & David Williams
It was on Memorial Day, that Andrae made a promise to God, that if God gave him a song, he would serve Him forever. Andrae went over to the piano and started playing and sung along to it. He started singing “O, the blood that Jesus shed for me”. People came inside to hear the music, only to cry to the beauty of the song. Andrae was 14 years old.
Lowry desired to be known more as a preacher than as a hymn writer, stating “I would rather preach a gospel sermon to an appreciative, receptive congregation than write a hymn”. “Nothing but the blood of Jesus” was first publicly presented at a camp meeting in Ocean Grove, and is based on Hebrews 9:22.
“There is power in the blood” was produced while Jones was attending a camp meeting at Mountain Lake Park, MD. He was passionate about the YMCA work which he did, serving first as physical director, and then as general secretary.
Artist: Andrae Crouch/Robert Lowery/Lewis Edgar Jones
Soloists: Tizita Katsoufros & Aisha Chacon
Instrumental and Vocal Arrangement: David Williams
Mixing and Mastering: Rhys Zacher
Audio Production: Shanna Duke & David Williams