Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Composer David Haas

David Haas, Music for the Spirit and the People

Open a songbook, hymnal or missal at Christian worship today and you’ll find numerous listings under “Haas, David.” As a composer of everything from anthems, contemporary liturgy, prayers, calls to worship and heartfelt verses and chants, the Minnesota native has provided music for each season of the church year as well as for every age group of believers. It’s not surprising that his publisher states plainly that Haas “is highly regarded as one of the preeminent liturgical music composers in the English-speaking world.”

The Chancel Choir will offer Haas’s graceful plea for unity and spiritual healing, “Jesus, Be With Us Now,” as its anthem at 8:30 and 10:00 am worship Sunday, March 2, 2008. Soloists will be soprano Carol Davis and tenor Kevin Anderson. Good Shepherd Director of Music Peter Schmidt will conduct, accompanied by organist Charles Pugh.

The song is part of the collection “With You By My Side,” created by Haas especially for youth. The song’s text seeks the Savior’s love, understanding and acceptance, and asks that His people “live as strangers no more.” As the composer noted in his manuscript of the piece published in 1997, any worship event or celebration “focusing on themes of reconciliation, Christian unity or renewal would find a home for this song.”

Its quiet and graceful melody is perfect for reflection in this Lenten season.
The refrain states:
”We come before You with all we have,
the work of our hands.
Broken and poured out, sign for all the world.
We call to you Lord: Jesus, be with us now.”

This sense of spiritual calm that Haas injects in his music also can be found in another Chancel Choir favorite: ”Do Not Let Your Heart Be Troubled.” The Gospel lesson of its refrain is from Jesus Christ’s final words to His disciples at the Last Supper. Jesus assures them He will continue to act on their behalf through the Father, and that He is the way, the truth and the life. Characteristic of his melodic and very singable style, both of these Haas anthems could also be easily performed with simple guitar accompaniment.

As a minister of music, educator, writer and performer for more than 25 years, Haas has focused his efforts in making church music approachable and understandable. Commissioning him along with collaborator and Lutheran music scholar Marty Haugen to compose new settings for liturgy in the 1980s, the Catholic Church has made his music an integral part of worship in parishes around the world. Using the texts of centuries-old traditional worship and Bible lectionaries used by all Christian believers, the contemporary settings are sung and prayed in churches of many denominations, at youth gatherings and by nondenominational college ministries.

Whether voiced in a Catholic cathedral or Lutheran country church, Haas’ choral compositions echo our Christian truths: the divinity of Christ, the reality of the Resurrection, the grace received in the Sacraments, the wisdom of the Psalms and Gospel, and the duty of sharing our faith with compassion and justice. His songs and liturgies’ beauty and broad appeal have few rivals in contemporary hymnody.

This unity in the Gospel is evident in another favorite Haas hymn, inspired by the Beatitudes of Matthew 5: “Blest Are They” is found in the blue “With One Voice” hymnal, No. 764.

"So it is good for all of us who serve in the ministry of music to reflect on what an honor it is to lead the people of God in this most precious moment of praise," Haas wrote about his vocation in the January 2005 column “Sung Praise” published in the magazine Ministry and Liturgy. “As believers, when we find it impossible to find the words or the song to express the depth of our joy, we need look no further: Alleluia! Praise the Lord!”

Born in 1957 in Bridgeport, Michigan, David Haas studied vocal music, piano and conducting at Central Michigan University. He received his degree in music, performance, liturgy and theology at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. In addition to serving as music minister at parishes around Minnesota, his appointments of composer-in-residence have allowed him to devote time to choral work as well as the written word.

He has produced 45 original collections and recordings, was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1991, and actively tours as a performer and workshop leader in the United States, Canada, Caribbean, Europe and Middle East. A versatile writer and educator, Haas is the author of more than 15 books in the areas of liturgy, liturgical music, youth ministry, catechesis, prayer and spirituality.

Haas lives in Eagan, MN where he is director of the Emmaus Center for Music, Prayer and Ministry. He also is Campus Minister / Artist in Residence at Benilde-St. Margaret's High School in St. Louis Park, MN. He teaches in the theology and music departments. Along with composer Marty Haugen (see his artist's profile also at the GSLC website), Haas was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1995 from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.

His current activities include advocacy of the role of young people in church life and ministry. Haas will perform in our area on behalf of Music Ministry Alive on April 18, 2008 at the Baltimore campus of Loyola College of Maryland. Singer and Christian composer Lori True will share the bill. Proceeds from the concert will benefit a program for high school and college-age students who are involved and interested in the serving the Christian church as liturgical musicians and leaders. (For information, see http://www.loyola.edu/upcomingevents/08/cat/music.html)

--- Contributed by Penny Risen