In a Servant's Heart: Choral Instrumental Pak
By Joel Raney
Item: 35-PK00407649
$40.00
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| Product | Price | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| In a Servant's Heart - Handbells: Choral Instrumental Pak | $7.00 |
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Description
A portrait of humble and faithful service is presented in this pleasing ballad. Melodically satisfying, the sweeping chorus climbs to impressive heights, carrying with it the core values to be faithful and true, patient and understanding, seeking wisdom, knowledge and truth. As if mirroring the message of a contrite heart, the anthem ends quiescently, enabling seamless worship flow. Accompany with piano, or add a handbell choir, for a truly unique offering. A teachable moment for the soul!
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Additional Details
Publisher:
Hal Leonard
SKU:
35-PK00407649
More about this title
About the Composer: Joel Raney
Joel Raney's musical foundation was laid early; piano and reading became simultaneous languages in his childhood. The gospel traditions of a rural Alabama Baptist church shaped his compositional voice permanently, a lineage that remains audible in every piece he writes.
With degrees in choral conducting from the University of North Alabama and piano performance from Juilliard, Raney has authored over 300 published works since 1999, serving as Editor at Hope Publishing. His output spans choral anthems, musicals, cantatas, handbell scores, and instrumental works that consistently top sales charts. Beyond the church, he has composed for Broadway tours, theater productions in Chicago and Los Angeles, and over 2000 television and radio commercials. He performs nationally as a solo pianist and in duo-concert with organist Jane Holstein, and maintains active roles as a choral clinician and Minister of Music at First Baptist Church of Oak Park, Illinois.
Why we love this
Raney understands the acoustic and spiritual demands of church music in a way that shows in every structural choice. The arc from humble opening to climactic chorus to quiet resolution gives your congregation a complete emotional journey without sentimentality, and the flexibility to accompany with piano alone or add handbells means the piece works whether your resources are modest or abundant.
What to expect
The piece mirrors the text's spiritual humility by letting the melody breathe openly before building toward conviction and clarity. That final quiet moment feels less like an ending and more like a gentle return to stillness, creating space for reflection rather than applause.
Who it's for
Worship directors and church musicians seeking repertoire that moves congregations without demanding virtuosic forces. This works equally well in traditional services, contemporary settings, or special music moments during stewardship campaigns or service themes focused on discipleship.
How to get the most out of it
- Shape the chorus's sweep toward its apex deliberately; resist rushing the climb so the "impressive heights" land with earned significance rather than breathlessness.
- If using handbells, balance their clarity against the vocal texture so they enhance rather than compete; lighter doublings of the melody often achieve more than full harmonic coverage.
- The quiescent ending requires genuine patience from your singers. Practice the final phrase with space between words to avoid a compressed, hurried close.
- Emphasize the textual progression from "faithful and true" through "patient and understanding" to "seeking wisdom" so the lyrics build intellectually alongside the musical arc.
How to use it
Program this when you need a thematic anchor for a service exploring servant leadership or faithful witness. It pairs naturally alongside Scripture readings about humility or institutional anthems about church mission, and its moderate length makes it valuable for services where a single, substantive anthem serves the entire musical focus.
Skills your students will build
- Sustained phrase singing across extended melodic lines
- Dynamic control from pianissimo to forte within a single musical idea
- Expressive text interpretation tied to theological content
- Balance between independent voice parts and unified harmonic blend
- Pacing and restraint in climactic moments