Come, Let Us Worship the Lord

Published: March 06, 2023

One body, one voice, one stirring invitation

For 12 days this summer, the wonders of the Emerald Isle found a place in the hearts of Greenville College Choir members who sang their way through coastal vistas and historic cityscapes in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

More than 30 students performed in Belfast, Derry, Galway, Killarney, Kilkenny and Dublin. Their program, “Be Thou My Vision: Irish and American Reflections,” drew inspiration from a prayer bearing St. Patrick’s name. The program included Irish, British and American works. 

Brian Hartley ’79, professor of religion and dean of the School of the Liberal Arts and Sciences, was among the alumni, faculty, staff and friends who accompanied the choir. He recalled audiences moved to tears by the beauty of the music and passion of the choristers. “Several [listeners] mentioned how they experienced the presence of Christ in the performance,” he said.

The tour marked Hartley’s third international trip with the choir. His insights supplemented the students’ sightseeing experiences with historical, cultural and theological context.

For example, when they visited a church that Cromwell’s troops defaced during the religious conflict of the mid-seventeenth century, he explained the complicated history of Protestant and Catholic tensions. He also described the significant contributions of Ireland’s medieval monasteries. “We were privileged to sing the benediction in the remains of a seventh-century monastic church,” Hartley said. “It was one of those moments where the present and the past came rather powerfully together.” 

Sacred music has always supported spiritual formation. It helps believers to experience Christ within and enriches the central acts of Christian worship