March 4, 2026
Happy Wednesday, everyone! It’s feeling more and more like Spring outside, and I am sooo ready! Pollen aside, I am looking forward to green grass and new flowers, to warm temperatures and bringing my houseplants out to the porch for the season, to short sleeved shirts and windows left open, and the sounds of little frogs singing down in the creek. These are a few of my favorite things….
Lent has begun and many of us are counting down to Holy Week and the annual commemoration of the events of Jesus’ last week of ministry before the Crucifixion. It is the whole focus of my Spring as a music/worship minister, because music is a huge part of Holy Week for me personally, and for our church. From the joyous celebration of Palm Sunday with the kids’ choir singing “Hosanna!” and waving palm branches, excited to be a part of the celebration (and also about the egg hunt and petting zoo after church!), to the somber, serious and even dark mood of this year’s Maundy Thursday selections to remember the Last Supper and Christ’s betrayal, and finally back to joy as we sing (twice!) the great Easter songs and hymns as a congregation that I have loved my whole life. It is an exhilarating, exhausting week that looms large on the calendar even now, at 25 days away.
Because I believe it is so important to the spiritual health of our church that we sing together, we will begin our preparation for Holy Week this week with a new song that I want us to sing with confidence and conviction on Easter Sunday. It is called It Was Finished Upon That Cross, by CityAlight Music, and it is powerful! The lyrics begin at the Cross when Jesus declares “It is finished,” and tell how the work of salvation for every soul ever created was finished right at that minute. It goes on to list some of the benefits we have as believers because Jesus finished everything at the Cross – hope, pardon, welcome, righteousness, freedom, love, life and ultimately, Heaven itself. I really think our church is going to love this song! It’s the kind of tune that sticks in the memory, and I can think of nothing better than to continue to cycle through everything that Jesus has done for us, all day long. Remember what Philippians 4:8-9 commands?
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence, or if anything worthy of praise, let your mind DWELL on these things… (emphasis mine).
This song is perfect for that type of Scriptural meditation. The lyrics are taken from Romans 4, Hebrews 10, Romans 8, 1 Corinthians 15 and Galatians 5; we could spend weeks studying and growing in our understanding of the amazing work that Jesus accomplished through His perfect life and His sacrificial death as written in those passages. All the wrongs of all the people who have ever walked this earth, or who ever will, covered completely and blotted out with His blood. Hallelujah, what a Savior!
I hope you’ll be in worship this week to learn the song with us and begin your preparation for Holy Week here at Salem. I’ll be looking for you!
Careen
Worship Songs for March 8:
Nothing But the Blood – CityAlight – https://youtu.be/RWTI2uBs2VQ?si=5cejrJLk4yqyv25N
Crown Him with Many Crowns – Keith & Kristyn Getty – https://youtu.be/uxezalzPrZc?si=la4IYHWpkbBsJIja
It was Finished Upon That Cross – CityAlight – https://youtu.be/PUGQNYm44hk?si=TkkLBRjRHK3nuIM5
Trust in God – Elevation Worship – https://youtu.be/iJE4yahElBQ?si=Xb9qfvaFqTZGCN0F