Songwriting And Local Honey

We have started to do some songwriting here at Velocity.  So far we have introduced two songs, “You Are Our Rescue”, and “Hallelujah (Your Love Sets Us Free)”.  I wanted to take some time today to explain why we are writing songs.

Why Write Songs?

I have written songs since I began playing guitar.  It is incredibly therapeutic, a way to draw out passions that are woven together into melodies and notes.
But what is happening here, in Velocity, is a little different than simply writing fun and (hopefully) catchy songs. We are writing these songs for those who make up Velocity. We have Velocity on our minds when we write and arrange the songs.  We are not writing songs to be played on the radio, or at another church.  We are writing songs for to be sung with our church family.

Eventually we want to release a small CD of songs we have written.  Again- not so that we can send them off to labels or other churches- but so that we, as a Body, can worship together wherever we are.

What Does Honey Have To Do With Songs?

I was told be a worship leader in Beaufort that writing songs for the local church is alot like eating local honey.  You see, honey contains pollen from the area it is harvested from, which can help your body fight allergies like a vaccine would!
I am fortunate enough to not have allergies here in Greenville.  But when my wife and I lived in Beaufort I had spring time allergies.  They were miserable. I wasn’t used to the pollen there, the things that triggered my allergies were different there than they were here.

The songs we write here at Velocity might not work at a church in New York.  The songs we write here might not even work at the church down the street, or next door.  And that’s okay.  The spiritual maturity, spiritual growth, demographic, and general taste can differ so much.  The things that make up our songs, like local honey- are for the local church.

 

What Does That Have To Do With Me?

As we sing these new songs- we are not singing these because we just wanted something new, or because we think we are the world’s best songwriters and musicians.  I am far from that!  But we want some of that local honey- those songs that relate to us as a church body.  Songs that are specifically written for us.

“Hallelujah” has a very country, bluegrass tone- because that style is very widely appreciated here. I have written songs with specific people on my mind that I know could use encouragement, or building up. Or there will be songs written as a cry to God with someone who is going through something on my mind.

Like local honey- let the songs of the local church build you up spiritually to help you where you are.