Church of the Cross Albums

Behind the Album: “The Resurrection of All Things Has Already Begun”

From Tyler Stitt, Assistant Worship Director

In early spring (right now, as I’m writing this!) we see new things blooming to life through the dead and withered things that winter has left behind. We slowly become attuned to the new colors, scents, and sounds of spring, even while it is still unfolding. The first fruits remind us that everything is springing to life, and reorient us to live into that reality.

Theologian N.T. Wright said:

“[The resurrection] is the decisive event demonstrating that God's kingdom really has been launched on earth as it is in heaven.”

The resurrection is not only something that happened to Jesus a long time ago and something that will happen to us some day in the future. Jesus’ resurrection is the very basis and grounds of our own resurrection—we are already part of his new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). And now, as a people marked by resurrection, we have been given a new way to see and move redemptively in this hurting, beloved world.

“All things” includes the very reality of our complex lives. Easter is not a dismissal of the suffering of the cross, nor the sufferings of our own lives. Instead, the joy of Easter is that Christ is redemptively present with us in precisely these places. The seeds of new creation have already been planted.

I hope this project can accompany your celebration of Eastertide. May it remind us that the basis of our hope is not in triumphalism or sentimentality, but in the cross. Christ, the holy victim, has by his resurrection overcome the sins and sorrows of our lives, even as we wait for all things to be finally and completely restored.

A huge thanks to the many musicians and artists who shared their gifts with us on this project:

Jack Bascom – cello
Lily Jacobs – vocals
Dave Jenkins – nylon guitar
Adam Murray – electric guitar
David Ochs – fiddle
Andene O’Neil – vocals, piano
Sean O’Neil – mandolin
Paula Pierre – vocals
Tyler Stitt – vocals, guitar, bass, mandolin, production

Andrew Horning – mixing
Chris Bethea – mastering
Britta Scanlon – artwork

“Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven”
Henry Francis Lyte, music by Andene O’Neil

“Lift Your Voice, Rejoicing, Mary”
12th cent. Latin, trans. Elizabeth Rundle Charles, music by Matthew Jacobs, Sean O’Neil, and Tyler Stitt

“God of My Barren Years”
Tyler Stitt

“At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing”
4th century Latin, trans. Robert Cambell, music by Andene O’Neil, Lily Jacobs, and Dave Jenkins

Throughout 2024, the Church of the Cross music team was quietly working on a big project: our very first record. We’re grateful to have released this project as a gift both by the church, for the church, and with the intention of adding to the beauty of the Kingdom of God. The album is appropriately titled In the Cross of Christ I Glory. 

3 Ways to Support “In The Cross of Christ I Glory”

We released this album as a gift for anyone to listen to freely. However, if you want to own the album digitally or support the creative work behind making the album, you’re welcome to do that below.

1. Listen Now

Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

The album is freely available to stream on all major music platforms.

2. Buy the Album

Bandcamp

You can buy and download the album to listen to it digitally. (We don’t have any physical CDs available because making them would cost us a lot extra.)

3. Support the Project

Give online

Again, this album is meant as a gift to our Church and anyone else who finds it and loves it. However, there are significant costs involved in producing an album. If you would like to donate to help offset those costs, you can, of course, buy the album digitally (see above); you can also donate separately using the link/button provided. (Make sure to select "Give to 20th Anniversary Album Project.")

The Story Behind “In The Cross of Christ I Glory”

From Andene O’Neil, Pastor of Worship Arts & Communications Director

“The idea of recording an album has been percolating in my head for quite a long time. Over the years, people have asked me about it, of course. On the one hand, I was very interested; we have a gifted musical community and talented songwriters. I knew what a gift it would be to our congregation to have recorded versions of some of our music. On the other hand, I was adamantly opposed for one very important reason: I (Andene) have no experience or ability in recording or producing an album. Still, I held the idea prayerfully, wondering if maybe by our 20th anniversary, there would be a way forward.

Well, thanks be to God, a way forward has presented itself! I should say - himself. When we hired the wonderful Tyler Stitt as our Assistant Worship Director (over 18 months ago), I learned that he had experience and ability in the realm of recording and producing music. (Cue my excitement!) Tyler was gracious enough to let me share this hope with him, though at the outset of the project, he was still getting to know our community. Tyler’s gifting in this area was so apparent to me that I gave him the entire album project to execute. He was the “director” of the album—functioning as the recording engineer and the primary producer. As I’ve listened to the tracks along the way, especially in our last push for edits and adjustments, I’ve been amazed by how skillfully he’s captured the heart and spirit of our church family’s music. 

Tyler would also be the first to mention that the album was a huge GROUP project. This album is the result of the orchestration of the Holy Spirit and the generous outpouring of many people's gifts. Every musician heard on it is either a current a recent musician of Church of the Cross. Almost every song has been written from within our musical community. The final track is one of our favorite hymns sung by almost every member of our music team! 

As Tyler and I were working on album things this week, I had to stop and reflect— I’m deeply proud of this work. The songs are good and beautiful and true, and I’m so eager to share them with you all! (And we are so thankful for the amazing artwork created for us by Britta Scanlon.)”