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"Satisfied"
Evensong Rising
All my life I had panted for a drink from some cool spring, that I
hoped would quench the burning of the thirst I felt within.
Feeding on the husks around me till my strength was almost gone,
longed my souls for something better,
only still to hunger on.
Hallelujah! I have found Him, whom my soul has craved! Jesus satisfies
all my longings; through His blood I’m saved.
Poor I was, and sought for riches, something that would satisfy. But
the dust I gathered around me, only mocked my soul’s sad cry.
At the cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light, and the
burden of my heart rolled away, rolled away. It was there by faith, I
received my sight. And now I’m satisfied all the day… all the days…
Well of water ever spring, bread of life so rich and free. Untold
wealth that never faileth, my Redeemer is to me.
Cover Letter
I am intrigued. I am moved. I am interested in knowing more. Today
I spent about an hour with Chris Sorensen, the lead singer and
songwriter for the worship band Evensong Rising. I’m not even sure
where to start in introducing you to this band and their debut single,
“Satisfied.” I think I’ll start with the song because through it
you’ll catch a glimpse at the ministry, mission and worship philosophy
for Evensong Rising. “Satisfied” is a new song that is contemporary in its music and
presentation but its lyrics date back over 130 years. The song starts
off with the lyrics from the hymn “Satisfied” (first published in
1875). You’ll probably recognize the lyrics but the melody is all new.
Then, just as you’re enjoying this cool new take on a classic hymn,
Evensong Rising takes you in a wonderful fresh direction by using the
chorus from the hymn “At the Cross” (circa 1905) as the song’s bridge.
Then it’s back to the chorus of “Satisfied.” The song is very
satisfying indeed and is a wonderful example of the “ancient/future”
worship that characterizes the music and ministry of Evensong Rising. So what is “ancient/future” worship? I hadn’t heard the term until my
conversation with Chris Sorensen today. By the way, Chris is not only
a part of Evensong Rising, he is also the Senior Associate Pastor at
Stanwich Congregational Church in Greenwich, Connecticut. A church
that predates the American War of Independence and is now over 275
years old, Stanwich has become ground zero for a worship revolution
where the ancient and future coalesce, ushered in by the music and
ministry of Evensong Rising. With a deep and abiding respect for the
heritage of the early church, the group fuses the energy and passion
of diverse contemporary influences with revered, time-honored hymns of
the ancient church. The result is an atmosphere that invites
worshipers to step outside the here-and-now and encounter the God who
inhabits not only today, but yesterday and tomorrow. If this whole idea of “ancient/future” worship has caught your
attention, make sure and check out the attached biography for Evensong
Rising! We’ll also be sharing more about this new worship revolution
in the weeks to come through an upcoming Creative Promotions’ Weekly
Podcast with Chris Sorenen. You’ll also want to check out the group’s
interview segments that we’ll be putting online in the next couple of
weeks.
Right now, listen to “Satisfied.” I think you’ll be as moved as I was
the first time I heard it. And if the reaction to Evensong Rising’s
music on the East Coast is any indication, your listeners are going to
quickly connect with this song as well. We’re going for your add THIS
FRIDAY, August 15! Top
Biography
Ahwiyah Records, in partnership with Infinity U, has announced the
September 9, 2008 release of
worship band Evensong Rising’s self-titled national debut album,
produced by GRAMMY and Dove
Award nominated producer Brian Hardin (FFH, Manic Drive, Vicki Yohe).
Merging diverse modern
musical expression with hauntingly beautiful lyrics of faith from
centuries past, Evensong Rising delivers
a dichotomous yet unified ancient/future worship record. Stirring
something deep inside the listener’s
soul, the album connects post-modern worshipers to the vast procession
of worshipers who have gone
before them over the past 2,000 years.
Evensong Rising’s story began in 2002, when Rev. Chris Sorensen and a
group from one of the nation’s
oldest and most historical churches, the Greenwich, Connecticut-based
Stanwich Congregational Church,
got together to re-think what church and worship could be. A church
that predates the American War of
Independence and is now over 275 years old, Stanwich has become ground
zero for a worship revolution
where the ancient and future coalesce, ushered in by the music and
ministry of Evensong Rising.
“What we found is that the answer for post-modern culture is
pre-modern worship,” says Sorensen. “The
post-modern seeker wants a church that looks, acts and sounds like a
church rather than an imitation of
the world. Our church service and music place an emphasis on following
the ancient liturgy as a method
of bringing worshipers into the presence of God. This liturgy is
something the church used for 1,800
years, and it was thrown out by many denominations with the rise of
the Industrial Revolution. There is a
hunger among post-modern seekers for something authentic, relevant and
with ancient authority to help
govern their lives, which is what we want to share with them.”
With a deep and abiding respect for the heritage of the early church,
Evensong Rising fuses the energy
and passion of diverse contemporary influences with revered,
time-honored hymns of the ancient church.
The result is an atmosphere that invites worshipers to step outside
the here-and-now and encounter the
God who inhabits not only today, but yesterday and tomorrow.
Diversity is intrinsic to Evensong Rising. “The music is a melting pot
of sounds from rock to bluegrass to
reggae to jazz to soul and then back to rock again,” Sorensen says.
The diversity of the music reflects the
members of the band as well. Sorensen explains, “When you have three
Jamaicans, a Celtic violinist, a
rock drummer, a pop guitarist and a lead singer from the south,
together playing the music that they love,
Evensong Rising is what you get.”
To be more specific, what you get is New York jazz notable Garnet
Walters (keys), former touring
member of Atlantic Star, Jason Foster (bass), and gospel vocalist
Satoya Walters Foster, along with Celtic
violinist Anna Leinbach, New York session drummer Tim Newton, who has
recorded and toured with
Duncan Sheik, lead guitarist Wes Roberts, and singer-songwriter Chris
Sorensen – he’s the one from the
south. Drawing comparisons to Dave Matthews Band, Peter Gabriel, The
Neville Brothers, and Edwin
McCain; Evensong Rising mixes world music, soul, singer-songwriter and
rock into an eclectic amalgam
that defies classification.
Sorensen’s personal journey has also had a strong effect on the music
and ministry of Evensong Rising. A
former drug addict, he was once the lead singer of Brown Root Seed
Company, a popular band in the
vibrant southeastern college rock scene of the 90s, playing the same
tour circuit as Dave Matthews Band,
Hootie and the Blowfish and Edwin McCain. Though offered a major label
deal, Sorensen, a new
Christian at the time, felt God’s call to the ministry instead. He
went on to earn a Master of Divinity
degree from Alliance Theological Seminary and became a popular
speaker/singer for Young Life before
taking his current position as Senior Associate Pastor at Stanwich
Congregational Church.
Even though Evensong Rising is blurring the lines around worship music
as we know it, they are about
much more than just music. “We founded our own non-for-profit called
The Rising Group,” says
Sorensen. “The steadfast goal of The Rising Group is to bring about
spiritual awakening and humanitarian
activism.” Since then, the band has been doing “Rising Events” all
over the northeast, raising thousands
of dollars that go directly to the band’s Rise Up! outreach programs
to aid impoverished people around
the world. Armed with a purpose and a cause that eclipses musical
aspiration, they are passionate about
sharing their mission with a wider audience.
Evensong Rising’s self-titled album will be available on Ahwiyah
Records, in partnership with Infinity U,
and distributed by TAG Artist Group. For more information on Evensong
Rising and their new album,
visit www.evensongrising.com.
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