After those of us in the Song Selection team arrived at the 15 songs which are now the “Vamos Juntos” collection, I took on the task of making a simple recording. Anne Marie and Simon recorded piano parts first, and right away unexpected approaches to the songs appeared. Given a bit of space and encouragement, the instruments and voices found new ways of bringing the songs to life – and maybe new ways of being brought to life by the songs. The recording changed from simple introduction to creative exploration.

As you listen to these recordings, keep in mind that they are not maps of how to sing the songs, and they aren’t finished versions (we are still working on translations for several of them). As such, it’s fine if you like some of them and dislike others. They neither capture the beautiful blend of first service singing, nor the band energy and vocal intimacy of the second. They are not meant to replace what we do or have done. They are meant to surprise us a bit and make us smile.

The recordings are a curious conglomeration of voices and styles, with moments of beauty and strength and evidence of vulnerability and imperfection. They reflect a bit of who we are, hinting at our gifts and struggles, and, hopefully, they welcome us into another season of singing, full of both discovery and recovery. Vamos juntos!