A New Name & We Are the Church

Alina Chernova, Lydia Ganchenko, Michelle Gillespie, Galina Leshchinskiy, Natalia and Vladislav Pavliuc, Alina Shanigan, and Anatolii Yakovenko, vocals; Angela Leshchinskiy, piano; Joel Stamoolis, cello; Brian Jensen, guitar

Our first song is in a minor key and is grounded in our Gospel hope. The phrase “He gave us a new name: we’re called Christians” takes on new significance when we remember that this song was written during a period of repression when many were imprisoned or gave their lives for identifying with Christ. The second song, written a generation later, reflects increasing religious freedom and speaks of the joy we share in the fellowship of believers. It honors God as King, Father, Savior, and Guide. Our group sings these songs to celebrate our unity in Christ, though we have different languages and heritages (America, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine). Let us rejoice in the beautiful Gospel that unites us all!