70×7 Captain’s Log

It seems that over the past couple of years, a lot of our songwriting has been motivated by “holes” in our overall song repertoire.  Sometimes I have a difficult time finding just the right song to fit the situation.  Since the majority of our recent performances have taken place in the worship setting, its only natural that we are constantly seeking songs that serve “liturgical purposes.”  One area of the worship for which I have always had some difficulty in finding good material is the Lord’s Supper.  There just aren’t enough good communion songs around, and most of the time, I end up choosing material for the Lord’s supper that is more related to the sermon topic than to the subject of the bread and the wine, even though it is my personal belief that the communion is the most powerful moment in worship.  Indeed, I have sung “This Is His Body,” a song written by former 70×7 guitarist Ron Baling, at least a couple hundred times.  It’s a communion song that “has it all.”  The only other song that even compares on the quality of the lyrical content is “One Bread, One Body,” which I have sung nearly as many times.  Finally, I decided to write a communion song of my own, and I got a little help from my son in the process.

Somewhere along the line, the word that struck me as being the most important during the celebration of the Eucharist is “remembrance.”  Jesus said, “do this in remembrance of me.”  So when I set out to write a new communion song, the word “remember” was foremost in my thinking.  That’s how “We’ll Always Remember” came to be written.  It’s up to us, Christ’s faithful followers, to remember what Jesus did for us, and the Lord’s Supper should be a weekly reminder to us just how far He was willing to go to save us from sin.  I don’t think I shall ever be content to sing a song during the communion that doesn’t speak to the great sacrifice that Christ made on our behalf.  So here is the first of what I hope shall be several songs written by B.J. and Bo Collins with the expressed purpose of helping communicants to remember what was done, and why we do this in remembrance of Jesus.

WE’LL ALWAYS REMEMBER - by B.J. Collins and Bo Collins (2010)

When we gather here in memory of You, breaking the bread as You asked us to.
When we gather here, called by Your name, knowing we’ll never be the same.
And we will remember You this way, whenever we gather in Your name.
We’ll always remember You this way, remembering why You came.

When we gather here in memory of You, sharing the cup as You asked us to,
When we gather here, called by Your name, knowing that we’re forever changed.
And we will remember You this way, whenever we gather in Your name.
We’ll always remember You this way, remembering why You came.

To save the world from sin so we may enter in
To heaven’s open door.  Who could give us more than life itself?

And we will remember You this way, whenever we gather in Your name.
We’ll always remember You this way, remembering why You came.

No, we will not forget anything You said.
How could we forget, You gave Your very life for us and yet…

Your body and blood were given for us, so we could share eternal life.
Your own precious blood was poured out for us, sealing a covenant of life.
And we will remember You this way, whenever we gather in Your name.
We’ll always remember You this way, remembering why You came.