The Porter's Gate, a creative movement aiming to reimagine worship that welcomes, reflects and impacts both community and the Church, released globally with The Fuel Music distribution its first collection of all new modern hymns, Work Songs: The Porter's Gate Worship Project, Vol. 1 (Live), amidst 5-star acclaim. The live worship album featuring over a dozen artists, including Audrey Assad, Josh Garrels, David Gungor, Liz Vice, Aaron Keyes and Urban Doxology, went all the way to iTunes' Top 2 on its Christian & Gospel chart during street week.
Featuring 13 modern hymns affirming vocation as an integral part of a life of worship, Work Songs is available now at iTunes, Amazon.com and more digital outlets everywhere.
The album is also streaming at www.portersgateworship.com along with eight videos recorded live by Mason Jar Music (Bela Fleck, Feist, YoYo Ma) during the 3-day Porter's Gate Conference held in New York City at St. Bartholomew's Church and Church of Sweden in June of 2017.
Providing the new music to the 2,500 attendees of the Made To Flourish pastor's conference held this past Friday and a "Wood and Nails (feat. Audrey Assad and Josh Garrels)" free download at www.newreleasetoday.com/freemusic.php, The Porter's Gate is also receiving widespread critical acclaim for Work Songs:
"This assembly of original hymns, tended by some of worship's finest voices, should become one of the essential records of contemporary Christianity... Most of all, The Porter's Gate have accomplished what most worship albums have failed to do, for Work Songs is a project that moves us to go and do." -- JesusFreakHideout.com (5-star review)
"Through and through, the collection offers a refreshing Christ-filled perspective in an age when the tools of economics are too often seen as mechanisms for materialism." -- Action Institute Powerblog
"Work Songs injects the sacred into the secular, changing our perception of the ordinary by letting us view our lives and each other through God's eyes... The Porter's Gate crosses the divide of denomination and tradition, recognizing that like peace, welcome must begin with and among us if it is to be found anywhere on Earth." -- Today's Christian Entertainment
"Music provides an opportunity to extend hospitality and build bridges with our neighbors," says Work Songs producer Isaac Wardell, founder of The Porter's Gate, Bifrost Arts and director of worship arts at Trinity Presbyterian in Charlottesville, VA. "We aim to love and serve our neighbors by creating music that is beautiful, truth-filled and inspiring."
Wardell assembled a first-rate collective of singer/songwriters, musicians and worship pastors to create these new songs rooted in unity and understanding. Joining the recording artists mentioned above at the Porter's Gate Conference for the making of Work Songs were Stuart Townend (writer of "In Christ Alone," "How Deep The Father's Love For Us"), Sarah Hart (Grammy nominated for "Better Than A Hallelujah"), Will Reagan (United Pursuit), Latifah Alattas (Moda Spira, Lafayette, CO), Paul Zach (Portico Church, Charlottesville, VA) and more.
Together these artists collaborated on songs like "Little Things With Great Love (feat. Madison Cunningham)," "Christ Has No Body Now But Yours (feat. Josh Garrels)," "Establish the Work of Our Hands (feat. Aaron Keyes and Urban Doxology)" and "Every Mother Every Father (feat. Audrey Assad, Paul Zach and Madison Cunningham)." Spiritually organic and stylistically a melting pot, every track on Work Songs affirms the importance of serving God by serving others.
