Churches Recognize Amazing Grace Sunday on February 18
One day. One song. One voice. Thousands of churches throughout North America will recognize February 18, 2007 as Amazing Grace Sunday, singing the classic hymn and praying for an end to slavery that still impacts an estimated 27 million men, women, and children worldwide.
In relation to the event, churches are also invited to download the music and lyrics from a new adaptation of the song recorded by the Gospel Music Association's Artist of the Year, Chris Tomlin, here.
"I wanted to keep the hymn exactly the way it was, as much as I could, with the heart of what I feel like John Newton was writing," says Tomlin of his new version, "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)." "Him coming at this slavery issue really spurred the thoughts and the words, ‘My chains are gone/I've been set free/My God, my Savior has ransomed me.'"
Tomlin's song is also available on his GRAMMY nominated album, SEE THE MORNING, and on MUSIC INSPIRED BY THE MOTION PICTURE AMAZING GRACE, also featuring new performances of traditional hymns recorded by Steven Curtis Chapman, David Crowder, Nichole Nordeman, Martina McBride, Avalon, Jars of Clay, and others.
Opening theaters February 23, the Amazing Grace film tells the story of British politician William Wilberforce and his band of loyal friends who took on the most powerful forces of their day 200 years ago to end the slave trade. Wilberforce's mentor was John Newton, the slave-trader-turned songwriter who wrote the words to "Amazing Grace," now the world's most popular hymn.
To learn more about Amazing Grace Sunday, and to download a moving visual and lyrical history of the song set to Tomlin's new recording, visit AmazingGraceSunday.com.