Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

How can I keep from singing? That will be the question at 10:30 a.m. worship this Sunday, August 20, 2006 as the 88 members of Tyrone Presbyterian Church sing the songs of American Baptist Preacher Robert Lowry and listen to the music of Tyrone’s Gospel singing team of David and Myra (Kimmel) Hess of 744 Oak Street. Across 36 years, for all of their married life, David and Myra Kimmel Hess just could not keep from singing.
As they raised their family of three sons and one daughter (Roland, Benjamin, Dustin and Lyndie), they bestowed on their children the priceless gift of music with their own style of gospel/folk song. In days gone by, Mr. and Mrs. Hess conducted a fruitful ministry of music at Tyrone’s Church of the Brethren. Presently, both David and Myra are active participants in the life of Wesley United Methodist Church.
David Hess graduated from Tyrone High in 1966. His wife to be, Myra Kimmel, graduated from the same school in 1967. Both earned college degrees at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Hess graduated with a degree in secondary mathematics and became teacher of math and later Director of technology in the Williamsburg Area School District. Mrs. Hess graduated with a degree in music education and has served as director of elementary music in the Tyrone Area School District.
Now in her 19th year as teacher of music at Tyrone Elementary School, this year Mrs. Hess will inaugurate a keyboard/computer class with all Tyrone Area Elementary School third graders. In this program, Mrs. Hess will conduct all Tyrone third graders on a musical journey as they learn to read notes and to play a musical keyboard as part of their music curriculum.
For 10:30 a.m. Presbyterian worship this Sunday, August 20, Dave and Myra once again will add melody to life and bring music to the souls of people in the pew who anticipate the refreshing harmony of their voices when they present two special vocal selections at the service. In addition to hearing duets by David and Myra Hess, Tyrone Presbyterians will also sing three beloved Robert Lowry hymns during worship.
From 1869 to 1875, Robert Lowry served as Professor of English at Bucknell University in nearby Lewisburg and also pastored a rural Baptist Church in that region. Among his repertoire of nearly 500 hymns, Dr. Lowry composed the 1891 New York epidemic hymn entitled “Shall We Gather at the River,” the 1872 housewife hymn called, “I Need Thee Every Hour,” as well as the 1869 lyrical hymn entitled, “How Can I Keep from Singing”. The dramatic 1874 Easter hymn, “Christ Arose” also came from the pen of Dr. Lowry. Besides laboring as a college professor of literature and a Baptist preacher, Dr. Lowry also improved the cause of sacred music in early America by serving as editor of the Bigelow Music Publishing Company.
Pastor Robert Dunkelberger encourages those in search of a summer blessing to join the 88 members of Tyrone Presbyterian Church for 10:30 a.m. worship this Sunday as they hear the gospel/folk melodies of David and Myra Kimmel Hess and as they sing three songs of American Baptist preacher Robert Lowry. If they come in faith, they may encounter a blessing like the one so eloquently described in Lowry’s lyrical hymn: “What though my joys and comforts die / I know my Savior liveth / What though the darkness gather round ? Songs in the night He giveth / No storm can shake my inmost calm / While to that rock I’m clinging / Since love is Lord of Heaven and Earth / How can I keep from singing?”

By Rick