Father Tom Elliott goes deeper writing songs for his fourth album

Published: December 20, 2008

By Maryanne Meyerriecks
Fort Smith Correspondent

“Love Lived More” is the fourth album written by Father Tom Elliott, pastor of Christ the King Church in Fort Smith. It is on sale through his Web site or during fundraisers across the diocese.

“Love Lived More” is the fourth album written by Father Tom Elliott, pastor of Christ the King Church in Fort Smith. It is on sale through his Web site or during fundraisers across the diocese.

FORT SMITH -— Father Tom Elliott, pastor of Christ the King Church in Fort Smith, describes his fourth CD, “Love Lived More,” as his musical response to “God’s call for us to grow deeper in his love and the longing for eternal life we experience as we grow in faith.”

At his CD kickoff luncheon and concert at Christ the King on Nov. 16, he sang songs with a much more contemplative tone.

“I think the people who will get the most out of the lyrics of the songs will be people who have been on the Christian journey for a while. People who have struggled with living faith, hope and love will identity with the struggles mentioned in the songs. I think they will also identify with the longing and yearning for eternal life that is present in many of the new songs,” Father Elliott said.

Two of his most reflective songs were written about his seven-day silent retreat experience.

“It’s amazing how much spiritual growth can take place in a seven-day silent retreat,” he said. “At first I thought, ‘I’d better eat slow because there’s nothing else to do. By the end of the retreat I didn’t want to leave.’”

“Deeper,” a four-part harmony piece, sung a capella, described the sinking feeling he had when God was calling him to go deeper, a dark feeling that his spiritual director described as “getting so close to the sun that everything seems to go black.”

“Dark Night Sonata” was Father Elliott’s efforts to combine the theme of St. John of the Cross’ “Dark Night of the Soul” with Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” Rearranging some of Beethoven’s chords and adding in drums, electric guitar and bass, he sought to give listeners the feeling of needing to walk by faith when the path is dark.

Father Elliott, who like Beethoven is hearing-impaired, has a particular empathy and admiration for the composer who accomplished so much in the “darkness” of silence.

“As one of the few members of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers with a severe hearing disability, I know that it is by the grace of God that I am able to share my priesthood and music with other people. I consider my disability yet another opportunity to give God all the glory for the ‘wonders he has done,’” he said.

Father Elliott, who sang alone during the concert, had a talented group of youthful studio musicians from the Fort Smith area who helped him during the recording process, including the Christ the King choir, Deacon Eddie D’Almeida, Jennifer Erwin, Jill Gordon, Gary Hunt, Nikki Marsh, Ashlynn Metheny, Cindy Shaw, Adam Snow and Zac Werley.

“Love Lived More” is available for $10 at Father Elliott’s Web site, http://www.fathert.com. Proceeds from all Father Elliott’s music, books and posters benefit Christ the King Church, but other churches and schools can use his CD for fundraising purposes. MP3 files, lyrics and stories about each song are also available on the Web site.

Angie Bugeja, a member of Evangel Temple in Fort Smith, came to Father Elliott’s concert with her sons, Gavin and Hunter.

“The deep meaning of what he writes and sings about and the love he has for Jesus inspires many people,” she said, adding that her in-laws attend Christ the King Church and she always enjoys visiting.