Shalom

Dan Forrest’s "Shalom" is a gentle, unfolding choral setting of Christ’s words from John 14:27. From the very first notes, the piece breathes a quiet, profound promise of comfort. The music does not rush; it asks the choir to lean into long, sustained phrases and let the Hebrew word "Shalom" resonate with deep, spiritual calm.

In the choir loft, this is the kind of piece that completely shifts the atmosphere of the church. We often sing it during Communion or as a meditative prayer after the Eucharist. When the voices rise to deliver the line "Not as this world gives I give to you, Do not be afraid," it feels like a direct reassurance to the congregation. It is a quiet, steady anchor for the soul, perfectly captured in the fading, whispered "Peace" at the very end of the score.