The fifth single from the multi-artist A New Heaven And A New Earth project, “Our Common Home,” releases today (Oct. 6) at digital and streaming outlets globally from The Fuel Music via https://slinky.to/OurCommonHome. The single features GRAMMY®-nominated, Dove Award-winning Building 429 lead vocalist Jason Roy, renowned recording artist, producer and college professor Don Chaffer (Waterdeep) and iconic singer/songwriter Phil Joel (Newsboys). The full-length A New Heaven And A New Earth project is slated to premiere May 2024.

Written by Chaffer, Joel and Centricity Music’s singer/songwriter Jason Gray, “Our Common Home” was inspired by Pope Francis’ 2015 Encyclical, Laudato si’, On Care for Our Common Home. The song features the refrain:

Lord, help us hear the cry of the earth (Sleeper awake)

Hear the cry of the poor (Sleeper awake)

From the dark of the deep to the sky-blue dome

Let us rise with a heart to care for our common home (Sleeper Awake)

“The intention of the song is to dig into the things that underwrite our lack of concern for not just who we are, but where we are,” shares Chaffer. “There is something about the practice of praying and confessing together that feels like a healing process. What we need is a little more introspection, thoughtfulness and care in the way we posture ourselves toward one other and our home.”

“It’s a special song with a very relatable lyric that, as Don mentioned, is really a prayer,” adds Joel. “I think we can all easily pray this song together because this is our common home, and we want to take care of this place.”

“My faith and the planet and Creation care are all linked,” continues Joel. “I’m trying to be a Jesus follower, and trying to be aware of the needs of the widows, poor, orphans and the least of the least.”

“It’s amazing how often poor people suffer when the planet is treated badly, because, of course, the planet is where we get our sustenance,” adds Chaffer. “The more we discover about the connection between the health of the poor with the health of our earthly home, the more we’re inspired to pray, ‘Lord, we need to do better. Help us to do better.’”

Producing “Our Common Home” and singing and playing various instruments on the track, Roy says of his collaboration on the single with Chaffer, Joel and Gray: “It was an honor to work on this song with these musical legends, these friends of mine.”

“Our Common Home” also features Joel on bass/vocals, Chaffer on acoustic guitar/vocals, Roy’s son Avery on drums, Lori Chaffer and Joel’s daughter Phynley on backing vocals, Gotee Records' worship artist and songwriter Jon Reddick on keys and Jesse Garcia on guitar. The resulting, multi-generational single has an organic, Americana feel along with a pop sensibility.

In addition to “Our Common Home,” A New Heaven And A New Earth tracks already released include Roy’s “It’s All Yours;” Joel’s “Arms Around The World;” recording artist, actress and producer MO¯RIAH’s “You Mean The World;” and two-time Dove Award-winning, three-time No.1 Billboard-charting, Stellar Award-nominated Aaron Cole’s “Together.” One more song will be revealed this year, followed by additional tracks in 2024. Each of these well-known Christian artists felt led to participate, responding to the call to write and record a song on taking care of Creation. The songs collectively cover rock, pop, hip hop, R&B, indie, folk/ Americana and more musical genres.

About Building 429:

Since the release of its debut album in 2004, Building 429 has garnered widespread popular and critical acclaim, receiving numerous accolades all while delivering lyrically-driven, anthemic hit songs with a consistent message of hope along with high-energy concerts in sold-out venues internationally. The band received a 2013 GRAMMY® nomination for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for We Won’t Be Shaken, which debuted at No.1 on Billboard’s Christian Albums chart and launched the title track to No. 1 at radio. Building 429 also received a 2014 and multiple 2012 “Song of the Year” Billboard Music Awards for “We Won’t Be Shaken” and “Where I Belong” respectively, two BMI “Song of the Year” Awards (“Where I Belong” in 2013 and “Glory Defined” in 2005), a 2014 “Group of the Year” K-LOVE Fan Award nomination and a “Best New Artist” GMA Dove Award in 2005. RIAA-certified gold single, “Where I Belong,” became one of the longest running Christian No. 1’s in Billboard’s history at 15-weeks and landed on Billboard’s Top 10 Songs of the Decade. “Fear No More,” the band’s 2019 independent single, was one of the biggest independent artist singles to ever hit Christian radio with an astounding 35 adds in its debut week. The band is also endorsed by Fender Guitars, Gibson Guitars, PRS Guitars, Orange Amps, Ampeg Amps, DW Drums, Guitar Center and many others.

For all the latest Jason Roy and Building 429 tour dates, music and more news, visit www.building429.com, www.jroymusic.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

About Don Chaffer:

ASCAP Award winning singer, songwriter, record producer, author and professor at Nashville’s Lipscomb University, Don Chaffer has released over 25 albums and produced another 75+ albums, including projects by Indigo Girls, Caitlyn Smith, Sara Groves, Matthew Perryman Jones and many more. His songwriting credits include songs recorded by Third Day, Bebo Norman, All Sons & Daughters, Big Daddy Weave and many others. He has also scored music and lyrics for eight musicals, three plays, two theatrical revues and has had numerous film and TV sync placements. He is one half of Waterdeep, along with his wife, Lori, and the band has released 15 albums to date.

For more Don Chaffer music and news, go to: www.donchaffer.com, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

About Phil Joel:

Auckland, New Zealand native Phil Joel first arrived in the United States in 1994 to join one of Christian music’s most iconic bands, Newsboys. During his 12-year tenure in the GRAMMY®-nominated, Platinum®-selling group, Joel was featured on such seminal albums as Take Me To Your Leader and Step Up To The Microphone. Rejoining Newsboys in 2018, along with founding member Peter Furler, the supergroup has since played hundreds of shows around the country and released Newsboys United in 2019. In addition, Joel has seven solo recordings to his credit; he founded and fronted the acclaimed worship band Zealand; and his first book, Redwoods and Whales: Becoming Who You Actually Are—a collection of personal stories and truths learned from his life and musical journey—was published in 2019 by Thomas Nelson’s Emanate Books. His latest solo album, Better Than I Found It, released in 2021.

For more Phil Joel touring, music and news, visit https://www.philjoel.com/, Bands in Town, YouTube, Apple Music, SoundCloud, Spotify, Facebook and Instagram.

About The Fuel Music:

Established in 2008, The Fuel Music & Management, LLC, is a leading artist management and artist solutions company that independently distributes music internationally. Based in Nashville, TN, the Fuel team brings nearly 70 years of combined music industry experience in record label operations, major label distribution and marketing, and artist management for artists ranging from upstart bands to GRAMMY Award-winning, multi-platinum artists. More information on the company can be found at www.thefuelmusic.com.

For more info on Phil Joel, visit the JFH Artists Database.

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