Meet Paul Demer, Our New Interim Worship at Five Music Leader!

PHPC’s staff committee and pastoral staff are thrilled to welcome current Worship at Five band member and Dallas singer-songwriter, record producer, worship leader and outreach musician Paul Demer as our Interim Music Leader for Worship at Five.

Paul currently plays as a regular part of the band for PHPC’s band-lead worship service, Worship at Five.

Over the next several months, Paul will be providing leadership musically and coordinating with the PHPC staff and the Worship at Five band to record music for our online worship offerings.

Rev. Dr. Sarah Johnson: "Paul’s musical and spiritual gifts are immense. As others have noted, Paul blends empathy, introspection and wonder to create lyrically rich and memorable music that touches the heart. We are exited to have Paul continue on with the church and lead music in this new way.”

You can read more about Paul below and check out the blurb on his music ministry in Dallas area nursing homes in PHPC’s Mission and Outreach Newsletter!

Tell us a little about yourself and your music background.

I grew up in a musical family. My dad is a violist with the Dallas Symphony and my mom is a violin teacher. Several of my extended family members are musicians, too. I started playing guitar, singing, and writing songs when I was 13, and I began making music professionally when I was 18. For the last 9 years I’ve been leading worship music for churches, writing and performing my original music, producing records, and playing outreach concerts in hospitals and nursing homes across DFW. Besides music, I love spending time with my family and friends, reading, and being outdoors. 

What is a hymn or piece of music that is especially meaningful for you to play?

“Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus” is one of my very favorite hymns. We typically sing it during Advent but I think we could sing it all year long. It invites us to yearn for Jesus’s “here-but-not-yet” Kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven.” There’s a third verse, not included in the Glory to God hymnal, that I find incredibly moving.

Come to earth to taste our sadness, he whose glories knew no end;

by his life he brings us gladness, our Redeemer, Shepherd, Friend.

Leaving riches without number, born within a cattle stall;

this the everlasting wonder, Christ was born the Lord of all.

What do you love most about leading music for worship at Five?

I love being together and singing together. Obviously we can’t do that right now. But I hope to lead songs that are worshipful and singable, even through a screen. I also love that Worship at Five is a space where we can re-imagine hymns and hear them in a new way. I grew up with pipe organ and choir, and hymnody is a bit of a heart language for me.

Anything else you want to share!

I’ve so enjoyed playing bass and singing harmonies for the Worship at Five band over the last few years. I’m grateful that the PHPC staff would trust me with a leadership role in this interim time.