The name, Songs In His Presence, is drawn from producer/arranger Jane Terwilliger’s prompting before the Blessed Sacrament. “I felt strongly commissioned to prepare for publication the music of our community conveying its deeply Christ-centered worship. Throughout the composition of piano accompaniments into the recording process, I sensed being ‘carried by God’ and taken by his personal love.”

Over the years, the worship and songwriting tradition of the charismatic renewal had formed the musical heritage of her church, Christ the King Catholic Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In this vibrant parish, member musicians had been writing original psalm responses and other music for Mass, and keeping the texts updated as the American Bishops revised and required texts from the Lectionary for Mass. Their love for Jesus and for His Church and its liturgy had always formed their approach to worship at Mass and prayer gatherings.

After a limited distribution of some of their responsorial Psalm settings, several brother and sister composers began to gather together with Jane to seek the Lord's guidance for how to best share more widely the music which had been such a rich blessing to their members and guests. They shared a sense from their first meeting. “Don’t be timid. Think big.” So, inspired by the call to a New Evangelization by the late Pope John Paul II, Songs In His Presence was formed in 2004, recording two premier albums at once, one of twelve psalms and the other, an album of music for worship. These two first releases, "Psalms" and "Taken by Love" represented only a small percentage of their prayerful music.

The calling to publish and record burned in their hearts, despite time and other limitations. Many hard decisions had to be made and difficulties would force them to humility and trust. Yet the Lord seemed to lead clearly and surprisingly at critical moments. Jane often felt like an honored spectator, viewing God's working through the Body of Christ, watching him pulling together the rich talents of so many brother and sister musicians. Some of the best arrangements developed in studio through a delightful thunderstorm of ideas-graciously received. Those experiences were reminders to them that the source of this music springs from the Holy Spirit and loving community life.

The composers of Songs In His Presence include Don Fishel (“The Light of Christ”), Roger Holtz (The Word of God Music), Ed Conlin (The Servants of the Word missionary brotherhood), Sr. Stacy Whitfield (The Servants of God’s Love religious community) and others. Incorporating the next generation of musicians and songwriters, more of this worship-ful music will continue to be released. People of all ages and numerous traditions are being touched by the widely-appealing CD's from Songs In His Presence.