Sacred and hallowed fire was commissioned by Harrison & Harrison as part of their 150 years celebration of organ building. It is one of a trilogy of works for organ by McDowall which draws from the poetry of George Herbert; the first of the three (commissioned by Christopher Batchelor for the London Festival of Contemporary Church Music) is Sounding heaven and earth; the last of the trilogy, Church bells beyond the stars, has been commissioned to celebrate the centenary of the Edinburgh Society of Organists, May 2013.