"let the chldren come"

The children did come, mostly elementary school age but some older.  The event was one of the classes in the week called "Created 2 Praise."  My part of that was "explore the organ."  Eight kids and one older helper went through exercises of listening, singing, rhythm, imitation and actual playing the organ for each other.  Here's the happy group!

summer songs

Instead of the "opening hymn" today we sang a set of vacation Bible school songs: this little light; I have the joy, joy, joy; deep and wide, etc.

On the steps we had the band, ready to launch into their set, and several children and parents. How is it that everybody, it seemed, knew the songs? Eighty-five-year-olds were singing! I hope the children know them.

Simple summer songs, yeah. But even the theologian Karl Barth said that "Jesus Loves Me" pretty well sums up the whole gospel.

Summer music begins June 1

Right off the first day of June, music at Zion kept on singing and ringing. At left is the upper bells of the adult handbell choir. At right is guest soprano Pam Smith of Quakertown who sang two Bill Gaither songs.

June, July, and August are good months to explore music in our community and church. If you have a suggestion, let me know. Or, volunteer yourself.

sing-a-long

May 25 was Memorial Day weekend and the band was absent. My mind was going like--informal, summer beginning, loosening up, children, outdoors, summer Bible school. So instead of a set of contemporary, I gave a shot at Bible school songs.

Here's the list we sang: This is the Day, Allelu Allelu, Deep and Wide, Jesus Loves Me, and one other I can't recall right now.

I was slightly nervous, although I had explained to Hunter and he had given his full support. I had also checked with several choir members. But yet, how would it be received?

What I noticed was smiles everywhere. I noticed parents showing chldren how to do the motions on "deep and wide." And, people really sang.

To do lists

Here's some of the things I'm working on:

-line up special music for the summer months
-follow up the organ concert event, offering amount, attendance, thank yous to the partners etc
-contact organ subs for a few summer Sundays
-contact Nate Stucky, the summer seminarian, about how he wants to interact with music and worship
-prep for the choir singing at Dock Meadows this Sunday evening
-put the Felix Hell CD in library so it is available
-read a new book on using instruments in worship
-come up with a non-verbal component for Pentecost
-follow up on the decisions of the worship planning committee of last evening
-update the worship teams schedule

Whew. I wonder why I was busy today. And I didn't even get to any organ practice yet.