Practice Notes for August 28th

Hey Choir,

Welcome to Choir Notes...this is where I'll post what we'll be working on at our upcoming practice so you'll know what to expect and what to bring!  Also I'll be including a weekly devotion/thought to keep us all grounded in why we do this thing called "worship"!  Make sure to check back each Wednesday for an update!

Practice Schedule for August 28th
Hands of the Healer - Anthem
Hail to the King - Anthem
Celebrate the Day - Christmas Collection

We'll see you Sunday afternoon at 5:00 in the sanctuary!  But don't stop yet....keep reading for this week's thought!

Church Business Meeting


Several years ago, I attended a knock down, drag out, nail biting, back biting, pull out all the stops, bring your own bullet proof vest church business meeting.  Personal complaints were verbalized which prompted vicious rebuttals.  People pointed fingers, assigned blame, and even cursed!  Even those called upon to pray had the audacity to complain about specific individuals in their prayers.  I went home that night extremely discouraged and seriously considered walking away from my call to ministry altogether.

There's a fine line between constructive criticism and critical complaints.  As followers of Jesus, we must remember that we are His representatives.  When we openly spread negative comments about fellow believers, we are damaging the validity of our own testimony while demeaning the value of their Christian witness and ministry


"Brothers, do not complain about one another, so that you will not be judged" - James 5:9


"When any fit of gloominess, or perversion of mind, lays hold upon you, make it a rule not to publish it by complaints." - Samuel Johnson


So you're thinking.....um.....how is this relevant to choir.  It's just a reminder that sometimes we may not always sing a song in our own personal choice of style.  Maybe we think a song is too fast or too slow, too repetitive or too outdated, too loud or too boring.....it's in these moments that we must stop and remember why we sing in the first place....to glorify God.  We don't sing to benefit ourselves (and if we do, we're really in trouble), but rather we sing to proclaim the name of Jesus to those that will listen!  God works through hymns and praise choruses....he works through praise bands and southern gospel quartets.....he works through women's trios and through senior adult choirs......he works through pre-school moving songs and through an orchestral piece.  The bottom line is God is big and uses ALL of HIS musical creation to sing His praises.....we just get to hang on and enjoy the ride!

See ya Sunday night,
Jeff