Happy Summer!
It's 110 degrees here in Longview and doesn't look like it's going to cool down soon. We just returned from vacation to the Northeast, where it also was hot!!! One thing I enjoy about vacation is hearing/watching/experiencing other church's music ministries.
We attended church with our family in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. I heard several beautiful songs and want to list them here.
"Glorious, Indescribable" - Cindy Berry, Sheetmusic plus (my niece and nephew sang this with the youth ensemble)
"I Surrender All" - James Koerts, for two violins and piano (my nephew's girlfriend and her friend played this for offertory) - FREE arrangement download, PDF - http://koertsmusic.com/piano-music/
"Everlasting Love" - SATB, the wilds.org - beautiful choir arrangement
Other songs that I heard that never lose their message and appeal - "Our Great Saviour" and "Great is Thy Faithfulness". We heard these while we were in Colonial Williamsburg at the Bruton Parish Church.
Returning to our home church after vacation and knowing that all of the music ministry was doing well was a great blessing. My hands did have time to rest for several weeks but I was glad to be able to play for the service. I am encouraged and energized to start something new and get some new music and arrangements together.
The main thought that I brought with me from vacation was that our Lord deserves only the best from us in every area. My best may not be as advanced as another, but it must be my best. The same goes for each group. If a song hasn't reached the quality level of "best" for that group, it should be replaced with one of their "best" songs.
While achieving our best, we must be patient with musicians working on their best. Their best may not be up to our "best", but they must continue to work for the future, or their will not be a future in the music ministry.
I have many ideas that I want to share with our musicians, then I'll put them into this blog in the near future. Let's get to work on our best for our Saviour.
