Most of you know that I am a trained musician. I regret that I will not be able to share an oboe solo with you before I depart. Perhaps, at some point in the future I can return to provide special music.
My hats off and my deep gratitude to Rachel Eve Davis as she continues to serve as our music director. Not only does she provide accompaniment from the piano or the organ, but she also serves as our choir director and sometimes leads singing as she is playing. Since my time of coming to be with you she has done a noble job of picking hymns for each Sunday. Some of these hymns are quite traditional, but we often have a mix of the contemporary.
Not all hymn styles may fit into everyone’s agenda. Some like the very traditional while others prefer the contemporary. We seek from Sunday to Sunday to provide a blend of the contemporary with the traditional.
I want you to think for a moment about traditional hymnody. A number of the very traditional hymns we attribute to Fanny Crosby. She wrote such great hymns like “To God Be the Glory”, “Praise Him! Praise Him!”, Jesus is Tenderly Calling Thee Home”, and “Blessed Assurance”.
I contend that when any of those hymns were first introduced there was an outcry among worshipers, “We can’t sing these hymns. Give us the old hymns”. My friends, have we changed any? One of the contemporary hymns that I believe most of us love is “Lord, Prepare Me to be a Sanctuary.” Note how hymns like that begin to grow on you.
I pray for the day when you may be able to have an accompanist like Rachel Eve, a choir director and song leader, and other musical leadership as needed.
With God’s Love,
Pastor Nik
