Commitments

How committed are you to the Methodist church?

This question was asked by the wonderful Rev. Amanda Knouse at St. James' Parish in Lothian -- if you listen to our recording online, and wait - you'll hear her at the very end, and then you'll hear a lot of laughter. :-) Amanda rocks.

I'll admit, it's a question that has been in my brain since she asked. To be fair, it was a rhetorical question but let's ponder it anyway -- really, how committed are we to the Methodist Church?

It's an interesting question for Voices In Praise, given that nearly a third of our 41-singers are not Friendship UMC church members or even regular attendees. We have an open door policy - we'll take anyone in Grades 6-12, no matter who they are, where they're from, what they look like, or how well they sing. (Why this is the policy is a topic for another post - so stay tuned!)

But how does that open door policy translate into a commitment?

At some level, of course, we are committed to Friendship. VIP wouldn't exist without the tremendous support that we get from the Pastors (current and past!) and the people. We're incredibly grateful for their generosity, kindness, and enthusiasm, and the opportunities that they give us.

But there are times when God calls us out of Friendship.  We sing at places where God calls us to go -- from prisons to hospitals to soup kitchens to street corners. I know that for many of us, it's these out-of-church performances that stick with us. It's the person with Alzheimer's who can't remember critical details about her life, but knows all the words to "Amazing Grace." It's the child in the hospital who forgets how sick she is, just long enough to clap along with "When the Saints Go Marching In." It's the woman in the shelter whose eyes fill with tears as she watches VIP and wonders how her own kids are doing.

We're committed to God, to going where he calls us, and to serving his people as best we can. And we're committed to each other. VIP (more than any other group I've seen) really works hard to support, help, and strengthen one another. This year's choir, in particular, excels in this area. They're amazing in the way they interact with their fellow singers.

Whether they realize it or not, VIP embodies this concept from Romans 12:
¹⁰Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Be devoted to one another. We do that. We do it well. And it's in that devotion that we are able to honor God in a very special way in a way that we couldn't do alone. Choral singing isn't easy. And it certainly isn't easy with kids with different talents, abilities, and experiences. But we do it anyway.

We need every voice (yes, all of them!), every heart, and every soul working away towards one common goal: to give our musical best for the glory of God.

That's the commitment of Voices In Praise, whether we're doing it at Friendship, St. James', or any other place on earth. To God be the glory - always.