Someone once told me that just like a movie, each of our lives has a "soundtrack." It's the music that goes with the stories of our lives. For people who sing in a choir, the music that they sing becomes part of the soundtrack, too.
Last Friday, VIP had a "lock-in" that kicked off with rehearsal. (A lock-in is a church name for "slumber party.") Since our regular accompanist, Brie, was out of town, our church organist, Sandy Griese, came to fill in. She spied a piece of music and said, "Oh, I love that piece." So do I. Written by Alan Pote, it is a musical setting of the "Prayer of Saint Francis:"
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, Thy pardon, Lord.
Where there is doubt, let there be faith.
Oh, Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.
Where there's despair, let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness, let there be light,
Where there is sadness, let there be joy.
{I'll save the rest of the text and the background story for another post!}
When Brie and I were choosing music for the choir year, it was the text of this piece that pulled at our hearts... and we talked about the fact that this (this!) is what VIP tries to do through its music ministry and especially when we're on tour. When we travel, we go into some places that can seem... a little bleak... a little sad.... a little broken. It's our job to change that. To be messengers of hope, beacons of light, and sources of joy-- to help people through the process of exchanging doubt for faith.
What's always ironic to me is that if you look closely at places that seem bleak, you'll always find little slivers of hope, joy, light and love. I remember once we were singing at a Nursing Center, and after our concert, some of the staff asked if we could come to the secure ward, where we would find patients with severe dementia and Alzheimer's. For their safety, the patients couldn't leave the secure area, which happened to be in a basement.
We did a few of our regular pieces and then started to sing hymns. And you could feel something shift in the room. The patients sat up a little straighter and all of a sudden, they were singing along. In the Garden, Amazing Grace, Old Rugged Cross. These individuals, who suffered from some of the most severe forms of memory loss, knew every word and sang with gusto. Family members who were visiting the patients stood with tears in their eyes as they watched their loved ones momentarily resurface from the darkness of illness. There was great, unbelievable hold-your-breath joy.
That's the soundtrack -- buried deep within us, so that even when we've forgotten nearly everything else, we still know how the music goes.
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Welcome! Voices In Praise exists for the glory of God and in service to others. As the youth choir of Friendship United Methodist Church, the group is open to all youth in grades 6 -12 who have a desire to sing and a willingness to make the commitment to the group. Singers are not required to be a member of the church or to have any background in singing. Our doors are open to everyone!
The choir rehearses on Mondays. Girls rehearse from 6:30pm – 8pm; Guys rehearse from 7pm – 8:30pm.
New singers are welcome any time. Feel free to contact Director Holly Reynolds Lee at 301-728-1748 with questions!
The choir rehearses on Mondays. Girls rehearse from 6:30pm – 8pm; Guys rehearse from 7pm – 8:30pm.New singers are welcome any time. Feel free to contact Director Holly Reynolds Lee at 301-728-1748 with questions!