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Fellowship
of American Baptist Musicians
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Issue 21
"I will thank you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.”
These two verses of Psalm 9 paint a very active picture. The psalmist is going to be busy thanking and telling and singing. Sometimes, we can get a little bit too busy. Perhaps that’s why God gave us summer vacations! As we get caught up in our ministry, planning and choosing music, rehearsing choirs and soloists, coordinating instrumentalists and, of course, practicing, we can lose sight of where this wonderful gift of music came from in the first place. We want to be sure to give glory to God in all that we do for our music ministries. Thanking God for the gifts we have been given and the opportunity to use them in worship should be first. Perhaps you could write an opening prayer for your rehearsal so that all the musicians will thank God first. Telling all of the marvelous things God has done should be acc omplished in the music we choose each week. Careful attention to text and music, as well as coordination with the scripture, will ensure that the marvelous grace of our Lord will be told with the best music we can find. When we are thoughtful about our work, we can be filled with joy knowing we are being a good servant. Finally, invigorating congregational song will help the gathered community sing God’s praises together as the Body of Christ. There is nothing more joyful than that!
Book Alert: Somebody’s got My Robe: A Lighthearted Look at Choir Directing.John Yarrington. Abingdon Press, Nashville, ISBN 0687121701 This book is worth purchasing just for the jokes and bulletin bloopers that are included. It is worth reading as an affirmation of what we do and why we do it as choir directors. There are some great suggestions for refreshing our conducting skills and planning rehearsals. This should be on all choir directors’ bookshelves.
Piano: Keys of the Kingdom, Abingdon Press. This series includes accessible settings of many familiar hymns and songs. There are 6 books in the series including Christmas, Worship, Weddings and Funerals, Communion, Spirituals and Gospel Hymns. There is a beautiful setting of Let Us Break Bread in the “Communion” book. All of these pieces are functional and require a minimum of rehearsal time. They also work well for preludes and postludes.
Organ: Pull Out All the Stops: Congregational Song Accompaniment for Organ, Vol. 1&2, Augsburg Fortress, ISBN 0800677684. These marvelous interludes and accompaniments will help take your congregational singing to a new level. Familiar hymns and songs are included such as Holy, Holy, Holy, and Shine, Jesus, Shine. Some settings will require more time than others but this is a great resource for all organists.
Choir: Sunday Adoration & Praise Choir Kit, S. Pethel, Hal Leonard, #8061953. This is a great resource for the smaller choir or for those Sundays when you have a smaller group. It could also be used during the summer months by duets and/or quarters. This volume includes The Potter’s Hand and Sanctuary. It also includes bulletin inserts and scripture readings that can create a wonderful set. Most of the writing is 2-part, with some SATB.
Handbell: The Glory of the Cross, Frances L. Callahan, Lorenz, HB350-2. This is a 3-octave setting of a number of hymns from the Easter season including “In the Cross” and “Crown Him with Many Crowns.” The rhythmic regularity of this piece makes it a Level 2 and all ringers are kept active. This is a great addition to your repertoire and could be us ed in worship or concert settings.
Upcoming Events: ABW Conference at Green Lake, June 5-7. Come and be a part of the vibrant ABWomen’s Ministries conference. Make new friends and catch up with the old. It is always a time of learning and laughing.
Any questions or comments, contact
me at fbwamusic@aol.com
Mary
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