Notes from the Music Staff
Each new year is a chance to regroup, reorganize and reinvent. This year, in the Music Ministry at out church, I want to focus on making every worship service excellent. Music alone does not make the worship service, of course. I believe it is the combination of scripture, music, liturgy and the intercession the Holy Spirit that makes a worship service what it is. The planning of the worship service is not something to be entered into lightly or alone, and to plan a succession of services for a sermon series or a season of the church demands an even greater level of forethought. For these reasons, and others, I have decided that I am going to discontinue the concert series for 2017 until further notice, in order to focus on making the music in our worship services excellent.
While the concerts have been enjoyable, I feel God calling me to pare down and focus on the things that are really important. The first thing, for me, is His Word. All else in an enhancement or a detraction. I want to focus on using music as an enhancement of the Scripture. This is not to say that music adds an element to the scripture that isn’t already there, only that it can bring out new perspectives to the scriptures through the medium of sound.
There is also the matter of finances, and with the cuts made to the church budget, I find myself forced to decide what is most musically important to the life of this congregation. Macie and I both believe that music in worship is our main priority. The Lord has blessed me with Macie as the Assistant Music Director, and we will work together to bless the congregation with our gifts, time and resources. God has sewn specific gifts into both of us that are so often complimentary of each other, and we will use skill, creativity and inspiration to bring excellence to music in worship.
I would like to thank all of you who have been in support of the concert series in 2015 and 2016. I have enjoyed exploring the talents of choir and congregation members, and watching them share their gifts with you. I am thankful for everyone who helped to make the concerts happen, and to Pastor Frank for his continuous support. The concerts are not gone forever—only God knows what is in store for this church. Until the future is more clear, Macie and I will seek the Lord’s will for Sunday morning.
Blessings to you,
Betsy Lippens