The Blessing of Choir Students

          I don’t know if anyone in our congregation takes greater pleasure in our choir students than me.  Don’t get me wrong, listening to our entire choir (the best in the Presbytery) is one of my greatest blessings.  I particularly love the students we currently have in our choir, because most of them have been with us three and four years.  Their young faces, the gifts they share, their smiles, their attitudes toward worship and the joy with which they sing moves me every Sunday. 

          I wish they would all make CD’s from the music of our Christian heritage.   CD’s of their senior recitals is also on my wish list.  Julie sang so beautifully Mendelssohn’s “O Rest in the Lord,” this past week and I understand that next Sunday Brenton will sing “Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God.”   It is a bummer that I will not be here next week to hear Brenton sing, but I was blessed to hear him sing at our Ash Wednesday Service.  I understand that in the future we will have more solos from our choir students – YES!

          There is great power in music, there is even more power (at least in my life) in good Christian music.  Good music will sooth the soul, or it can stir the soul into action.  Good music inspires, it comforts, and it brings glory to God. 

          Flora, one of our choir students has two CDs (yes, the rest of our students need to make at least one).  One of Flora’s recordings is of her senior recital the other is a Christmas CD.  Well I gave the recital CD to a friend in the hospital who loves to hear Flora sing.  The other, even though it is a Christmas CD, I have listened to it over and over again. 

          Yesterday was one of those stressful days, so much so that I could feel the tension that had built up.  On my drive home, I turned on the radio to the talk radio station, but that only increased my blood pressure, so I pushed the CD button and there was Flora singing “O Holy Night.”  Almost instantly my soul quieted and there was a peace that surrounded me.   It was the music.  It was the grace of God.  It was music that spoke of the love of God.  And it was music sung by someone I know, which made it all the more special.  How powerful is good music!

          Now once again to our other choir students, it is time to make your own CD of your best music. My wallet will be open to pay for the CD, as I gladly listen to your beautiful voice and am blessed by your amazing talent.

Steve