Throughout Church history great periods of spiritual revival have always been accompanied by a renewed interest in congregational singing.

In the 16th century historians estimated that Martin Luther won more converts to Christ through his encouragement of congregational singing than even through his strong preaching and teaching.

In the 18th century, of the Wesleys it was said that for every person they won to Christ with their preaching, ten were won through their music.

In the 19th century Dion Moody said "singing does at least as much as preaching to impress the word of God upon peoples minds..."

The singing of people, congregational singing, is a highly important form of worship in the Evangelical church. The singing helps to challenge the unbeliever, to edify the saint, and to fan revival fires. Hymns breathe the praise of saints, the visions of the prophets, the prayers of the penitent, and the spirit of martyrs. They bring solice to the sad, assurance to the perplexed, faith to the doubter and comfort to the oppressed. They span the centuries of history and bridge the barrier of denominations.

Study hymns and spiritual songs to be pure in heart; sing them to be joyful in spirit and store them in the mind to possess a treasury of worship.

by Tony Loeffler, The Solid Rock Ministries

Written by at least seven authors (of which David is the most notable) the book of Psalms spans one thousand years of Israel's rich history -from the time of Moses to the return from exile in Babylonia.

The word psalm comes from a greek word meaning "a song sung to the accompaniment of a plucked instrument"

Used as the Temple hymnbook, the Psalms express the diversity of human emotion -praise to God in good times, fear of enemies in bad times, and an overriding confidence in God's goodness, majesty, and power.

The Daily Walk Bible, NLT

Music is a fair and glorious gift of God. I wish to see all arts, principally Music, in the service of Him who gave and created them. I would not for the world forego my humble share of Music. Singers are never sorrowful, but are merry, and smile through their troubles in song. Music makes people kinder, gentler, more staid and reasonable. I am strongly persuaded that after theology, there is no art that can be placed on a level with Music; for besides theology, Music is the only art capable of affording Peace and Joy of the heart...the devil flees before the sounds of Music almost as much as before the Word of God.

Worship Music: Victor Hugo once said "Music expresses that which cannot be said,but on which it is impossible to be silent".

Music is one of the primary ways in which we can experience God's presence with us. Let's not forget that on the eve of the first Christmas, the angels brought forth the good news of Christ's birth by singing and glorifying God. (Richard Kannwischer, Central Presbyterian Church,Summit,NJ)

Music is a gift from God. Performances are presented as a means of outreach and sharing of God's gifts. (June van Thoen, United Methodist Church,Morristown,NJ)

Worship music focuses our hearts on God and His blessings. Performers bring their unique gifts before the Lord in an act of praise and adoration, placing their talents in the hands of the Master musician, allowing Him to receive the glory, bringing confidence and peace to our hearts. Worship in so many ways is an act of service, an outpouring of the believers' lives and a manifestation of devotion to our Creator God, who is worthy of our praise. (Robert Minor, Hawthorne Gospel Church)

He who sings prays twice. (saint Augustine)

Throughout history,music has been an important part of religious worship. Using melodies and harmonies, inspired mortals have woven both simple and profound messages of exhortation, of praise to our heavenly Father, of reaffirmation of divine truths, and of comfort,encouragement, and sheer enjoyment. Of all the many gifts the Lord has given us, surely music ranks among the sweetest. The power of music to transform the soul has always been an important part of the Christian faith, drawing people into a new and deeper relationship with Him. An attender wrote "the passion for God was clear to me through the words of the songs. It ministered to me in a powerful way. I was reassured of my Father's deep and abiding presence over my life despite the challenges which I was facing at the time". The response of His people to the music's message of love is a blessing that changes lives. Proclaiming the love of God through music is a missionary work indeed! (JoAnn Varkony, The National Christian Choir)

Music is a fair and glorious gift of God. I wish to see all arts, principally music, in the service of Him who gave and created them. I would not for the world forego my humble share of music. Singers are never sorrowful, but are merry, and smile through their troubles in song. Music makes people kinder, gentler, more staid and reasonable. I am strongly persuaded that after theology, there is no art that can be placed on a level with music; for besides theology, music is the only art capable of affording peace and joy of the heart... the devil flees before the sound of music almost as much as before the Word of God. (Martin Luther)

Music has an incredible power to uplift or depress, energize or vulgarize, encourage or discourage, comfort or invigorate. The Bible is clear that God wants us to listen to Godly music that is different from the world's music. And I believe that our music as Christians should draw our hearts upward and onwards for out Saviour. While there is much compromise and carnality in modern Christian Music, there is still much good and God still wants us to have lives filled with Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. When it comes to Christ honoring music - sometimes a piece will demand your attention with words and harmonies while others are content to reside in the background of your daily routine with quiet flow... simply setting an "emotional and spiritual context" for your life that is "Heavenward." (Cary Schmidt)

God has given us the glorious gift of music. He has given us voices to sing, and it is our duty and pleasure to use our God given talents for His praise. This is a witness of the gospel through the power of music ministry.

We are conscious of the fact that for centuries Christianity has been a singing faith. We lift our voices to express that faith and follow the Biblical command to "Come into His presence with singing." (Psalm 100:2)

Church choirs should desire to:

• sing the praises of our wonderful Lord
• worship through song and lead the congregation in hymn singing
• provide choral training in musical literacy, sensitivity, appreciation and vocal development
• present a broad range of repertoire that will expand the horizons of the choirs and, at the same time, reach out to different musical tastes and spiritual needs in the congregation
• build friendships and a sense of working together on the part of all choristers

Psalm 95 tells us to "sing unto the Lord" and the Apostle Paul in two of his letters instructs us to "sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs" These are not just suggestions, these are commands from scripture.

The Bible commands to "Come into His presence with singing" (Psalm 100:2)

Church choirs in particular, should worship through song and lead in hymn singing, while presenting a broad range of repertoire that will reach out to different musical tastes and spiritual needs of the entire congregation.

Dr. John L. Wilson, Director of Music Ministries

---

Fine music is one of the blessings God created us to enjoy. Everyone connected with this believes that the basic reason for it is to glorify God through the Gospel of His Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Sometimes we tend to forget that, as the Church of Jesus Christ has grown around the world, so has church music grown with it. Great names, like Händel, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms - a veritable host of composers, singers, instrumentalists, and musical organizations - have enriched the quality of music both inside and outside the church. We believe that events envolving church music have a significant contribution to make to the wonderful heritage of music as an expression of worship and joy in the Lord, and we're sure that you will agree!

Dr. D. James Kennedy, Senior Minister

The Purpose:

To "set the table" in preparation for the church body arriving for corporate worship, and facilitate connecting their hearts with God.

The Members:

The key component is a team of people-united in purpose-where each member has a yearning heart and love for God, a deep love for people, and possesses artistic gifts and talents to express that love.

The Style

God has not given us one set formula for worship. With numerous accounts of a variety of worship expressions present in Scripture, it is apparent God does not have a problem with variety. Therefore, the "worship wars" we percieve to exist are the result of our own preferences and... inflexibility! For stylistic diversity, one has to look no further than the hymnal. Hymns come from all different eras of history as well as countries, and have been passed down for generations. They're theologically rich, and extremely powerful musically. As Johann Sebastian Bach did as "worship arts director" in the early 1700's with hymns like "A Mighty Fortress is our God" and "Now, thank we all our God", we can use different instrumentation and incorporate various styles of our time, as long as provide with theological substance or capture God's majesty and spirit in ways spoken word could never communicate.

The Artists:

We pray together about the church, our community, and each other. I continually review what our purpose is as a worship arts ministry, and share what will be communicated during worship for the upcoming services. If the artist knows the purpose and the message, then communication happens from the heart rather than coming off as a performance. Rehearsals, by the way, are powerful times. Rather than being a simple drill of learning notes, it becomes a midweek worship experience!

The Director:

Is responsible for the supervision of the ministry, planning worship with a focus on music selection and other creative elements, and leading vocal and instrumental teams-such as choir, vocal teams, orchestra, worship bands. Serves as worship leader, working closely with pastoral and other staff in planning worship, events and concerts. Selects ans supervises activities of associate music directors, choir directors, worship leaders, instrumentalists, and other artists. Trains and equips each team member,worship staff, laypeople and volunteers. Recruits members of the worship ministry teams, soloists and musicians. May direct the music groups or teams and even perform in worship services. Supervises audio, lighting and media staff, volunteers. Communicates the desired outcome so each member of the team has a vision of the "big picture". Carefully assigns tasks and responsibilities that match each team member's gifts and strengths, provides a sense of value and importance, and challenges the team member to grow. Makes people feel valued, graciously leading others, and rallying others to accomplish goals. Continues to provide sharp focus on the big picture and priorities when things get bogged down.

(excerpts from an interview with Todd Billingsley)

Dear God,

Not to us, O Lord, but to You goes all the glory. We depend on you.
You give birth and breath and determine our days. You make every nation and set every boundary.
We exist by your power. We exist for your glory.

Showcase your power through this land. Display your justice in our courts, wisdom in our governments, guidance in our schools and love in our homes.
Have mercy upon our sins. We have disrespected Your word, disregarded your gifts, discarded our children.
We are sorry. Forgive us, dear Father.
Grant strength to all our leaders. May they serve you first and honor you most.
Remind us of the brevity of this life and the beauty of the next.
Prepare our souls for the day we meet You in eternity.
This we pray in your holy name, Amen.

(Max Lucado)

Live Simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.

(National Religious Broadcasters)

Throughout the Scriptures, many passages testify to the goodness and importance of our friendships. Good friends refresh us with their presence and love, and inspire us to embrace God’s purposes in our lives. But strong friendships don’t just happen; they require intentional cultivation and readiness,willingness to overcome common obstacles. Believers should have a vision of what friendships with others and with Jesus can become over the course of a lifetime.

(from the Episcopalian "Solemn Collects")

Dear People of God:
Our heavenly Father sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved; that all who believe in Him might be delivered from the power of sin and death, and become heirs with Him of everlasting life. We pray, therefore, for the people everywhere according to their needs.That God will confirm His Church in faith, increase it in love, and preserve it in peace. (Let's pray...)

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified:
receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of our holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. (Let's pray...)

Let us pray for all nations and people of the earth, and for those in authority among them and for all who serve the common good; that by God's help they may seek justice and truth, and live in peace and concord. (Let's pray...)

Almighty God; kindle, we pray, in every heart the true love of peace, and guide with your wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth; that in tranquillity your dominion may increase, until the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Let's pray...)

Let us pray for all who suffer and are afflicted in body or in mind;
for the hungry and the homeless, the destitute and the oppressed,
for the sick, the wounded and the crippled,
for those in loneliness, fear and anguish,
for those who face temptation, doubt and despair,
for the sorrowful and bereaved,
for prisoners and captives, and those in mortal danger.
That God in His mercy will comfort and relieve them, and grant them the knowledge of his love, and stir up in us the will and patience to minister to their needs. (Let's pray...)

Gracious God, the comfort of all who sorrow, the strength of all who suffer: let the cry of those in misery and need come to you, that they may find your mercy present with them in all their afflictions; and give us, we pray, the strength to serve them for the sake of Him who suffered for us, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Let us pray for all who have not received the Gospel of Christ;
fo those who have never heard the word of salvation,
for those who have lost their faith,
for those hardened by sin or indifference,
for the contemptuous and the scornful,
for those who are enemies of the cross of Christ and persecutors of His disciples,
for those who in the name of Christ have persecuted others.
That God will open their hearts to the truth, and lead them to faith and obedience. (Let's pray...)

Merciful God, Creator of all the peoples of the earth and lover of souls:
have compassion on all who do not know you as you are revealed in your Son Jesus Christ; let your Gospel be preached with grace and power to those who have not heard it; turn the hearts of those who resist it; and bring home to your fold those who have gone astray; that there may be one flock under one shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord. (Let's pray...)

Let us commit ourselves to our God, and pray for the grace of a holy life, that, with all who have departed this world and have died in the peace of Christ, and those whose faith is known to God alone, we may be accounted worthy to enter into the fullness of the joy of our Lord, and receive the crown of life in the day of resurrection. (Let's pray...)

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquillity the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by Him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Let's remember what our brothers and sisters are going through, and perhaps reaching out once in a while with a note of encouragement, or a phone call that would help them to still feel as though they are a part of our family.
I have heard it said, "If god brings you to it, He will bring you through it".

(Nancy Haag)

The road to success is not straight:

There is a curve called Failure, a loop called Confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called Enemies, caution lights called Family. You will have flats called Jobs.

But, if you have a spare called Determination, an engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, a driver called Jesus... you will make it to a place called Success.

(by Herb)

Psalm 150:

Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.
Praise ye the Lord !

Psalm 100:

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing!

Know that the Lord is God! It is He that made us, and we are His; We are His people, and the sheep in his pasture.

Enter His gates with Thanksgiving, And His courts with Praise! Give thanks to Him, bless His name!

For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, And His Faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 95:1-2

Come, let us Sing for Joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our Salvation. Let us come before Him with Thanksgiving and extol Him with Music and Song"

Sing Praises to the Lord (from 'A Family Hymnal')

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, o most High! (Psalm 92:1) Sing unto the Lord, bless His name; shew forth his Salvation from day to day (Psalm 96:2) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord (Colossians 3:16)

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19)

Thou are worthy, o Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created (Revelation 4:11)

Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing (Revelation 5:12)

My King was born king. The Bible says He is the King of righteousness, He is the King of the ages, He is the King of heaven, He is the King of glory, He is the King of kings, He is the Lord of lords.
Now that's my King! I wonder do you know him?

He is enduringly strong,entirely sincere and eternally steadfast. He is inmortally grateful, imperially powerful and impartially merciful. That's my King. He is God's son, the centerpiece of civilization.

He is unique, unparalleled, uprecedented, supreme, preeminent. He is the loftiest idea in litterature, the highest ideal in philosophy and the fundamental truth in theology.
That's my king!
He is the miracle of the ages, the only one people to supply all our needs. Simultaneously He supplies strength for the week, He is available for the tempted and the tried, He sympathizes and He saves, He guards and guides, He heals the sick, cleanses the lepperds, forgives the sinners. He discharges debtors, delivers captives, blesses the young and serves the unfortunate.

Do you know Him?
My King is the king of knowledge, the wellspring of wisdom, the door of deliverance, the pathway of peace and the roadway of righteousness. He is the highway of holiness the gateway of glory and the master of the mighty. He is the captain of the conquerors, the head of heroes and the leader of the legislators. He is the overseer of the overcomers, the governor of governors. He is the Prince of peace, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. That's my King!

His life is matchless, His goodness is unlimited, His mercy is everlasting, His love never changes, His word is enough, His grace is sufficient, His reign is righteous, His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
I wish I could describe Him to you, but He is indescribable. Yes! my King is incomprehensible, He is invincible, He is irresistible.
Man can't explain Him, you can't get Him out of your mind, you can't get Him off your hands, you can't outlive Him, you can't live without Him.
The pharisees couldn't stand Him but they found out they couldn't stop Him, Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him, Herod couldn't kill Him, death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my king! He's allways been and He is allways will be. I am talking of He who has no predecessor and He who has no succesor. There was nobody before Him and there'll be nobody after Him. You can't impeach Him, he is not going to resign...

Praise the Lord that's my King!

(Adapted from Micah, Leviticus, Psalms, Isaiah and Luke, by the Westminster College)

Nation shall not lift up a sword against the nation, neither shall they learn war any more. And none shall make them afraid, neither shall the sword go through their land.

Mercy and Truth are met together; Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven. Open to me the gates of Righteousness, I will go into them. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled; and let them hear, and say, it is the Truth.

And it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come to see my Glory. And I will set a sign among them, and they shall declare my Glory among the nations. For as the new Heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before Me, so shall you seed and your name remain for ever.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth Peace, good-will toward men."

Rather than limit my discussion to my own personal thoughts on this subject, I contacted a number of clergy and church musicians around the country and asked them to share the best reasons for and not for paying musicians in their churches. The following is a summary of some of their ideas.

There are many churches in which this question has never been pondered. Some churches believe that music is a ministry therefore, it must be done with volunteers. There always seems to be someone available who will play the organ or direct the choir in the weekly anthem. We expect all of our congregation to offer their time and talents to the work of ministry in the church. We don't pay our Sunday School teachers, elders or deacons. Even our church secretary, treasurer and financial secretary are volunteers. Many of these people invest at least as many hours a week as the church musicians.

There are other churches which maintain a prestigious standard of either classical or pop Christian music. They expect to pay a salary to maintain the standard repertoire of vocal, choral and organ music. Often some large churches even employ choral and instrumental arrangers on their music staff because they do a great deal of original music in their churches. The music budget is often quite large to make certain that this great tradition continues. There may be endowments established to help with the funding. Some even produce recordings and charge admission to concert series to establish suitable level of income. Not only is a director hired but also several instrumentalist and choir members are hired to assist particularly for the demanding music of the annual Easter and Christmas productions as well as the standard weekly music. These people understand the scripture about the workman being worthy of his hire and that it's application is not limited to the preaching pastor. We all understand that when a person is paid, the church has a right to expect a higher level of commitment.

In order to answer the question title of this treatise, we should indeed look at both sides of this issue and formulate our position in light of our own theology and circumstances.

When the amount of time needed to do the work exceeds what is reasonable for a typical church member to give, typically ten to fifteen hours per week, and the church feels the particular ministry is very important, many churches choose to pay a person. This will help ensure that the ministry will not be crowded out due to a busy schedule of a volunteer. In this case the time often limits their availability for their other employment.

When we hire someone as a choral director, organist or choir section leader we are providing leadership to the congregation to equip them for ministry and not just maintain a program. They bring a significant historical perspective and vision to our worship. Our music minister actually is much more than a song leader. He spends considerable time selecting and music as well as planning our corporate worship. He leads the worship service. He is an initiator in ministry. Our organist works with three others who are volunteer helpers. This means we can always have excellent keyboard support throughout the year. He identifies and frequently practices with a number of brass and string players in the church, who volunteer to use their musical talents in our music ministry.

We want to employ a wide spectrum of music in our worship. We are called to be stewards of God's gifts to us ­ music in particular. For that reason, we want to have the benefit of people who have prepared themselves for the ministry of worship and music just as we do in our preaching pastor with the ministry of the Word. A good church musician is one who has prepared for many years. The person usually has studied music privately for ten or fifteen years investing thousands of hours and dollars in education. Many times they have majored in music in college. Many churches even require a graduate level degree to be considered for their part time music staff position. In addition to musical proficiency skills church, hopefully musicians are expected to operate with a significant theological perspective congruent with the traditions of their particular church. Often seminary training is also expected. These prerequisites require significant personal discipline over years of practicing.

We use all the available people from our church in our music ministry. However, there are some significant needs that cannot be met from within our church. Therefore, we supplement our work with professionals outside our church from time to time. Sometimes we hire orchestral musicians for certain programs. This actually strengthens our overall ministry and allows us to attract musicians into our church, who might never otherwise be a part of our ministry.

We are a small church with a limited budget. We cannot afford to pay anyone. What is done here must be by a volunteer. We do provide a great opportunity for someone who would like to test their spiritual gifts in music.

Our theology of spiritual gifts brings us assurance that God provides us with all the resources needed to do all that he calls us to do as a church. Therefore, to go outside the church to hire someone to make this happen seems to contradict our theology of spiritual gifts.

We aren't looking for a "professional" church musician. We prefer the old type hymns. We really like a full orchestra for the choir so we use prerecorded accompaniment tracks. We have invested a fortune in our great sound system.

Our church has a different emphasis, we concentrate on social ministries. Because we have significant paid staff in these ministries, we do not want to add paid musical staff to the church budget.

To us worship is an experience we share together. We want our musical leader to lead us in that experience. We do not want any choirs drawing attention to their performance. We do not want music prepared in advance. Everything we do is led by the Holy Spirit as he leads us.

There might be no universal answer to the question as to whether or not the musician should be paid. However, evaluating some of these ideas in light of your particular situation may assist you in your decision. If Christian churches hope to develop a celebration of worship, Christian musicians must be able to spend the time necessary to provide this leadership. If you want a full-time ministry you should expect to pay a full-time salary. Such positions pay from 75% to 100% of what the pastor is paid including benefits of up to four weeks paid vacation, health insurance and continuing education time and expenses. Part time positions generally pay a little more per hour, comparable vacation and reduced other benefits. Volunteers are paid only in satisfaction of their work done. There can be an additional satisfaction in their sacrifice of money to help bring about a ministry in a particular venue that would otherwise not be there. For some people this blessing of being able to minister is fully adequate. For others financial needs means that they cannot offer ministry to the church as they would like because they must work other jobs to provide for their financial needs.

The temple musicians were called by God, gifted, trained and skilled for their ministry. Hopefully, we desire and will accept no less.

(By: Rev. Larry D. Ellis)

"The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul" "The true greatness of a musician is in how he relies upon God to multiply his gifts and use his talents to the glory of God"

(from J.S.Bach's Cantata #106)

God's time is the very best time
In Him we live,move and are,so long as He wills
In Him we die at the right time,when he wills.

Ah Lord,teach us to think
that we must die
so that we become wise.

Put your house in order
for your will die
and not remain living.

It is the old covenant:
Man,you must die!

Yes,come,Lord Jesus,come!

Into your hands I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me,Lord,you faithful God.

Today you will be with me in paradise
With peace and joy I travel there
in God's will,
my heart and mind are confident,
peaceful and calm
As God has promised me:
death has become my sleep.

Glory,praise,honor and majesty
be given to you God father and son,
to the Holy Spirit by name!
God's strength
make us victorious
through Jesus Christ.Amen.

The word "bach" in german means "brook". To this Beethoven replied "not brook but Ocean should be his name!"

After listening to a piece by Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart said: "this is music from which mankind can learn many things"

Johannes Brahms said "study Bach...there you will find everything"

Rimsky-Korsakov aknowledged at a certain point of his studies "I had no idea of the historical evolution of the civilized world's music until I had realized that it owes everything to Bach"

Aaron Copland stated "If musicians were asked to name one of them who came closest to composing without human flaw, I suppose general consensus would choose Johann Sebastian Bach"

"Everything was so much better in the good old days, the music of those days made much more sense and was uplifting, our pleasures were simpler and more enjoyable, life was more worth living".

Now interestingly this nostalgia comes in for a debulking by the writer of the book of Eclesiastes. I mean too often we are tempted to defy the past, we recall the good old days but we tend to forget the tough times of the good old days: the failures, the depression, the sins peculiar to that stage of history and our lives.

We remember the 5 cent hotdog, maybe the 25 cent haircut but we forget that as a kid one had to work all day to be rewarded with 25 cents. Some didn't drink or smoke perhaps but at the same time were insufferably stuffy or proud. Our attitudes towards race differencies were abominable in the old days and they were the days of the excessibly rich who lavished their wealth largely on themselves. So, who wants to return to that?

Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof, and now is the day of salvation. Both biblical enjunctions. Rather than asking questions or summarizing how much better one generation is than the next, we really are to learn from the past to be sure to hopefully anticipate the future, not making the same mistakes.

But we are to live in the present for the past we may learn from obvious mistakes that were made but the evil we must contend with is today's evil, we may anticipate the coming great events of the future but to be sure we're enjoying God's grace, God's salvation today and that should be our chief concern.

The good old days are no longer with us and hopefully that have left us some good memories,some important lessons but today is our main concern. What does God have for me today and what will He have me to do to serve Him today.To let nostalgia for the past rob us of enthousiasm and iniciative for today's challenges would indeed be unwise. So forgetting what is behind let us press on to win the prize for which God has called us having word in Christ Jesus.

Broadcasting as I've known it for the last forty years has been totally changed by the computer and yet I would never go back. Technology has opened many new doors for global ministry that we would have never had. So let's move forward together as we seek to get the Gospel into the worldwide marketplace,daily.

(from Family Radio)

After Sept. 11th, one company invited the remaining members of other companies who had been decimated by the attack on the Twin Towers to share their available office space.
At a morning meeting, the head of security told stories of why these people were alive...and all the stories were just "annoying little things":

• As you might know, the head of the company got in late that day because his son started kindergarten.
• Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts.
• One woman was late because her alarm clock didn't go off in time.
• One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike because of an auto accident.
• One of them missed his bus.
• One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change.
• One's car wouldn't start.
• One went back to answer the telephone.
• One had a child that dawdled and didn't get ready as soon as he should have.
• One couldn't get a taxi.
• The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work! but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. That is why he is alive today.

My conclusions

Since then when I am s tuck in traffic , miss an elevator , turn back to answer a ringing telephone ...all the little things that annoy me. I think to myself, this is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment.

My advise

Next time your morning seems to be going wrong, the children are slow getting dressed, you can't seem to find the car keys, you hit every traffic light, don't get mad or frustrated; God is at work watching over you.

My wish

May God continue to bless you with all those annoying little things and may you remember their possible purpose.

Let Music swell the breeze, And ring from all the trees Sweet Freedom's song;

Let mortal tongues awake; Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break, The Sound prolong.

Our fathers' God to Thee Author of Liberty, To Thee we sing!

Long may our Land be bright, With Freedom's holy light, Protect us by Thy might, Great God our King!

(Samuel Francis Smith, 1832)

He is mighty God, wonderful Counselor, Prince of peace.
He is the eternal logos, the true God, the word of God.
He is holy, the Father of eternity, the only begotten.
He is the door through which a man may find eternal life, He is the bread of life, the resurrection and the life, the eternal life, the light of the world, the way the truth and the life.
He is the good shepherd, the great shepherd of the sheep and the chief shepherd who is coming again.
He is the holy one, Emanuel, Jesus the son of God, the Messiah, the alpha and omega -the beginning and the end, the first and the last-.

He is the living one who is alive for ever and ever, He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, He is the Lord of all, our great high priest, the Christ, the faithful and true one. He is in the image of the invisible God, ruler of all creation, the creator and sustainer of the universe.

He is our living hope, the hope of glory, our blessed hope.
He is the babe in the manger in Bethlehem, our Saviour, the lamb that was slain, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

And one day -the Bible says- that every creature on heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea and all that is in them will sing to him who sits on the throne and to the lamb be praise and honor and glory and power for ever and ever.

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing...

Sing praises to His name, He forgets not His own.

It was a tradition started over three hundred years ago, as the Pilgrims and Indians gathered together in thanksgiving and remembrance of God's many blessings.

The memory of the enormous sacrifices the pilgrims made and of God's provision for them is a remarkable story of faith blended with spiritual reminders of God's continual care.

As you share this moving account with your family and friends, you can begin a new tradition -a tradition of remembering the past and expressing gratitude for the blessings of today...

1789 Congressional Proclamation:
"There shall be a day of public Thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God..."

A holiday for celebrating faith, family, friends and freedom, Thanksgiving Day is both distinctly Christian and exclusively American, enabling all to recognize God's hand in our history, and express thankfulness to Him for His goodness at all times.

The story of the Pilgrim's faithfulness and biblical thankfulness will call our hearts to gratitude. It's a wonderful opportunity to enrich our awareness of our nation's Christian heritage, provide models of courage and sacrifice to people of all ages, and establish a tradition of sharing your gratefulness with one another, which will build a legacy of memories for the future.

Do you ever feel that your life doesn't have enough "quiet?" We live in a fast-paced world, and we tend to fill up every spare moment with activity, noise, bustle, and busyness. The Christmas season can be especially "quietless" as you run from shopping trip to class party to church program to family gatherings. The list goes on.
Yet, amidst the hurry, the Christmas season beckons us to return to cherished memories - to hold on to the wonderful blessings of life - and to renew our heart for the Lord Jesus. This Christmas, I invite you to de-compress from the demands of your day and reconnect with your Savior and His "big picture" for your life. I don't know about you, but I've come to cherish those moments when its just quiet - no phones, no E-Mail, no demands, no hurry. Whether the stillness brings an unexpected call to meet with the Lord, or a gentle hug from my growing little girl - the stillness brings clarity to what really matters in life.
During such "quiet" times, the right music can help settle the heart, calm the spirit, and comfort the soul. The right melodies can beckon you to "stay a little longer" - to linger in His presence.

What better season to focus on God's incredible gift - Jesus Christ - and what better time to rest in Him? Thank you for listening and may God use this music to warm your heart, brighten your Christmas, and draw you and yours closer to Him for many Christmas seasons to come.

Cary Schmidt

from "Carol of the Bells"

See the Star so clearly shining in the darkness of the night;
Wise men of the east 'tis guiding, by its radiance led aright.

Hear the angel voices singing, "Peace on earth, good will to men!"
All the bells of Heav'n are ringing, echoing to earth again.

(lyrics by Ivy Mawby & music by Norman Bearcroft)