wordy and a little weepy, apparently

I just love my church.

Really, I do.

As a whole, I feel like this congregation completely supports the ministry efforts of the leadership team.  As the music director, it's a lot of hard work {sometimes blood/sweat/tears} that we put in during the weeks to present an opportunity for the congregation to be drawn closer to God in worship and deliverance.

The Youth Choir learned a new song last night at practice and totally rocked it out this morning for Easter Sunday, along with a previously learned song that Splenda is featured on.

{I transposed it to G, in case any chord chart geeks out there care.  D was just too high for their young voices}

An older gentleman approached me after the service, and he was so excited about how great the Youth Choir did on Lift High.  I felt honored, and realized the impact that the young people make when they push past their teen angst to minister to the church - even if the physical audience is not their target group that they would choose to sing for.

The Adult Choir has been working on this one for several weeks now, and if I can say so without boasting, wow.  W.O.W.  It was incredible.  Today's practice was actually the first out of several attempts that we had all the musicians and soloists in attendance.  I really wanted someone to video it for me, but I forgot in all the public adoration of my youngest daughter's Easter finery.

Faithful To Believe was way out of our comfort zone.  I sat down with my apprentice {haha! if she read that she would pass out with embarrassment, but I am totally training her to take my place :) }  and we picked out and charted every single chord and bass run.  Then we tried it with the choir, and it was too high.  So I got to transpose it down a whole key, and redo the chord chart.  With TWO KEY CHANGES.  It was a lot of typing and proofreading :)  My drummer got a workout during one practice, the lead guitarist practically blistered his fingertips in another practice, and I flogged my husband and Adam into vocal submission yesterday for the solos for it.  Completely worth it - I can't get the song out of my head, it encourages me every time I listen to it, and tonight was no different.

I've attended and lead the music department in my church for close to twelve years now, and it is still so exciting to me to be able to teach young musicians how to improve their skill.  My lead guitarist - he has grown up in the church but always stayed out of the spotlight - has grown in amazing ways over the last year, and now I just delegate to him the responsibility of teaching and leading the bass and acoustic guitar players.  Twelve years ago one of those guys was barely out of diapers! I am thankful that God has placed me here to flourish and be a participant in growing this church.