Well it's been over a month since I posted here. Life gets away from me sometimes, and I got to thinking the other day, 2 months gone and has anything happened at all for me this year?
Well, actually, a lot has happened. But it's mostly been work within my heart rather than physical events. Though there has been a few of those also. Like, finding a new church. Finding a new friend within that church. Starting to move in evangelical worship. (who'd have thought, an Anglican Pentecostal like me?) My friend, nearly clear of cancer, praise God for His healing power. Passing anniversaries, some joyful, some I find difficult to ponder on without tears. There are a lot of anniversaries for me at this time of year. Planning a trip to London. Looking forward to trips in June that are work related. Personal health scares are over. And although it is still cold here, watching spring develop and the evenings get longer.
Mostly though, God is changing my attitude in a few things - and giving me strong convictions in others. Several subjects will get me off on a rant I would probably be unable to stop. Unity. Revival. Denominations. Community work and the church. Issues that schism the church such as gay marriage and women bishops.
Some may call me two faced with some of the opinions, which I really don't want to go into (I could write me a book). But I don't really matter. I am just one voice amongst thousands. What matters is - just where is the church going, and why aren't those responsible guiding the vehicle just a little more surely, with purpose and clear directives? And when they do have a clear directive, or a programme that works, why aren't they sharing and/or voicing their successes and failures to help others move on?
Outreach this week. I have a feeling that at the end of the summer that task will be no more. I'm OK with this though I think. I could let go when God requires it, because He will replace it with something else. Something different. Something special. Something awesome.
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Tuesday, 5 March 2013
Thursday, 17 May 2012
God likes patterns
Schedules (which are man made) He dislikes.
His patterns do not necessarily have to be symmetrical, like a kaleidoscope for instance, although the patterns are forever changing. No, just look at the petals on a flower, the clouds in the sky, leopards, giraffes, zebras, peacocks, in fact any animal that is highly decorated and there isn't a pattern in our own understanding; we like things to be neat. Ordered. Something we can understand. Something that is easy to copy. Something within our comfort zone that is pleasing to the eye - we think we need things symmetrical, yet, what causes us to look at a non ordered landscape and agree that it is an area of outstanding beauty? Yet, unless you want your life to reflect your artistic tendencies, (we all have them) you want your life to be checkerboard, or at least predictable.
But God doesn't work like that. His artist pallet has colours and mixes which cannot be duplicated here on earth, for His patterns are not only visible in creation manifested, but some are sensed, like music, or the overwhelming impetus in a church to sing, pray, reveal the mysterious gifts described in Romans and Corinthians, all by the move of His awesome Holy Spirit.
He shows me patterns in what I do, and this helps me understand Him more. Through the choruses chosen, there is a message. Sometimes that message is repeated back, verbally, through the leader or the speaker. It's then I know that God is still in charge, that He is moving, to mould us and shape us into His perfect pattern.
His patterns do not necessarily have to be symmetrical, like a kaleidoscope for instance, although the patterns are forever changing. No, just look at the petals on a flower, the clouds in the sky, leopards, giraffes, zebras, peacocks, in fact any animal that is highly decorated and there isn't a pattern in our own understanding; we like things to be neat. Ordered. Something we can understand. Something that is easy to copy. Something within our comfort zone that is pleasing to the eye - we think we need things symmetrical, yet, what causes us to look at a non ordered landscape and agree that it is an area of outstanding beauty? Yet, unless you want your life to reflect your artistic tendencies, (we all have them) you want your life to be checkerboard, or at least predictable.
But God doesn't work like that. His artist pallet has colours and mixes which cannot be duplicated here on earth, for His patterns are not only visible in creation manifested, but some are sensed, like music, or the overwhelming impetus in a church to sing, pray, reveal the mysterious gifts described in Romans and Corinthians, all by the move of His awesome Holy Spirit.
He shows me patterns in what I do, and this helps me understand Him more. Through the choruses chosen, there is a message. Sometimes that message is repeated back, verbally, through the leader or the speaker. It's then I know that God is still in charge, that He is moving, to mould us and shape us into His perfect pattern.
Monday, 19 December 2011
Coiled spring
I felt weird last night. It was like I had been stressed for so long, with so many worries that have completely dissapated, that I felt somewhat....lost...the coiled spring has relaxed making me think...what now?
I read a little Ezekiel, and then a little of "Make Love, Make War" by Brian Doerksen, the latter of which I am taking my time reading; I inhale books usually, I can easily get through 2-3 75,000 word books a week, but Doerksen's book is such an inspiration and he discusses so many points that I have to sit, think and meditate on them for a while. No book, other than the Bible, has really done this for me before. I don't know many of the songs he discusses, but it doesn't matter, this guy is on my wavelength when it comes to "pure" worship straight out of 2 Chron 20.
Despite my strange state, something special was happening last night. I had been playing with Musescore earlier and I was playing around with a simple melody. In bed last night, a chorus was added to it. I wonder now whether it is another chorus I've heard, or truly a new song to the Lord. I even have some words to it. Is God calling me to write a song, when ones I've written in the past have been tuneless, with cliched words? Then again, the Spirit wasn't living in me then. Well, we'll see. It might just be self edification, but at least it is a project that I can ponder on whilst everything else in my life is quiet.
I read a little Ezekiel, and then a little of "Make Love, Make War" by Brian Doerksen, the latter of which I am taking my time reading; I inhale books usually, I can easily get through 2-3 75,000 word books a week, but Doerksen's book is such an inspiration and he discusses so many points that I have to sit, think and meditate on them for a while. No book, other than the Bible, has really done this for me before. I don't know many of the songs he discusses, but it doesn't matter, this guy is on my wavelength when it comes to "pure" worship straight out of 2 Chron 20.
Despite my strange state, something special was happening last night. I had been playing with Musescore earlier and I was playing around with a simple melody. In bed last night, a chorus was added to it. I wonder now whether it is another chorus I've heard, or truly a new song to the Lord. I even have some words to it. Is God calling me to write a song, when ones I've written in the past have been tuneless, with cliched words? Then again, the Spirit wasn't living in me then. Well, we'll see. It might just be self edification, but at least it is a project that I can ponder on whilst everything else in my life is quiet.
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Getting close to inspiration overload
OK - I half prayed for some fresh music for the church (particularly lively praise choruses)
I downloaded a worship album from Kingsway, and also bought 2 CD box sets of mixed worship from same, ripped and copied to my mp3 player. It's pretty exciting switching on the player, as I haven't heard a lot of them before, a new adventure every day, as I have it on permanent shuffle.
Inevitably, there are some that I should remove from the player as they are far too contemporary for me, let alone the church, but this isn't the problem. The problem is I hear one that sounds great, perfect even for introduction to the church, but I often don't have pen and paper handy and my memory is terrible. So I'm going to have to carry a notepad around, and when I hear one that sounds good, to note it down to look up in my books later. (There is an excellent chance of them being in any of the SOFs - being mostly Kingsway)
Three lively praise choruses have come out of my mp3 player in the last week, more than what we need going forward, also two or three slower worship and an absolutely gorgeous hymn.
I realised early on that the mp3 player really is an essential resource for the WL, coupled with SOF, a Source or two (Mission Praise is probably handy, but I personally don't have a copy), and anything the rest of the group have sitting in their garage.
It's all coming together. I just hope He stops before my brain fries. :-)
I downloaded a worship album from Kingsway, and also bought 2 CD box sets of mixed worship from same, ripped and copied to my mp3 player. It's pretty exciting switching on the player, as I haven't heard a lot of them before, a new adventure every day, as I have it on permanent shuffle.
Inevitably, there are some that I should remove from the player as they are far too contemporary for me, let alone the church, but this isn't the problem. The problem is I hear one that sounds great, perfect even for introduction to the church, but I often don't have pen and paper handy and my memory is terrible. So I'm going to have to carry a notepad around, and when I hear one that sounds good, to note it down to look up in my books later. (There is an excellent chance of them being in any of the SOFs - being mostly Kingsway)
Three lively praise choruses have come out of my mp3 player in the last week, more than what we need going forward, also two or three slower worship and an absolutely gorgeous hymn.
I realised early on that the mp3 player really is an essential resource for the WL, coupled with SOF, a Source or two (Mission Praise is probably handy, but I personally don't have a copy), and anything the rest of the group have sitting in their garage.
It's all coming together. I just hope He stops before my brain fries. :-)
Monday, 3 October 2011
When did this start happening?
Hello, all you happy people.
I like to think it started with Take Us To The River, a long forgotten, but oft-played on Premier Christian Radio '99/2000, but I think it started before that.
When I hear a song and something inside me starts leaping up and down in excitement.
If my personality was such, I would also be physically leaping up and down, but David I am not. In fact, I suspect most see me as an incarnation of Droopy - my insides are very very happy, my countenance keeps cool.
I was a little concerned there was no real indication of the choruses for this Sunday (they're chosen, they feel right, so maybe it was a subtle Spirit nudge), then I got inspiration for the following Sunday, from a track on my mp3 player. Mate, it got my insides boiling. It's only about 5 years old, is it the right time to introduce it?
I like to think it started with Take Us To The River, a long forgotten, but oft-played on Premier Christian Radio '99/2000, but I think it started before that.
When I hear a song and something inside me starts leaping up and down in excitement.
If my personality was such, I would also be physically leaping up and down, but David I am not. In fact, I suspect most see me as an incarnation of Droopy - my insides are very very happy, my countenance keeps cool.
I was a little concerned there was no real indication of the choruses for this Sunday (they're chosen, they feel right, so maybe it was a subtle Spirit nudge), then I got inspiration for the following Sunday, from a track on my mp3 player. Mate, it got my insides boiling. It's only about 5 years old, is it the right time to introduce it?
Monday, 29 August 2011
Sing Hosanna
I am taking singing lessons now, and I'm confident my tutor can help me reach those elusive D, E and F5s, without the horrible warbles and squeaks.
I'm an alto, which is actually quite awkward in my position. I am quite happy to sing around F3-A5 all day, but a congregation wouldn't. So you need to achieve as close as possible to the perfect key, you can't lead by squeaking, or groaning.
Unfortunately, the leaders who wrote most hymns and choruses want to produce a song in a key which generates the most sound - and this would be soprano for the women, bass/baritone for the men. Beautiful effect, but just like women are not all size 10 and not all men have size 14 feet, most untrained singers are comfortable C4-to C5, and you then need to find the key to suit you, and the congregation.
Difficult task.
This week I had to bring down two songs which are normally in G to Eb. This can of course, cause problems to musicians, but this week is just me, the other guitar and the clarinet (who has to transpose anyway, in this case, I think it's F). Darlene Zschech, inspired writer, but my gosh she does like to use B4-F5 frequently, and this makes transposing a minefield. I had to bring one of hers down to F, but this caused a note as low as F3. Needs must, sometimes. You can, of course, with a well known song, allow the congregation and your support to carry you sometimes, but there's a danger of the congregation taking over. At times like that I hand it to God, knowing He has it in control, even if my voice is losing it.
I'm an alto, which is actually quite awkward in my position. I am quite happy to sing around F3-A5 all day, but a congregation wouldn't. So you need to achieve as close as possible to the perfect key, you can't lead by squeaking, or groaning.
Unfortunately, the leaders who wrote most hymns and choruses want to produce a song in a key which generates the most sound - and this would be soprano for the women, bass/baritone for the men. Beautiful effect, but just like women are not all size 10 and not all men have size 14 feet, most untrained singers are comfortable C4-to C5, and you then need to find the key to suit you, and the congregation.
Difficult task.
This week I had to bring down two songs which are normally in G to Eb. This can of course, cause problems to musicians, but this week is just me, the other guitar and the clarinet (who has to transpose anyway, in this case, I think it's F). Darlene Zschech, inspired writer, but my gosh she does like to use B4-F5 frequently, and this makes transposing a minefield. I had to bring one of hers down to F, but this caused a note as low as F3. Needs must, sometimes. You can, of course, with a well known song, allow the congregation and your support to carry you sometimes, but there's a danger of the congregation taking over. At times like that I hand it to God, knowing He has it in control, even if my voice is losing it.
Sunday, 28 August 2011
A different sort of service
Main worship:
Jesus, Hope of the Nations
In Heavenly Armour
I, the Lord of Sea and Sky
Jesus, my Strength
Post communion:
Be still
Usually, the music starts lively, and winds down with prayers somewhere in the middle.
Sometimes the Spirit leads differently. I picked these songs a little over a week ago, and the template for my thinking usually goes thus:
This week's could have ended up being rather long; note 3 "hymn" type ones which played together we could have ended up leaving church about tea time if we had really got going. Instead, the leader was inspired to split Be Still away and have it after Communion. It ended up being structured beautifully.
I had no idea what was being spoken about this morning, but you can probably see the theme was "strength". From a vision at Bible Study, which was a galloping horse, and weakness apparent in the congregation, the sermon which was on provision (feeding the 5000) - they ended up being perfect choices - but I had no idea of the weakness in the congregation, and I didn't know the sermon theme.
Next week - I daren't even blog it, not yet. Songs are picked, theme has emerged, I'm off to listen to and play them. And then pray that the message is right.
Jesus, Hope of the Nations
In Heavenly Armour
I, the Lord of Sea and Sky
Jesus, my Strength
Post communion:
Be still
Usually, the music starts lively, and winds down with prayers somewhere in the middle.
Sometimes the Spirit leads differently. I picked these songs a little over a week ago, and the template for my thinking usually goes thus:
- An idea of the theme from whomever is speaking - sometimes I will know in advance, sometimes not
- A song will come to mind from above. It may be a hymn or chorus, may be praise or worship
- If I have no idea of the theme, a song is invariably forefront on my mind, or I look through my SOFs and database until I get that "pang" - that one.
- After that, I will consider the other members' requests and ideas and see if one or more of them fit in
- From that I can see whether I am missing anything from usual format: 2 lively praise ones, a winding down, and 2 worship
- I gather potential candidates and see how they fit together
- The songs get picked and I get to work with Musescore, chord sheets etc
- I "play" them together in Musescore, play about with keys, then play them myself
This week's could have ended up being rather long; note 3 "hymn" type ones which played together we could have ended up leaving church about tea time if we had really got going. Instead, the leader was inspired to split Be Still away and have it after Communion. It ended up being structured beautifully.
I had no idea what was being spoken about this morning, but you can probably see the theme was "strength". From a vision at Bible Study, which was a galloping horse, and weakness apparent in the congregation, the sermon which was on provision (feeding the 5000) - they ended up being perfect choices - but I had no idea of the weakness in the congregation, and I didn't know the sermon theme.
Next week - I daren't even blog it, not yet. Songs are picked, theme has emerged, I'm off to listen to and play them. And then pray that the message is right.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)