Minister of Music

         A happy “Week of the Fourth” to everyone! This is a time for all of us to celebrate our freedom as Americans and rejoice that we live in a land of such wonderful opportunity. Back in the old days when I was student at Pfeiffer, we always opened our choir concerts with the National Anthem. One year Dr. Brewer, our esteemed conductor, had us open with “The Star Spangled Banner” as was our tradition, but rather than sing the well-known first verse, he had us sing the less-familiar fourth verse because of meaning of the text. The fourth verse is as follows:

 O! Thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust.'
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

     Of course the first verse will always be considered our “National Anthem” but I think it is interesting that Francis Scott Key went on to write three more verses. The other two verses are interesting also, but are rarely printed. Our hymnal only employs the first and last verses.

     I will be away this Sunday for a time of family vacation. Archie Ritchie will be leading the music for me while I am away. Please remember our Caswell group that will be attending Music Week July 6-11.

Steve

Molly's Message

 This past week was a busy but interesting one for me. By the time Friday rolled around, I was too tired to realize all that I had accomplished. Finally, it hit me that I had completed all the work for my first Graduate school class. I had been way too distracted to actually think of the class coming to an end until it was already over. This got me thinking about different periods of my spiritual journey where life seemed to overshadow the beauty and grace that God continually provided. Fortunately, they were few and far between but I still wish I could go back and take the time to slow down and appreciate those special blessings while they were happening. I realize now that while my physical sight has always been top notch, my spiritual sight has occasionally been less than perfect. The only thing I can do now is pray that God will remove the self-made film that covers my spiritual eyes. I'm reminded of a place in the book of Mark where Jesus healed a blind man named Bartimaues (Mark 10:46-52). As Bartimaeus cried out for the 'Son of David' to 'have mercy' on him, he was shused by those around him but he was persistent and Jesus took notice and healed him. While this blind beggar was lacking perfect physical sight, his spiritual sight was 20/20. We should all try to pattern ourselves after Bartimaeus!"

From the Pastor 

Dateline: Bucha, Ukraine - As I was walking around the Village  of Hope today, I got a strange feeling of how weird it is for this place to be so familiar and yet so alien. It has been gratifying to see the work that has been done. I could scarcely believe how all the mortar and bricks that we were a part of last year has taken the shape of Laura's House. It is going to be a most beautiful and    functional group home.

     And as I looked right in front of the house (well really diagonal to it) I saw the old outdoor theater where the kids who came to summer camp were shown propaganda films. How fitting that the history of this communist pioneer camp is being transformed by the redemptive power of God's grace and love. We sang Amazing Grace at the Bucha church Sunday. We sang in English and of course they sang in Ukranian but the message was the same for all. Certainly this place has become a testimony to that grace.

Music Ministry 

     My sincere appreciation to the men who participated in our Father’s Day Men’s Ensemble this past Sunday. Many of you told me how much you enjoyed their singing. I too enjoyed working with this group very much. We truly had a wonderful time at rehearsal. My only regret is that the one person who would have enjoyed the ensemble the most was unable to participate on Sunday. Archie Ritchie had surgery on his elbow over the weekend and complications from this surgery prevented him from being at church last Sunday. I hope we can get this group together again before the summer is over so that Archie has a chance to sing with us as well as Dr. Wicker who is away on the Ukraine mission trip. We may even pick up more singers when we hold our next rehearsal. I always think it is interesting to hear so many good voices from men who think they can’t sing.