Sunday morning retuning: We have heard some great challenges regarding serving our world these last five weeks. But we have to be doers of the word not hearers only. As we thought about Justice Sunday, what stirred in you? Compassion, Hope4Africa, Remember Nhu...So what is the next step for you?
So maybe you have heard, we have a new CD coming out in a few weeks. If you are at our release party Saturday night you can get an advance copy. And this is just one of the reasons you will want to attend the party.
In addition to your FREE CD, we will enjoy a meal together on the front lawn of the church, there will be some lawn games to play, a couple bouncy houses for the little ones, a great concert featuring the twelve songs on the project, halftime entertainment, and prizes. I really hope you will come out and hear our two bands as they share this music and practice the very message of the work at the same time: Declare His Praises.
The subtitle of the work describes it a little further, “An Invitation to Join the Noise”. This declaring thing is not only for the musically inclined you see. Oh no. 1 Peter 2:9b gives a very clear command. “Declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” And just in case you are wondering who this command is given to, you need look no further than the first part of the verse, God’s people. So the invitation is for you. Will you come join the noise Saturday night, and beyond?
Let me take just a moment and describe how God led us to this point. Last year we recorded Show Us Your Glory. I was still anticipating releasing that to the church when our staff was at District Conference and heard our Superintendent speak about being God’s special possession. I was basking in the afterglow of this project that focused our cry very intently on more of God’s glory in our services and lives. It was a very vertical focus. It was what we needed. And then I heard this challenge to go horizontal. Declaring God’s praises to those who have ears to hear. I knew right then that this was to be the focus of this latest project.
Over the months I listened to a lot of different songs. Some came through North-Mar people, others I sought out, and still others I felt like I stumbled across. I probably had over 50 on my list at some point and began to prayerfully move things up and down the list to find 12 that would “make the cut”. I am excited about the horizontal dimension that many of these songs carry, and the way they will help us balance the vertical nature of last years list.
But that is only part of it. This project is meant to be a tool to assist our worship, which by the way has both vertical and horizontal aspect to it, That means that people need to sing them. That means they need to know them. And how will they know them if they have never heard them. And how will they hear them if no one ever tells them they can. Will you please tell someone they can...and then bring them with you Saturday to enjoy the party, and they will also hear a clear invitation to join the noise as we Declare His Praises!
Jesus, we want to declare you praises with confidence and strength. We also want to gently welcome others to join us. Help us maintain this balance Lord. In Jesus name. Amen.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy
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