There it is, already Friday Midnight, and it feels to me like I have just gotten up. The day seems to have just whizzed right by me. I have barely begun to look for songs and it feels like it is time to play them already. In any case, I have at least one song so far:

"Majesty" Jack Hayford

I am wondering if singing "The Church is a Kite" in the singsong would be too early. I don't think that the song is that hard to learn (of course, I am a little biased since I wrote the tune) and I also I ran it past the choir on Thursday so they are somewhat familiar with it and can help with getting the singing jumpstarted.

I have looked at the songs suggested in "Voices United" for Christ the King Sunday (pp.210-214). Although those songs are well known, I just do not feel like singing them right now.

I have been asked to write a small piece to speak about my dream for the future of the congregation. I have been thinking about it and I think that this is what I would like to say:

I think the future of the congregation begins with being involved in the community. We have to go and meet the people where they live if we want them to come to us. I don't profess to have the answers, but I keep hearing about it when I listen to music and also when I look for music to play here. Let me read you three messages I have run into just these last few days:

The first two come from Contemporary Christian artists:
First, from a song from a band called "Casting Crowns":
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way.

Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the body of Christ.

Second, from singer/songwriter Chris Rice:
There is a candle in every soul,
Some brightly burning, and some dark and cold.
And there is a Spirit who brings a fire,
Ignites a candle and makes His home.

Carry your candle, run to the darkness,
Seek out the helpless, confused and torn,
And hold out your candle, for all to see it.
Take your candle and go light your world.

And finally, from Voices United (VU214):
Mighty and tender God,
voice of the voiceless,
power of the powerless:
we praise you for your vision
of a community of wholeness,
a realm of peace,
in which all who hunger and thirst are nourished,
in which the stranger is welcomed,
the hurting are healed,
and the captive set free.

Guide us by your truth and love,
until we and all your people
make manifest your reign of justice and compassion.

Well, maybe that is a little heavy... I don't know.

God Bless You!