Happy Thursday!
Here’s what you need to know this week:
This Sunday
This Sunday, full worship ministry is leading. Call time for instrumentalists, praise team, and A/V is 8:00am on stage. Choir will meet in the choir room at 8:35am.
The anthem this week is Praise His Name (Psalm 148), directed by Stacie Parkins! Come ready to sing.
Click below for the Scripture text and order of service, or to view/hear the music in Planning Center.
Notes
FULL WORSHIP MINISTRY is leading this Sunday. We will have choir, orchestra, praise team, and rhythm section.
The choir anthem for Sunday is Praise His Name, led by Stacie Parkins.
Reminder: this Sunday is the last Sunday choir will sing for the summer.
Prayer requests
Bridget Horner, whose parents are dealing with several health issues.
Praise: Reagan Bagci’s scans at St. Jude were clear yesterday.
Tracy Bruneau, diagnosed with breast cancer.
Betty Speck (soprano), recovering at home after rehab.
Tamra (Sabrina Perlongo’s daughter), who is having surgery to remove a bone mass in her sinuses.
One more thing from Andy
Do you remember the year 2020? I was digging through some files this week and came across a presentation we made for the first choir rehearsal back after the crazy summer of COVID. In it, I shared a few charts and graphs that were relevant at the time. Like this one:
And this one:
There were more serious ones, too. Like this good reminder:
And this one:
That year was challenging in so many different ways. But what a unique time in history for God to show his faithfulness and remind His people that He is always in sovereign control. Even in the crazy uncertain of COVID times, there really was an unshakeable certainty: God Himself. Times change; God doesn’t.
Worship ministry—you are undergoing a change now. Things will be different, and that’s ok! The person leading choir rehearsal or singing out front on a mic will change. The man you eventually hire as your worship pastor will bring fresh ideas, a new personality, funnier jokes, and probably a fuller head of hair.
However, your purpose as a worship ministry will not change. By God’s grace, you will continue doing what you’ve been doing faithfully for years (long before I ever arrived on the scene). Here’s a reminder from that COVID slideshow of what that is:
I don’t have anything “new” to say to you today. Continue to make much of Christ. Continue to keep the church connected to the Song God has given you. Continue to “point” to Jesus, like tour guides of His glory. Continue to create musical art that frames the Gospel beautifully and appropriately—with undistracting excellence.
I am so thankful for the time the Lord allowed me and my family to serve at Stevens Street. You have all left an indelible imprint on our lives, and we will never be the same. Stay humble, and stay faithful. Run the race well, and love each other the whole way.
The beauty of a “Gospel goodbye” is that there really is no final goodbye for those in Christ. I’ll worship with you again, whether it’s in a choir here on earth or it’s in that great heavenly choir gathered around the throne of Jesus in God-glorifying, grace-filled, hell-shaking, soul-delighting singing.
I’ll see you Sunday,
Andy
Questions?
Respond to the worship ministry text on your phone, or use the form below.
Email Andy: ahammond@stevensstreet.org
Email April: alangford@stevensstreet.org