Worship and Music Archive

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Choir Notes

Posted December 12, 2022 By admin

Still, Still, Still,

Thy heart with joy I’d fill.

I’d sing thee a song and watch by thy manger,

Guard thee from harm and keep thee from danger.

Still, Still, Still,

thy heart with joy I’d fill.

As I am rushing around making sure everything is “perfect” for our family Thanksgiving celebration, this carol is running through my head. It is one that our choir will sing on Christmas Eve. I can just imagine the mother Mary singing this lullaby to her precious baby Jesus in the still of the night. The peacefulness and love she must have felt as she quieted her baby and sang him to sleep is a beautiful image.

But as I sing this carol I realize nothing in life feels still at the moment. There are so many bulletins to help prepare and proofread, a newsletter article to write, music to choose for bells and children and choir besides the fact that my house is a wreck. I am hardly prepared to welcome my family for Thanksgiving let alone the Christ child. But reflecting on the other meaning of still, not just peacefulness and calm but continuing, I realize that Christ still chooses to come to me in my chaos even though I am not deserving. He is still willing to come to me with forgiveness and grace and everlasting life. And suddenly all the chaos doesn’t seem to really matter anymore.

 

During this Advent season I recognize my need to be still and spend time with Jesus in my bible read[1]ing and in prayer. To meet him on “my road to Emmaus” on Sunday mornings as he opens the scriptures for me and feeds me with his precious body and blood that Mary once sang over. And in response I sing praise and thanksgiving that Jesus still comes to me.

Still, Still, Still,

Within thy holy will.

To thee, great God, my voice I’d raise,

With awe and wonder sing thy praise.

Still, Still, Still,

Within thy holy will.

We would love to welcome you to the choir for the Christmas Eve service. If you can’t commit full time to the choir but would like to add your voice of praise on Christmas Eve, we will be rehearsing on Wednesday evenings from 7-8 after the Advent mid-week service.

Filed in Choir Notes, Other Happenings, Worship and Music

Christmas Caroling

Posted December 7, 2022 By admin

Tis the season! Please plan to join the members of our church family as share an evening of fellowship with our shut in members. We will go Christmas Caroling in the late afternoon of Sunday, December 11th. We will gather at the church at 3:30PM and caravan to several of our church family member’s homes and provide some Christmas cheer with songs and well wishes for a blessed Christmas.

Filed in Fellowship, Other Happenings, Outreach, Worship and Music

Advent at St. Jacob’s

Posted December 5, 2022 By admin

At St. Jacob’s we will celebrate Advent in traditional ways. Sunday worship services will focus on the lessons prescribed by our lectionary. Our mid-week services will feature dramatic readings and the Vespers liturgy from the Lutheran Book of Worship.

On Wednesday, December 21, we will include a special prayer and candlelight hymn as we worship on the Longest night of the year. Traditionally called “Blue Christmas” worship on the longest night reminds us that through Christ, light has come into the world, and the darkness shall not overcome it.

Advent service begin each Wednesday in December at 6:30PM. Further information will be shared in the weekly worship bulletins. Note: There is no Holy Communion shared as we use the Vespers liturgy.

Filed in Other Happenings, Worship and Music, Worship Service

The NALC Fresh Eyes for Mission Summit

Posted December 5, 2022 By admin

Many congregations struggle with decline in attendance and income, transitioning neighborhood and context, lack of coherent and appropriate vision for mission. Time and time again congregational leaders make efforts to re-tool and re-shape the congregation’s life and ministry, only to find resistance to change, lack of commitment and little positive result. One of the challenges to renewal and re-formation is our closeness to our congregation’s history, culture and current practices. As with any family system, we can be so involved that we are blinded to the reality of our situation, unable to see clearly God’s will for new direction and transformation.
In ongoing reflection and conversation, leadership of the North American Lutheran Church have been seeking an integrative approach to congregational assessment, evaluation and renewal. Working together, several member’s of the NALC Executive staff have developed such an approach, appropriately titled, the “Fresh Eyes for Mission Summit.
The goal of the summit is to involve appropriate leadership in the NALC, together with congregational pastor and leaders, praying first, “Lord, let our eyes be opened!” We then trust that the Lord will give participants fresh eyes to receive new insight and understanding, all aimed at new or renewed direction for mission and ministry as the congregation seeks to follow Jesus firmly and faithfully.
On Monday evening, November 21st, several members of St. Jacob’s met with Pastor David Wendel, NALC assistant to the bishop for ministry, to explore the prospects of our congregation participating in the “Fresh eyes for Mission Summit.”
One need only look around to see that St. Jacob’s is not the congregation we once were. In these days of declining church attendance and membership, the Fresh Eyes Summit is designed to help congregations such as ours take a critical look at how their ministry is going and what key factors should be addressed. Congregations engaging in the summit look at the community’s growth and other factors, and weigh their giftedness to determine the capacity each church has for mission and ministry.
Several NALC congregations in the Carolinas (including local congregations such as Holy Trinity in Little Mountain) have participated and come away with renewed energy and excitement about their church’s Ministry.
More information will be shared during our Congregation Meeting on December 4th.

Filed in Bible Study, NALC, Other Happenings, Pastor, South Carolina Mission District, Worship and Music

Worship at Generations

Posted December 5, 2022 By admin

Every other Sunday, Pastor David leads worship for the residents of Generations Assisted Care of Chapin. This ministry has made a difference in the lives of many folks who are not able to attend worship at their home church. The congregation is invited and certainly encouraged to share the love of Christ Jesus in worship with our friends just down the road. Our next worship opportunity will be: Sunday, December 11 with a service of Christmas Lessons and Carols. We begin our worship at 1:00PM in the lobby. Join us as you are able and bring a smile to those whom God loves.

Filed in Bible Study, Other Happenings, Pastor, Worship and Music, Worship Service

Time and Talent

Posted November 4, 2022 By admin

How might you participate in the life and ministry of St. Jacob’s? It is the time of year when all church family members are asked to ponder this very question. As you consider ways in which you might become or continue to be involved, please be sure to fill out the Time and Talent Sheet for 2023. Every member of St. Jacob’s (all ages) is encouraged to fill out a time and talent sheet.
Blank sheets will be included as an insert to the worship bulletin each Sunday through November 13th. Begin with prayer and then check the ways in which you are willing and able to serve our Lord and his church.

Filed in Bible Study, Fellowship, LCY, Lutheran Church Youth, Lutheran Men, Lutheran Women, Missions, Other Happenings, Outreach, Sunday School, Up and Going, Worship and Music, Worship Service, Youth and Family Ministries

Choir Notes

Posted October 31, 2022 By admin

Our St. Jacob’s choirs continue to gather and grow. Our youth members in grades 4 and up have been rehearsing handbells each Sunday and have enjoyed playing during our Sunday services.

Our Children’s Choir, (grades K-3) have been busy learning new songs. As they continue to gain confidence they too will share their gift of music with the congregation during worship.

And finally, our adult Chancel Choir continues to rehearse on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 and always has room for more.

I would like to encourage members of our church family of all ages to consider how you might participate in the music ministry of St. Jacob’s. Even if you are only able to share your musical talent from time to time, there are many opportunities for special music.

Anyone who might be interested in learning Hand Bells is strongly encouraged to contact me so we might explore this opportunity.

Please come and join us.

Filed in Choir Notes, Fellowship, Lutheran Church Youth, Worship and Music, Worship Service

Choir Notes

Posted October 5, 2022 By admin

The days are cooling, everything pumpkin spice is on the menu and that means all our choirs are back in practice. This year there are a few changes to our St. Jacob’s choirs. Our youth in grades 4 and above are rehearsing hand bells each Sunday afternoon at 4 pm. We have started a new choir for our youngest St. Jacobs family members. Children in kindergarten through 3rd grade are meeting at 3 pm on Sunday afternoons for Children’s Choir. There are even changes for our adult choir. The Wednesday evening service will be held at 6:30 each Wednesday starting the first of October which allows our adult choir to practice from 7-8 pm starting immediately following the service. Please come and join us.

I’ve seen Christmas merchandise being put on the shelves in stores, so it is not too soon to be thinking about our Christmas music. If you would be willing to participate in special Christmas music for the season, please let me know. I would love to have a small hand bell group, and this would be a great time for you to participate in choir on a limited basis. Come learn the music for Christmas with us.

Filed in Choir Notes, Other Happenings, Worship and Music, Worship Service

Choir Notes

Posted September 5, 2022 By admin

Psalm 98:4-6
4 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;
5 make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing,
6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—shout for joy before the Lord, the King.

There is no doubt that God loves our music. Throughout scripture we are told to offer songs to God. In 1Chronicles, we are told that after David’s armies had subdued Israel’s enemies, the people were able to settle and David assigned duties to the Levites, the clan chosen to be priests and care for all things related to worship. In 1Chronicles 23, David chooses 4000 men to be in charge of the music used in worship. David knew that our offering of music was pleasing to God.

In the book of Revelation, John is given a glimpse into heaven where he sees the heavenly host gathered around the Lamb of God singing. Verse 4 tells us that each of the elders holding a harp fell down before the Lamb and they sang a new song. Then angels numbering thousands upon thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand encircled the throne and sang. And finally John heard every creature in heaven and earth and under the earth and on the sea singing. There is no doubt that God loves our music. The music of our worship service is an offering to God. Just as we bring our gifts of money, and offer prayers and praise to God each Sunday, we also give an offering of music to God. Some of the songs of our worship are old familiar hymns that we love. Some of the hymns are newer and we may not be as familiar with them. But all of the hymns are an offering of music to our God and we join those elders, and angels and all the host of heaven and earth singing new songs and much loved songs to our Lord. On Sundays, sing out with gusto. If you can’t carry a tune, sing out with gusto, God will hear the beauty of your voice in offering to Him. If you aren’t familiar with the song, sing out with gusto. God will accept your offering with pleasure. If you are afraid to sing, sing out with gusto and join your voice to all those voices in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and in the sea. God will hear your offering and there is no doubt that God loves our music.

Filed in Choir Notes, Fellowship, Other Happenings, Worship and Music, Worship Service

Mid-Week Bible Study Resumes

Posted September 1, 2022 By admin

Our Wednesday morning Bible study will resume on September 7th with a study of Jesus’s parables. From the parable of the Mustard Seed to the Parable of the Rich Man and Poor Lazarus, we will look closely at the teaching of Jesus as he shares what it is to live the life of a person of faith. No materials are needed except your Bible and a willingness to read along with the members of your church family. We have enjoyed many wonderful discussions during our Wednesday Morning Bible studies and pray that more church family members will join in. Bible study will begin at 9:30 AM each week in the fellowship hall.

Filed in Bible Study, Other Happenings, Pastor, Worship and Music
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