Immanuel/Sanctuary Music Notes January 2011

The following is the bi-monthly newsletter (January addition) I send out to current, former and future musicians and friends of the Immanuel Contemporary Music Ministry.



Happy 2011 Everyone!

If you know me at all, you know I am a goal setter. I love brainstorming, dreaming and goal setting! Now... putting plans into motion...I have a goal to get better at that! :)


At any rate, I have some 2011 goals for myself as the director of contemporary music that I would love to share with you:

-Make it a priority to begin every practice/rehearsal/service we have with prayer.

- Continue meeting once a month with the Sanctuary Music leaders to plan for worship, pray, learn and grow with each other.

-Begin meeting once a month with the Immanuel Music leaders to plan for worship, pray, learn and grow with each other.

- Plan and post worship music selections (at least) 2 weeks in advance

- Organize my office...

-Organize music files on planning center

-Write some more music for worship

-Encourage more people to join our choirs/band/groups

-Update my music blog more often (hey! I think I have 2 followers!)

-Inventory our sound equipment

-Work on organizing, growing and enpowering our sound teams at both Immanuel and Sanctuary

I also have some general hopes/goals for 2011 for our music ministry. Disclaimer: the following thoughts lean more towards the brainstorming/hopes side of goals, but here you go anyway:



-That lives will continue to be touched and changed by the messages of God's unending Love that we sing about in our music.

-Community Hymn Sing at Immanuel the first Sunday in May

-Summer concert series at Immanuel ( one concert each month)

-Summer Wednesday night Praise and Prayer (a short service of music, scripture and prayer)

-"Hymn of the Month For Kids" recording

-Sanctuary Christmas CD recording

-The numbers in our groups/choirs/bands increase
-Starting a bible study on Worship/Worship leading


 Can you help me with something in 2011?

Will you keep me accountable to my personal goals as music director- I could use your help. :)
Will you keep me up to date with any concerns or dreams or hopes you might have for our music ministry- I'd love to talk, please don't hesitate!

Oh and one more thing...

Will you prayerfully consider the people in your lives, and consider inviting (at least) one to church? We have something really unique and special going on with our music at Immanuel/Sanctuary, it is heartfelt, and real, and us. God has called us to use this wonderful music to share His good news with those that don't know it. hey- we as musicians have it 'easy', we can just, say "Come here me play/sing!

And finally, and most importantly.

Will you get to know our Jesus with me in 2011?. Your relationship with the Jesus we sing about every Sunday is of utmost importance to me, and I, or one of our pastors, or your fellow congregants, or your band or choir mates, would love to walk along side of you as you journey to know him better. For me this year, it means picking up the bible...and committing to read it in a 3 year plan. for you it means.... fill in the blank, but I pray that we can all grow in relationship with our Lord and Savior more and more each day.


God Will bless you and keep you, shine His face upon you, and give you Peace in 2011!


Your fellow servant,
Ellen

May God's Peace be with you in the New Year!

On this the 7th day of Christmas, I wanted to share with you a beautiful arrangement of "I heard the Bells on Christmas Day" by folk musician John Gorka.  I heard this arrangement many years ago on a Windham Hill compilation Christmas album, and have looked forward to hearing it every Christmas since. I think the melody, harmonies and delivery really speak the words of the song Enjoy!

Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all he brings,

risen with healing in his wings.

Mild he lays his glory by,

born that we no more may die,

born to raise us from the earth,

born to give us second birth.

Hark! the herald angels sing,

"Glory to the new born King!"

 I was reading up on these lovely words from the well loved Christmas Hymn by Charles Wesley, and found an interesting persepective on this imagry from a sermon given by a Rev Peter Edwards of the Malvern Priory, United Kingdom.  Click here to go to the Priory's website, read and enjoy.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Thanksgiving

I can't help but being so thankful, on a daily basis, for the wonderful musicians that I have the opportunity to work with at Immanuel and Sanctuary!  What a blessing it is to our congregation to have such a faithful, dedicated, and talented group of volunteers.  You are all, so appreciated.  Thank You, Thank You!

Here are a few great pics from just today, of one of our bands at Santuary- The 4D's.  They have now added a keyboard player, who's name begins with M, so I suppose they are now the 4 D's and an M!  Credit for the photos goes to another of our volunteers musicians/sound guys- Jake Burgy

small

Recently I drove by what seems to be the smallest church I have ever seen in the area. (please note when you view the Google map that the church is the very tiny white square, not the big buildings, which are actually townhouses, along side of it)

View Larger Map
 A tiny wooden chapel that looks about the size of my kitchen,  I smiled as I read the message on the sign out front- Southern Gospel Concert- Free!  All are welcome. Aww how nice, I thought, as small as they are still trying, reaching out, opening their doors.  I imagined 'the board' of all 90 somethings, sitting around the meeting table discussing how they could reach out to the community, and coming to the conclusion that the Southern Gospel concert was the best route!  Praise God for churches like them!

As I come to the home stretch of my first semester back to college in some 18 years or so, I have been becoming more and more aware of how small I am.  One of the first reminders came when I had my first organ group lesson.  Now, I came to college fully aware that an organist I am not. I mean I can make do, but I am surely what I (and my organ teacher) would consider a beginner on the instrument.  But still, I have been playing, and filling in here and there for years so surely I could play as well as at least some of the students half my age.  uh...no.  As each student got up to play, each one better then the next,  I sank deeper into the pew i was sitting in. Thankfully I was spared, when my teacher didn't call my name to play in front of the group.  Phew- did i dodge that one!

I wasn't so lucky at my voice group lesson just a couple weeks back.  A case of stage fright like I have never experienced got the best of me, at this, very friendly, very laid back gathering.  Again I was in awe of the talent and confidence in this group of college students, but as the evening of amazing voices wore on, I felt like I wanted to shrink into the background, or better yet just quietly sneak out of the room. When it was finally my turn to get up to sing, I did my best, never once looking up from my book, kind of like a toddler covering his eyes ("you can't see me, you can't see me"!)

Yah, I've been feeling kinda small lately, but even though I might be feeling like that, I know something that is much more important.  I may be small, but I am not insignificant.  There will always be someone far more talented then me, but God uses the talents I have, and expects that I use these talents that He has given to me- for His glory.  I am so blessed to be among the many musically talented people at my work at Immanuel and now in addition, the college students and amazing professors at Concordia.  I am blessed because no matter where we 'stack up' talent wise our lives are just so darn significant to the plan that God has for this world! 

Back to the. smallest. church. ever.  I decided to check them out online... maybe not all 90 somethings around 'that board' table (although that wouldn't be a bad thing).  They have a new Youth director, a young pastor and family, women's and youth ministries, fall festival, and on and on.  What do ya know?  Maybe not so small after all!

Immanuel/Sanctuary Music News Sept 2010

The following is the September addition of the bi-monthly "e-newsletter" that I send out to current, former, and prospective music volunteers and music friends of Immanuel and Sanctuary1010.

Immanuel/Sanctuary Music News September 2010

Hello!
I can't believe tomorrow is the first day of Fall! This season is always a reminder to me of back-to-school, and learning, and new pencils, and the smell of crayons, and fresh notebooks, and clean slates!

As many of you know, this year's back to school time, has special significance for me, as I have decided to begin the process of finishing my bachelors degree after a nearly 20 year absence.

 I wanted to share with you, and fill you in with a little background of why this is so meaningful to me.

I began college the first time, at Concordia, in Seward Ne, as a kinda naive, pretty immature, 17 year old. I entered the Lutheran music education program, and sailed through all of my music classes. I couldn't wait to get to those classes, and would stay up all night working on compositions, and other music homework. I loved it, and my professors were encouraging and supportive.

The rest of college for me, was unfortunately, much more difficult. My college years were a very dark time for me personally. The choices I made did not reflect the person I wanted to be. Ultimately the choices I made, and the things I did, resulted in me not being able to finish the degree I had dreamed about.

 Today I thank God that he pulled me out of the dangerous depths that I found myself in during college when I was young. I thank God for His beautiful grace and loving forgiveness. I thank God, that I have been able to find work serving the church with music, almost from the day I left college. I thank God that he blessed me with two beautiful children that changed my life. And I thank God that he has led me to this time and place, and these circumstances, that will allow to me to finally finish the college degree I never stopped dreaming about.
I am now taking classes as a junior in college at Concordia University, Chicago (its actually in River Forest) I am a Music Major, and am also seeking a Director of Parish Music certificate. I should be able to graduate in about 3 years!

In the four short weeks since I began college (again), I have already learned so much, and I am so excited about sharing it all with you! (just tell me to be quiet if I talk to much about it!) It is my prayer that this education will give me more tools, and more knowledge, and more skills to help me to be the best servant of God that I can be. It is also my prayer that I will be able to use what I learn to be better at what I do as Music Director at Immanuel/Sanctuary. I hope to be more of a help to all of you, and more of a resource for the congregation. 

I am so excited about what the future holds for us and the music program at Immanuel/Sanctuary! Great things are happening every week! The talent and dedication we have in all of you, is unprecedented in churches our size. Every Sunday, peoples' lives are being changed as they hear the message of God's love in the songs that we sing and play. No education is needed to know that you all, and the time that you give, are the ones that are making these great things happen.
As always, and I don't tell you enough... Thank You! Thank You for your support towards me. Most of all, thank you all for all the things I learn from you on a weekly basis, you have been my 'college' for my last 13 years working here at Immanuel! I pray that we can all keep learning from each other! Please feel free to call me at any time with any questions or anything at all, and please keep sharing all your knowledge with me! :)

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OTHER STUFF-
I'd love to hear some live music with you!
Nathan Fisher has started a new band called Indeed and has quite a few shows lined up. There is one THIS Friday Oct 1 at 9pm

here:
McBrody's Bar and Grill
73 W. Jefferson St.
Joliet IL, 60432
P:815-726-8960

You can check out Indeed here at their Myspace Page

let me know if you want to car pool! Also let me know if you hear of another show (secular, sacred,classical, professional, open mic) whatever! that you would like to get a group together for.
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I hope you are all enjoying this wonderful fall weather!
Ellen

Beyond A Mighty Fortress

Here is a neat little resource for those of you interested in learning a little bit more about the musical heritage of the Lutheran Church from the 16th-20th century!  (I'm only a week and half in to school, just wait!)
Thrivent Financial put this out- here is a little description from their website- be sure to notice the last sentence.

 Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has created "Celebrating the Musical Heritage of the Lutheran Church"- a compilation of five CDs, an interactive CD-ROM and a 50-page booklet highlighting the music of Lutherans from the 16th through the 20th centuries. The collection was provided by Thrivent Financial to Lutheran congregations and select institutions. It is no longer available.

Yeh, you heard it, the resource is no longer available but you can access much of its information including audio clips of muisc and interviews, organized in an easy to use fashion, at the website right here:

Musical Heritage Of the Lutheran Church