Expecting no change

You may have gathered that I am still thinking about change.  Spring seems like a good time to ponder that and this year, maybe more than others, the turning of winter into spring has been a bit of a shock and surprise.  In all my years in Winnipeg (36 and counting!) we have never reached +25C on March 19.

As I re-read the title, I realized it could be taken several ways!  If your bill at the store was $15.75, and you had the exact amount in your wallet, you would ‘expect no change.’  Under unpleasant circumstances, perhaps at a hospital, a doctor might warn you to ‘expect no change’.  Neither of these uses of the phrase are what I had in mind.  In fact, I was not thinking in human terms at all but rather about the character of God.  I understand from scripture that God is unchanging; that Christ is ‘the same yesterday, today and forever’.  (Hebrews 13:8)  How reassuring this is in the face of 21st century life!  Is there an expression of that truth in song?  Well, the first example that comes to mind is the hymn “Great is Thy faithfulness” where in verse 1 we sing

...Thou changest not; Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.
Words by Thomas O. Chisholm, c. Hope Publishing Company, 1951

I like this hymn.  The melody and harmony of the refrain naturally build in strength as we repeat the words:  Great is Thy faithfulness.  To my ears, it is a good solid piece of music married to an equally strong text.  Does it resound with every person sitting in worship at a specific time and place?  Probably not, and to me that is one of the most important reasons to find other musical expressions of our faith.  A couple years ago I was introduced to a wonderful, newer hymn which expresses the ideas of God’s faithfulness and justice in updated language.  The hymn is God of the Bible; here is the first verse and refrain:

God of the Bible, God in the Gospel,
hope seen in Jesus, hope yet to come,
you are our center, daylight or darkness,
freedom or prison, you are our home. 

 

Refrain:
Fresh as the morning, sure as the sunrise,
God always faithful, you do not change.  (repeat)

 

The author is New Zealander Shirley Erena Murray;  you can read more about her here.  The complete hymn text is available on the Hope Publishing site.  While you’re at the site, I would encourage you to check out some of her other texts.  The words are deep and well articulated and span a variety of topics and seasons.

I have sung this text with a lovely, vibrant tune called Fresh as the Morning by Tony E. Alonso.  He is a fairly young writer; this tune was composed at the age of 21.  You can hear part of the tune by going here and searching for it by tune name then clicking on the “listen” icon.

Here are two print sources for this hymn:
More Voices, c. 2007, The United Church of Canada
Sing the Journey, c. 2005, Faith & Life Resources, a division of Mennonite Publishing Network.

A long absence explained

Anyone who is a regular visitor to my blog will have noticed the very lengthy gap between my post in June and the previous post in October. Last spring, it was my intention to record a second CD in July and I did, in fact, have studio time booked to do just that. But in mid-June plans suddenly changed. My family had been living in a side by side (duplex) home for over 12 years and through most of that time, we had really good neighbours. We got along well, respected each other's noise tolerance levels and had a friendly relationship. Two years ago that changed and the noise level became a point of unresolvable tension. My breaking point came with a confrontation that made me realize 'compromise' was not in their vocabulary.

We had planned to move in 2012 and had been keeping an eye on the housing market for awhile, just to know what was out there. Suddenly, our efforts were put into high gear and within 10 weeks we looked, bought, sold and moved. (A note to readers not in my part of the world: it is a seller's market where we live. We bought 1st knowing we would have no trouble selling afterwards; we lived near the U of Manitoba and affordable housing is hard to find.)

Right from the day of our decision, I began to pray that God would lead us to the right home for us. The song that kept coming to me was Don Moen's "God will make a way where there seems to be no way." It became a litany of sorts to get me through a process I knew would be stressful and tedious. The first day we looked at homes, we saw one we really liked. We made an offer and knew we were not the only ones offering so were not really surprised when we didn't get the house. Two days after closing, our agent called us. "You won't believe what happened! The buyer's financing fell through. The house is yours if you want it." Yes! We matched the previously accepted offer and that house is now our home. The amazing thing is that we were not the second offer in line - we were the fifth! God made a way where there seemed to be no way!

Some of the lovely walking paths in the park directly behind our new home.

A New Day is Coming!

I just listened to the tail end of a radio piece entitled "The Silencing of St. Andrew's". This was not about the St. Andrew's I serve; it was about an Anglophone congregation in rural Quebec that had dwindled to less than a dozen members and could no longer sustain itself. The region's demographics have changed to predominantly Francophone. The building was being de-consecrated by the archdeacon. A huge lump came to my throat and I nearly cried. The last few faithful of this congregation were facing a great loss and my heart ached for them.

There seem to be some parallels to St. Andrew's Winnipeg. We have, by far, more than a dozen members but we are not growing. We are facing changes. Our new minister begins in a few days' time! We will be relocating in the not too distant future. These are exciting times and while I look forward in anticipation of what God will do, my emotions seem close to the surface occasionally knowing that things will change and that I must be open and ready to change as well. Your prayers, my reader, would be much appreciated as this new chapter begins.

A new day is coming! Praise God!

Summer Camp and Rain

As happens nearly every year, I seem to get lost in memories of summer camp. For 3 or 4 years as a teenager I spent about three weeks in July at what was then called Clarksburg Camp (Church of the Nazarene) within walking distance of Georgian Bay. I helped in the dining hall - we called it waitressing - but what it really meant was setting tables, filling salt shakers etc. and washing dishes. It meant early mornings after late nights around a campfire, and it produced lasting friendships and opportunities for spiritual growth.

There is so much music associated with those weeks that I could probably write several entries. The bunch of us girls washing dishes and cleaning up the dining hall would often sing to pass the time and some songs I recall are: Amen (the spiritual), a version of Psalm 100 put to music by a local musician, and He's got the whole world in His hands.

Then there were the traveling song evangelists that came to provide music for the services. I remember many of them, but one that holds a special place in my heart is Canadian Deverne Mullen. He created some of his own arrangements for the camp choir to sing and he always encouraged the teens to join. The tabernacle (meeting place) had a tin roof and you can imagine the deafening sound when it rained! We've had a couple really torrential downpours in the last week or so, and it made me think of Deverne singing "My, Didn't it Rain!" He always had this piece at the ready in case of a storm at camp.

More Grace

Never doubt, dear reader, that God knows what it is we need before we ask. I began this day feeling rather overwhelmed with life's circumstances and wondering how I would cope with things coming up. This afternoon, my Mom phoned to see how I was, and to tell me that my aunt had woken up early - 4:30 a.m. early! - and had the overpowering urge to pray specifically for me. That was answer #1. After we finished on the phone I started straightening up the kitchen and put on a CD for company. One of the pieces in a medley struck home with a powerful hit. That was answer #2. The song is one my Mom often sang and the first line immediately came to mind:

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater.
Words by Annie Johnson Flint

The power of music and words together never ceases to amaze me! I am thanking God for this gift today.

My Journey of Faith

On June 6, 2010 I became an official member of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. I thought this would be a good place to share what I read to the congregation during that special service. The photo was taken while I was sharing my journey of faith.


"I am blessed to have been raised in a Christian home, with parents who lived out their faith every day. My Dad was a minister in the Church of the Nazarene, a small, evangelical denomination. During his 45+ years of ministry he served many congregations - some of them were church plants - and I recall occasions where the 6 of us, Mom, Dad, sisters, brother and I, were the only ones present for a service. I saw how God gave them strength to continue living a Christian life in spite of circumstances which might be discouraging.

"At age 8 I attended summer camp and accepted Christ as my Saviour. I realized my parents’ faith would not save me; I had to make my own decision. With God’s help, I have tried to keep that commitment. As a teenager, I asked the Holy Spirit to come to me, to sanctify – that is, make holy – my life for God’s service.

"I began playing for church at age 12 which was about the time my oldest sister left home for college. When I finished high school in Ontario, I came out to Winnipeg to attend Canadian Nazarene College to study church music. A few years later I met Gord in an adult Sunday School class; we were married and Wesley joined our family a year later.

"One day in early 1998, I received in the mail an appeal from the Music Committee of St. Andrew's. They were looking for an organist and, I presume, got my name from the Music Teachers' directory as an organ teacher who might have a student looking for a job. Such appeals had come to me before and I usually ignored them, but this time I felt prompted to respond. I would just take one step, I told myself, and see what happened.

"I called Susan, the contact given for St. Andrew's. That step led to us (the Keeley family) visiting for a morning worship service. It was Annual Meeting Sunday and while the rest of you were downstairs eating - I think it was chicken a la king - Susan and I were upstairs talking. I took the next step - meeting with the Music Committee, and the rest as they say, is history.

"I am so thankful to God for leading my family and me to the Presbyterian Church! St. Andrew's is my church home; you are family to me. I am blessed to be part of this fellowship."

First time ever - Part 2

Yesterday the choir at St. Andrew's sang a setting of the Swedish hymn "Children of the Heavenly Father" and I thought I'd tell you about the "first time ever." I first remember hearing this hymn about 35 years ago when our District Superintendent, Neil Hightower, came for a Sunday to worship with us in Sarnia. He must have brought the music with him as I don't recall it being in the hymnal we would have been using at the time. I also don't remember who accompanied him - my sister or me. Those details didn't stay with me, but the hymn itself certainly did. It is such a lovely, simple tune which is so appropriate for the words. Here is a link to a brief video excerpt where Professor Gracia Grindal, tells a little about the life of the author, Lina Sandell.

Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in Heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given.

God His own doth tend and nourish;
In His holy courts they flourish;
From all evil things He spares them;
In His mighty arms He bears them.

Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,
And their sorrows all He knoweth.

Though He giveth or He taketh,
God His children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.

Lo, their very hairs He numbers,
And no daily care encumbers
Them that share His ev’ry blessing
And His help in woes distressing.

Praise the Lord in joyful numbers:
Your Protector never slumbers.
At the will of your Defender
Ev’ry foeman must surrender.

Northern Lights - Part 1

The Northern lights were out last night, sweeping their green and glorious path across the cloudy sky. As I checked the windows before heading to bed, I looked out 'just to see' - Are the Northern lights out tonight? It's been awhile since I've seen them, and living in the city as I do, it isn't all that easy to catch a glimpse of that amazing sight. They truly are awesome (ie., they inspire awe) to me and serve to remind me what an almighty God I serve. His creativity is beyond comprehension!

Sometimes, the Northern lights are more ribbon like and can be seen as one long, flowing line as you look northward. Last night they were swirling all around the midnight sky. Imagine mixing melted chocolate into cake batter or the swirls in marble paper and you will have a good idea what it looked like. I have seen them this way only once before that I can recall and that was about 25 years ago and 2 hours away from city lights. The sight was even more magnificent!

All this led me to wonder if there are any hymns which mention the Northern lights. I couldn't think of any, but a quick search brought two results. The first is verse 2 of a hymnal version of the lyrics for O Canada, written by Albert D. Watson.

Almighty Love, by Thy mysterious power,
In wisdom guide, with faith and freedom dower;
Be ours a nation evermore
That no oppression blights,
Where justice rules from shore to shore,
From lakes to northern lights.
May love alone for wrong atone;

Refrain:

Lord of the lands, make Canada Thine own:
Lord of the lands, make Canada Thine own!

The second result brought lyrics by Catherine MacLean, copyright 2008 by The United Church of Canada. You can read them here.

The more things change, the more they stay the same!

Today we sang a hymn that was new to me when I began serving in the Presbyterian church. I may have heard the words before then as Dad often quoted words by Fanny Crosby or Frances Ridley Havergal, the latter being the author of this hymn.

Standing at the portal of the opening year,
words of comfort meet us hushing every fear,
spoken through the silence by God's loving voice,
tender, strong and faithful, making us rejoice.

Refrain:
Onward, then, and fear not, children of the day,
for God's word shall never, never pass away.

"I, your God, am with you: do not be afraid;
I will help and strengthen; do not be dismayed,
for I will uphold you with my own right hand;
you are called and chosen in my sight to stand."

God will not forsake us and will never fail;
God's eternal covenant ever will prevail.
Resting on this promise, what have we to fear?
God is all-sufficient for the coming year.

As we sang the third verse, I was overwhelmed by the truth of the words. God is all-sufficient for the coming year no matter if the year is 2009 or some year in the 1800's when the words were originally written. People then had fears for the future, whether they voiced them or not, just as today we do not know what the year ahead may hold, and may be fearful of the unknown. St. Andrew's is beginning a year of changes: change in leadership, a possible change of location - all unknowns at this point. I urge you, wherever you are to claim God's promise to be with us through the year ahead.

New Every Morning

Happy New Year!

I knew it was snowing when I went to bed last night - or maybe I should say very early this morning - but I was pleasantly surprised to see about 2-5cm of fresh snow when I got up today. There are many wonderful things about a fresh snowfall. It makes everything so clean and white, and especially on New Year's it seems to mirror the fresh, clean start we all get to the year. A new snowfall also sparkles like diamonds when the sun is out, as it is now, and it reminds me of the riches of God's grace and love in my life, and the beauty of the world around me.

One hymn that often comes to mind for me on this day is "Great is Thy Faithfulness". I remember singing this at a Watchnight service as a teenager. I'm not sure if that's when it became significant to me, but the words are meaningful still all these years later.

There's a more recent setting of words from Lamentations 3 by Edith McNeill that have also been running through my head today:

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.
Your mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning, new every morning:
great is your faithfulness, O Lord, great is your faithfulness!"

I hope that on this first day of 2009 you will find time to reflect on the goodness of God and the fresh start that God's mercy and grace give us each day.