Naomi's Notes - 4/29/07
One of the joys of being a church music leader is getting to mentor children and youth…especially when you stick around long enough to see the results.
Meredith Dungan approached me last month about conducting our Sanctuary Choir for her Senior Project at Frankfort High School. As she rehearsed an anthem with them for a couple of weeks then conducted them during last Sunday's worship, the choir's enthusiasm and delight were a lot more obvious than her nervousness!
Samuel Crowe and Meredith have also approached me from time to time about singing duets or solos. Samuel is working on two spirituals with the Sanctuary Choir to be sung during upcoming worship services.
Several choir members have commented proudly how youth musicians like Meredith and Samuel have grown up in Immanuel's music ministry. They've come through the ranks of our graded choir programs, gaining skills, spiritual understanding and confidence as they've been exposed to quality sacred choral music at church, all-state choirs, etc.
Certainly they are not the only youth in our church who've participated in our music ministry and like to sing, play instruments, conduct…or even act. (Sloane True may have caught the "acting bug" in Musical Day Camp.) I won't embarrass others by mentioning their names here, but look for some musical worship presentations by our high school seniors on Graduation Sunday.
As church music leaders we adults are both humbled and fulfilled to have had an opportunity to participate in the musical and spiritual development of our youth musicians through the years. We rejoice that they are so eager to offer their talents back to God.
And there are more like them coming along. I was approached by two 6th graders last week about working on a spiritual.
Who says kids don't like to learn to sing well?
See you in worship this Sunday -
Naomi