Here I am Lord

This week anthem is "Here I am Lord" which is one of our favorites. It will be lifted up by both the chancel choir and the youth handbell.
Whenever I sing the song, it gives me joyful tears feeling with love of God. Especially, seeing a tragedy of Haiti, God tells us who He is really beyond all pains and sadness through the song. Even though lots of people question where God was when the earth quake happened, we need to keep our faith in Him that He is a loving Father.
I pray that Lord be glorified by this anthem on this Sunday, uses this song to comfort people's hearts with His abundant love.
Here is the lyric. Enjoy!

Refrain:
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?I have heard you calling in the night.I will go, Lord, if you lead me.I will hold your people in my heart.

1.I, who made the stars of night,I will make their darkness bright.Who will bear my light to them?Whom shall I send? I, who made the stars of night,I will make their darkness bright.Who will bear my light to them?Whom shall I send?
2.I, the Lord of snow and rain,I have borne my people’s pain.I have wept for love of them.They turn away. I will break their hearts of stone,Give them hearts for love alone.I will speak my words to them.Whom shall I send?
3. I, the Lord of wind and flame,I will send the poor and lame.I will set a feast for them.My hand will save. Finest bread I will provide,'Til their hearts be satisfied.I will give my life to them.Whom shall I send?

The River

This Sunday will be "Baptism of the Lord" Sunday to remind the baptism of Jesus, and also have a moment to renew our baptism.

The chancel choir will lift up " The River" as our anthem. Thinking about Jesus' baptism gives me a thought of humility. He is the Son of God but totally was humbled himself. This picture is the baptism of the Lord from Cathedral of our Lady of the angels in LA, California. When I went there to perform, I was inspired with this picture. It was hung right behind a baptismal water pond in the sanctuary. I am not sure whether Jesus was baptised like this picture, but could feel His wholesome of humility. I want to be deeply humble to God more than anything else.

All choirs have started rehearsals again this week. Please pray for our music ministry to grow in God to worship, and praise Him with all our best. I am very excited to observe how God will lead us in our music ministry in 2010!

Here is the text of our anthem this week.

Shall we gather at the river, where bright angel feet have trod, with its crystal tide forever flowing by the throne of God?

Yes, we will gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river; gather with the saints at the river that flows by the throne of God. "Deep river, my home is over Jordan. Deep river, Lord, I want to cross over into campground.

O don't you want to go to that gospel feast, that promised land where all is peace?

O don't you want to go to that promised land, that land where all is peace?

Shall we gather at the river, the beautiful, beautiful river, gather with the saints at the river that flows by the throne of God!

Merry Christmas!

Emmanuel~ !

I wish you all have a Happy Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

I am sorry that I haven't had a chance to update much in this site. It sounds like an excuse but true that our church Internet was not good for couple of weeks. There were two services last night for Christmas Eve, and there will be a regular service on Sunday. The chancel choir will sing " Walk in the Light" as this week anthem.

I pray that everyone has had a chancel to feel and content with His deep peace and love during this wonderful season.

A festival of Lessons and Carols and beyond~!!

A Festival of Lessons and Carols will be tomorrow at 5:00 in our Sanctuary. Please come and join in adoring the Lord, Jesus with us! There will be eight different groups will play, praise, and dance to praise Him who came to us as Emmanuel!

The chancel choir will sing " Come and Adore" as our anthem tomorrow morning with a trumpet and handbells.

I pray that May the Lord be with us in our worship services, and send people to worship Him with their whole heart!

Come, and Adore Him

Come and adore Jesus the newborn King!Glory and praise let voices be raised! Praise to the newborn King! Sing gloria, sing gloria! Sing glory to God on high!

O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O Come, Let us adore Him, Chris the Lord!For He alone is worthy, for He alone is worthy, for He alone is worthy, Christ the Lord!

Sing gloria! sing gloria! Sing glory to God on high!

Waiting for a King

It is our second Advent Sunday this week.

The chancel choir will lift up "Waiting for a King" as our anthem and the youth choir will sing "Ave Verum" at 11:00 service. The anthem is a rather simple but beautiful meaningful song for Advent. Ave Verum is a well known song by Mozart. I pray that we all get to have a intimate moment with the Lord during this Advent.

Here are text of two songs.

Waiting for a king; when will he come? Waiting for a king; God's holy One.
Will the world be ready? Is His advent near? Waiting for a king when will he appear?
Waiting for a king, when will he come? Waiting for a king, God's only Son.
Will the world receive him? Will He stand alone? Waiting for a king to come and take his throne.
In the fullness of time the Prince of Peace will come, the promised Messiah, God;s chosen One. For those who are righteous, hope will be restore.
Their eyes will be opened, eyes will be opened, eyes will be opened,
they will know the Lord.
Waiting for a king, ruling in might. Waiting for a king to shine in our night.
Will the world be ready? When he comes to stay?
Waiting for a king; will this be the day?

Ave verum corpus, natum de Maria Virgine,
vere passum, immolatum in cruce pro homine,
cuius latus perforatum fluxit aqua et sanguine:
esto nobis praegustatum in mortis examine.
O Iesu dulcis, O Iesu pie, O Iesu, fili Mariae. Miserere mei. Amen.

Hail, true Body, born of the Virgin Mary, truly suffered, sacrificed on the cross for humankind,
whose pierced side flowed with water and blood:
May it be for us a foretaste [of the Heavenly banquet] in the trial of death.
Oh dear Jesus, Oh merciful Jesus, Oh Jesus, son of Mary,
have mercy on me. Amen.

Emmanuel!

Wishing you all have a blessed Thanksiving this week!

This coming Sunday is first Advent Sunday. It is such a blessed time to think about Jesus who came to us as "Emmanuel", His salvation, God's grace toward us, and to have a heart for also coming Jesus again.

Our chancel choir will lift up "Born to set Thy people free" as our anthem, and I will lift up " We shall behold Him". Praying that we all worship Him with our desire and thirst for presence of God in truth and heart.

Here is the lyric of two songs. May the Lord bless you all with His Holy Spirit!

Born to set Thy people Free

O Come, o come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until our God appears.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel!
Come, Thou long expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free; from our fears and sins release us; let us find our rest in Thee. Israel's strength and consolation, hope of all the earth Thou art; dear Desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart.
Born Thy people to deliver, born a child a yet a king, born reign in us forever, now Thy gracious kingdom bring. By Thine own eternal Spirit rule in all our hearts alone; by Thine all sufficient merit raise us to Thy glorious throne.
Come, Thou long expected Jesus, born to set Thy people free.

We shall behold Him

1. The sky shall unfold preparing His entrance. The starts will applaud Him with thunders of praise. The sweet light of His eyes shall enhance those awaiting, and we shall behold Him then face to face.

refrain: We shall behold Him, we shall behold Him. Face to face in all of His glory. We shall behold Him, we shall behold Him, face to face our Savior and Lord.

2. The angel shall sound the shout of His coming. The sleeping will rise from their slumbering place; and those who remain shall be changed in a moment, and we shall behold Him then face to face.

Thanks to God for My Redeemer

This Saturday is our 58th annual BBQ in our church. People have been cooking, making baked apples, and sauces. I have been praying that God's presence at our BBQ even though it is our fellowship and service to the community.

Also, on this Sunday, we all will get together for our community annual Thanksgiving service at 7:00 in the St. Anne Catholic Church. Eight churches get together to lift up our grateful hearts as one family to our Father.

The chancel choir will lift up a thanksgiving anthem "Thanks to God for My Redeemer" as our anthem on Sunday morning and a combined choir will also sing the same one at that night. The anthem has rather simple melody but good lyrics that makes us to think about what to give thanks to the Lord.

The Inspi-Ring(adult handbell group) will also praise " Rock a my soul" in both services.

Even though there are still bitter stuff in our lives, we need to grateful heart to our faithful Father.

Here is the text.

Thanks to God for my Redeemer, thanks for all that you provide. Thanks for times now but a memory, thanks for Jesus by my side. Thanks for pleasant balmy springtime, Thanks for dark and dreary fall. Thanks for tears by now forgotten, thanks for peace within my soul.
Thanks for prayers that you have answered, thanks for what you have denied. Thanks for storms that we have weathered, thanks for all you have supplied. Thanks for pain and thanks for pleasure, thanks for comfort in despair. Thanks for grace that none can measure, thanks for love beyond compare.
Thanks for roses by the wayside, thanks for thorns their stems contain. Thanks for homes and thanks for fireside, thanks for hope, that sweet refrain. Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow, thanks for heaven’s peaceful shore. Thanks for hope in the tomorrow, thanks to God forever more. We thank you, God.