Westminster Carol

The chancel choir will lift "Westminster Carol" for this week anthem.
I will be in Indiana with my family to attend a graduation assessment during this weekend even though Jason and I have one more thing to complete the degree. The school allows doctorate students who passed all those qualifying exam to walk at the ceremony.

Gracefully, Sally Reeves will lead the music during the services. Thank you Sally!!

Here is the text of the carol. Let's praise with the choir on Sunday!

Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o'er the plains.
And the mountains in reply, Echoing their joyous strains.
Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo. Shepherds why this jubilee, Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be which inspire this heavenly song.
Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Come to Bethlehem and see Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come adore on bended knee Christ the Lord the newborn King.
Gloria, Gloria, Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Child of God

This week anthem is "Child of God" written in American Folk Tune. I love this song singing during Advent or Christmas. The song made me sure my identity which is the happiest truth. Let's praise Him and tell people
"I am a Child of God!".

Child of God

If you anybody asks you who I am, who I am, who I am. If anybody asks you who I am, tell them I'm child of God.
Peace on Earth and Mary rocking the cradle, rocking the cradle, rocking the cradle,
Peace on Earth and Mary rocking the cradle, Christ Child was born in glory.
If anybody asks you who I am, who I am, who I am, If anybody asks you who I am, tell them I'm a child of God.
The little cradle rocks tonight in glory, tonight in glory tonight in glory, the little cradle rocks tonight in glory,
Christ Child was born in glory.
If anybody asks you who I am, who I am, who I am,
If anybody asks you who I am, Tell them I am a child of God.
DO you believe, a He was born in a stable, born in a stable, born in a stable, would you believe, He was
born in a stable, Christ Child was born in glory.
If anybody asks you who I am, who I am, who I am.
If anybody asks you who I am, tell them I'm a child of God.
If anybody asks you who I am, who I am, who I am.
If anybody asks you who I am! Tell them I'm a Child of God, Oh YEAH~!

Lessons and Carols~!

Let's praise Jesus and hear miracle story about Him at the Lessons and carols!!
You don't want to miss it!

a Advent song

Advent has started last week. It is very important to have a period time preparing our hearts before Christmas. We think that Christmas comes back every single year but I would like to have a new Christmas in every year. I have asked myself how many times I have had "real Christmas" in my life. I could count a few but now many. It is also the busiest time of a year always. It makes harder to focus on our heart toward Jesus.
The chancel choir will lift up this beautiful advent song "waiting for a king" as anthem this week. And the adult handbell will praise " in the bleak winter" as an offertory. Both has beautiful text. I pray that we have a desire to have our Lord, Jesus in our heart and give ourselves as offering to Him. The last verse of "in the bleak winter" is my favorite. This week is also our consecration Sunday. I hope everyone bring their hearts to the Lord. He doesn't need anything because He already has everything. but, He wants our hearts. Don't you think?
Here are two songs' text.

Waiting for the King
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 restored.
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?

In the bleak winter
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,

In the bleak midwinter, long ago.
Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;

Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

A Song of Thanksgiving

I would like to share one of my favorite songs for the Thanksgiving. The choir will not have a chance to share with you this year but I would love to share about the song. It is originally from Swedish hymn. The poem was written by August L. Storm who served in the Salvation Army for whole his life. August suffered a back injury that crippled him for life and yet he continued to serve his Salvation Army duties until his death. This poem was written among those suffering years but he did not stop thanks to the Lord with whole his hearts. Here is the poem for you all. I pray that we all can lift the poem to the Lord at the Thanksgiving.
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 go God forever more.

Thanksgiving Sunday!

This Sunday is our Thanksgiving Sunday! We will lift our heart with " Rejoice, Give thanks and Sing!" to the Lord. The youth ensemble will join the chancel choir to make the song more beautiful . Please encourage and give your support to the youth ensemble!!
Let's count blessings and give thanks to the Lord!!
Also, there will be a community Thanksgiving service at St. Anne. Anyone is interested in singing with the choir, please come at 5:50 on Sunday afternoon.
You are more than welcome!!

Precious Lord, take my hand!

We are running toward the busiest season of a year, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Especially, our church has an annual Barbecue next weekend. For the event, people spent most of their free time in the church to prepare it such as cutting woods, cleaning the grills, making the barbecue sauce, and so on. It is an enormous effort to make it happen.

I have chosen "Precious Lord, take my hand" as our anthem of this week. Physically, or emotionally, we all sometimes get tired and feel that we even couldn't move a one more step. Some people might feel that way in the Sunday morning. Let's call our Precious Lord, and ask Him to take our hands. From Psalms 37: 24,"though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand." We all stumble in some point but we will not fall because the Lord holds with His hand. What a comforting message! I have prayed that we all confess that we stumble and need His hand. Here is the text.

Precious Lord, take my hand Lead me on, let me stand I"m tired, I"m weak, I"m lone Through the storm, through the night Lead me on to the light Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home.