We need You, Lord!

It is a good time to examine ourselves how we live as Christians during Lent. I have found myself how much I am centered in myself lately. Even though I pray, read, or those stuff everyday, God showed me that there are a number of times that I do them for myself, like Pharisees. I am thankful that I can confess my sins to my Lord who forgive my sins always.

The chancel choir will lift up an anthem "We need You, Lord" which was written in incorporating a hymn "I need Thee Every Hour." I need the Lord in every hour, every even second honestly. I pray that we all have some time to deny ourselves that our lives are not ours and confess that we need Him. Here is lyric of the song.

When the shadows appear bringing darkness, and despair, when our hearts are feeling lonely and no one seems to care;

When there's nowhere to turn, or we find we don't belong, Lord, speak to us, and comfort us, and help us to be strong.

We need You every hour to helo us find our way, to fill our lives with hope, to guide us through each day.

We need You, yes we need You, every hour we need You. O blessed Lord and Savior, we give our hearts to You.

When we're feeling afraid, and we want to turn away; When temptation overcomes us and makes us go astray; When we stumble and fall, or the signs of doubt set in, Lord, come to us, and walk with us, and help us start again.

We need You, yes we need You, every hour we need You. O Blessed Lord and Savior, we give our hearts to You. Lord, we give our hearts to You!

Let's give our hearts to our Lord!

Seek to Serve

Lent has started and this Sunday is our first Sunday at Lent. This week's scripture is from Luke 4:1-13 that Jesus went to the wilderness. I would like to start our Lent as a journey with Jesus, to walk with Him, to be nearer to Him, and to follow His step. This week anthem is "Seek to serve". Jesus showed how to live in this worldl; not as a master, but as a servant. We humble ourselves, rap His love around us to serve people, and serve God. This anthem is our prayer.

Seek to Serve

May I live in the world as one who always seeks to serve. May I live as one who knows the love of God.

Lord, teach me how to live and how to serve. With my ears may I hear. With my eyes may I see.

With my lips may I speak. May your Word be heard through me.

Thus as I live each day may love sustian the will to serve. Amen, Amen.

Transfiguration Sunday

This Sunday is the transfiguration Sunday. The chancel choir will praise the Lord with "Lord Most Holy" by Foster and Borop and arranged by Mark Hayes. It is such a intimate and worshipful song. We will focus on His holiness! Let's worship Him with our whole hearts!

Lord Most Holy

Lord, Most Holy, fount of grace, Joy of heaven, fill this place;

Grant this blessing from above, Come, sweet Spirit, Thou art loved, Lord, most Holy.

Lord, Most Holy, ever near, Pilgrim seeker, find us here. Make Thy dwelling in our hearts;

Grant a glimpse of who Tho art, Lord, most Holy.

There is non above Thee, There is none beside Thee, Make Thy presence known to Thy servants below, Lord, most Holy. Lord God Almighty,

Holy Holy Lord, Lord most holy, stir our faith.

Quench this thirst to seek Thy face. Hear us as we humbly call;

Pour Thy lifestream on us all, Lord, most Holy.

Holy, holy, holy, Holy is the Lord!

Holy, Holy, holy, Holy is our God! He who always liveth evermore the same,

Heaven and earth He ruleth, come and praise His name.

Lord, most Holy, Joy of heaven, Grant this blessing from above,

Come, sweet Spirit, Thou art loved, Lord most Holy, Lord, most holy.

Bread of Heaven

This week is the Communion Sunday. The chancel choir will lift up "Bread of Heaven" as our communion anthem; beautiful melody and harmony with a good text describing the Holy Communion. May the Lord be glorified by our praise and worship!

Here is the text.

Bread of heaven, on thee we feed: for thy Flesh is meat in deed:

ever may our souls be fed with this true and living Bread; day by day with strength supplied through the life of Him who died.

Vine of heaven, thy Blood supplies this blest cup of sacrifice;

Lord, thy wounds our healing give, to thy cross we look and live:

Jesu, may we ever be grafted, rooted, built in thee.

Stand Up!

Have you had a special energy drink to boost yourself? I had a few times especially when I had to be awake for nights to study. I personally do not like them at all. However, they surely helped me to be awake. I have had a thought about our Spiritul boost. How can we be ALWAYS fully empowered by the Holy Spirit? Are there any spiritual boost drinks so to say? I have found several of them for me: prayer, God’s words, and songs. I know again that they are not brand new products. However, they surely work for me to get empowered by Him.
The chancel choir will lift up an anthem with “Stand up!” on this Sunday. The song is made up of six hymns written words with “stand up”. Those hymns are one of my boost ones. My mom used to sing them in Korean with lively clappings especially when we faced difficult times. I did not understand when I was little but now I found myself doing same thing with lively clappings to get empowered. The song starts with a hymn “stand by me”: “When the world is tossing me, like a ship upon the sea, thou who rulest wind and water, stand by me.” The songs help us to assure God’s promise.
I would like to share also an encouraging word from Hebrew 4:14-16.
14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrew 4:14-16)
I pray that we all get empowered by His Holy Spirit ALWAYS because His Spirit is within us.
Let’s stand up on the promises of God!

Here is the lyric of our anthem this week. Enjoy!
When the world is tossing me, like a ship upon the sea, thou who rulest wind and water, stand by me.
Standing on the promises of Christ my King, through eternal ages let his praises ring; "Glory in the highest," I will shout and sing, standing on the promises of God, Standing on the promises, standing on the promises, standing on the promises of God, my Savior; standing on the promises, standing on the promises, O Yes, I'm stanidng on the promises of God.
I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, and wonder how, o how, he could love me, a sinner, condemned, unclean. How marvelous, how wonderful! and my song shall ever be; How marvelous, how wonderful is my Savior's love for me!
O~ it's me! it's me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer. It's me, it's me O Lord, standing in the need of prayer. Not my brother, not mysister, but it's me O Lord, standing in the need of prayer. Not my father, not my mother, but it's me O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.
Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the Cross, lift high his royal banner, it must not suffer loss; from victory unto victory his army shall he lead, till every foe is vanquished and Christ is Lord indeed.
I'm standing on the promises, I can not fall, listening every moment to the Spirit's call, resting in my Savior as my all in all, standing on the promises of God. Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God, my Savior!
On Christ the solid Rock I stand; all other groud is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.
I am standing on the promises of God!!

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!