Category: Music

Singing all the verses

Bitsy Griffin2 Comments

Most of the churches we’ve been in sang the first verse and the last verse of every song. Occasionally, there would be a third one thrown in. At this church, we noticed right away that every verse is sung. mmmmmm

When we had our music based VBS, that was explained in one of the sessions. The entire song tells a story. If you don’t sing it all, you miss part of the story. I’d never thought of that before. Of course I knew the verses worked together, but I’d not considered looking at them altogether. Isn’t it amazing how habit takes over and your brain ceases to function?

Today we sang Amazing Grace. Newton wrote the words in 1779 (I think) and it was not set to music until the 1800s. It was a poem and only a poem for a long time. A story of redemption told.

It bothered me at first to sing all the verses, mainly because so much of the actual music is new to me, but I’ve tried to take this to heart and read as well as hear the words that build to a story in song. Relax with the music and appreciate the message God would have me hear.

Here’s a shorter one we sang today, also by Newton:

May the Grace of Christ our Savior

May the grace of Christ our Savior
And the Father’s boundless love
With the Holy Spirit’s favor,
Rest upon us from above.

Thus may we abide in union
With each other and the Lord,
And possess, in sweet communion,
Joys which earth cannot afford.

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VBS

Bitsy GriffinLeave a comment

VBS started last night. Major theme is hymns. Each night has a different theme.

  • Gospel & Old Time Religion.
  • Choral Music of Our Faith.
  • Band Concert – bands are very big with Moravians. Brandon learned to play the cornet with a Moravian Band when he was in middle school.
  • Contemporary and Praise Music.
  • Campfire songs with a cookout/picnic.

Adults also have four classes Sunday to Wednesday:

  • Hymn writing.
  • Journaling.
  • Music conversation.
  • Ukranian Eggs.

I almost went to the journaling class, but decided on Ukranian Eggs before. Very fascinating and added I’m sure for the non-musical among us 😉

Here are some sites that explain the process:

learnpysanky.com

Surprise!

Bitsy GriffinLeave a comment

5th graders in our county are invited to an opera each year put on by the local uni’s grad students. Some of the cast came to school and talked about the roles and voice parts and how singing in an opera is different.

We knew the opera was coming up, but we hadn’t gotten a date. Well we got a phone call at 9:15 that the buses were here to pick us up for the opera. Surprise! So we got ready and went. It was a great show. Trial by Jury. Kids enjoyed it. Our kids were very well behaved.

But what a whirlwind!