Stonebriar Community Church just held their 2019 Christmas concert. It was as glorious as ever. I rank our music department as one of, if not, the best programs anywhere.
There were a few well deserved standing ovations.
But something was missing this year that I usually get during this highlight of the year.
There’s usually one song that really stands out to me among all of the magical scores conducted by the full orchestra and choir.
Two of the last three years it was the classic carol Silent Night. Between those was a new song titled The Shepherds Lamb. All three of those were conducted by the person dubbed The Choir Whisperer by the music department.
Sandi just has a knack of getting the best out of folks. I don’t think she knows what there is about her but there’s something. It helps that she gets to use some of the teenagers to sing her songs.
I remember when they hit a high note during Silent Night last year. It was incredible.
We have the guy who sang the lead in The Phantom of the Opera in our church. The first time he sang Mary Did You Know it was fantastic. He sang that song again this year.
I don’t understand what happened, or should I say didn’t happen, this year but none of the songs had that magic to it.
The entire concert was a work of art and heart. I left filled with the Christmas spirit but I wondered about me.
My life has been quite chaotic for a long time now. I’m usually sleep deprived going into the concert so the rough night of sleep I had this time shouldn’t have had that much of an impact.
It wasn’t until my run in the afternoon that I think I figured out what occurred. I was looking for what I was going to get out of the church service instead of what I was going to contribute to it.
It’s a trap most fall into in our day and age. It’s a consumer mentality. We want to know what’s in this for me.
Fortunately the monthly Beyond These Walls meeting was held immediately after the concert. It’s where we learn about what happened in the past month and what opportunities lie ahead with the Missional Living Department.
They feed us lunch so we don’t have that excuse for skipping. Afterward we had several chances to get involved firsthand in putting together anything from packs for homeless folks to small tokens of goodies that will go to local public school teachers to show our appreciation for what they do.
This is where I found my sweet spot in the church service. It’s the service part of it all.
We had fun breaking in the new pastor of the department on how efficient we’ve become over the years in sorting and packing various things for needy people.
If the music department is our spirit the missional living department is our soul.
I think this pleases God to no end.
Both are vital in nourishing growing Christ followers.
So, while there wasn’t a stand out song during the concert I found it in the laughter of serving with others.
I challenge you to get involved more in your Christian walk of faith.
You will stand out to someone, too.
I’ll see you later. Wade
