a Memorable Day

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” (Acts 2:1-4)

Whenever I read the story of Pentecost, it seems a story with vivid pictures: violent winds, tongues of fire, speaking tongues etc. That day was not normal but truly memorable to those people. Their lives were never the same after that day. Pentecost was the birth day of churches.

When I was young, I was truly expecting to see and feel the Holy Spirit as fire or strong wind at the worship service on Pentecost. How about you?

This Sunday is Pentecost. And as you know it is Memorial Day weekend. We will celebrate both at our worship services. I pray that we all have a memorable experience throughout the services in God’s strong presence. At the 8 AM service the Sonrise Singers will lift up a beautiful anthem “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” as an offertory. At 11, the Sanctuary Choir will praise “Every time I feel the Spirit” as an anthem with two soloists, Mark Krueger and Linda Scott. Our men’s quartet group, Call to Harmony, will share a medley of songs from armed services as an offertory. The Grace Notes will sing, “Jesus and Mommy love me” as a call to worship. What a blessing to have all these talented people to lift up their talents to the Lord!

Sadly, it will be the last Sunday at Floris for our accompanist, Billie Whittaker. She is moving to Florida soon due to her husband’s new job. Please pray for God’s blessings on her and her husband and their new adventure in a new area.

At last, I am back to the States safely. Thanks all for your prayers. I did have a wonderful time even though it was hard to leave my mom. I appreciate for your continuing prayers for my mom. She is well but alone.

Here are the lyrics of our anthem at 11:00. May the Spirit of God fill us fully!

Every time I fell the Spirit, moving in my heart, I will pray, every time I fell the Spirit, moving in my heart, I will pray.

1. On the mountain, my Lord spoke, out His mouth came fire and smoke. Down in the valley, on my knees, asked my Lord have mercy please.
2. Jordan River, chilly and cold, chills the body not the soul, All around me looked so fine, asked my Lord if all was mine.
3. Ain’t but one train on this track, runs to heaven and right back. St. Peter waiting at the gate, said come on sinner, don’t be late.

Every time I fell the Spirit, moving in my heart, I will pray, every time I fell the Spirit, moving in my heart, I will pray.

what makes people pray?

I would like to share with you the special music to be offered during our worship services for the next two weeks. All of this inspired music will be happening in my absence as I am currently in Korea visiting my family.

The Oakton High School Madrigal Choir will visit to share their glorious music at 9:15 AM and 11:00 AM this Sunday. They will lift up several songs in various forms of music. I am sure that it will be a musical offering, not only to the Lord, but also to Mothers!  At the 8:00 AM service the SonriseSingers will share, “Great Are You Lord” as an offertory.

Then, on Sunday May 20, it is confirmation Sunday, and there will be special music offered by a student trio, including Hannah Berlin, Sarah Smiths, and Christine Cox at the 9:15 AM and 11:00 AM services. And, Stephanie Introne will play a lovely flute piece for the offertory at 11:00 AM.

I pray that the Lord may enrich your spirit with beautiful music during these worship services.

On a personal note, I arrived in Korea on Tuesday. The last time I visited was in 2006, and I can see how much has changed during those six years. I am acclimating myself to new ways of using public transportation while I stay at my Mom’s place located outside of Seoul. Seoul is like downtown New York--full of people, cars, neon signs, and huge buildings.

I have noticed some major differences on this visit, particularly when I attended a dawn prayer service with my Mom at 5:00 AM. The church has two dawn prayer services from Monday to Saturday and it runs more than ten church buses. They were big tour buses to take people to the dawn services every morning. It came 4:40AM in my Mom’s neighborhood. All those buses were full of people. I found that other church buses were on the street at that time to take their members to their prayer services. When I went into my Mother’s church, I was surprised how many people were already in the sanctuary praying before the service started. They have about 10,000 members. The sanctuary holds 2,000 people at once and it is three stories tall. While hearing people’s prayers around me, I questioned myself and wondered what make people pray like this? Even though I pray almost every morning, I was deeply challenged when I witnessed this. And surprisingly, this church was not considered a big church in the town. There were several similarly large churches nearby. There are even more in downtown Seoul. I am not inspired by the size of these churches, but by their congregants’ willingness to get closer to the Lord. I don’t believe that only people who are praying in church are more faithful. However, I could tell you that their hearts are close to the Lord.

We studied and made new efforts with prayer during Lent this year at Floris UMC. I am not sure whether or not I prayed more during that time, but am sure that I did not pray like these people. Around 200 years ago missionaries from America came to Korea to spread the Good News, and several of them were persecuted and died in this land. I think those sacrificed lives helped make this happen in Korea now. Their prayers and their lives still run through the churches and people’s hearts in Korea.

I pray that the power of the Good News also restores people’s hearts in America. Who knows, we might have to run huge church buses every morning!

Geistliches Lied (Sacred Song)

Welcome May! Can you believe that it is already May? I have lately enjoyed fresh air after rain. It bring more various fragrant to me always. I hope that you all enjoy it too.

In May, there will be many special Sundays at our worship. On May 13^th, Mother’s day, you will hear wonderful music by Oakton high school Madrigal choir at 11:00 o’clock service, and on 20^th, confirmation Sunday, beautiful trio and flute solo from our students will lift up their music! And 27^th is Pentecost!

This Sunday is a Communion Sunday, and the chamber choir will lift up a beautiful song by Brahms called “Geistliches Lied” (Sacred Song) in German. Brahms used early baroque composition technique to bring more sacred sound along with the lyric. I hope you enjoy hearing this beautiful song, and feel God’s presence.  

At 8:00 o’clock, one of my daughter, Christine and I will sing a duet “Prayer for Humility” as an offertory. It has a beautiful prayerful lyric. I pray that the Lord refresh our souls with beautiful praise throughout the services.

May the Lord enrich our lives abundantly with His love and grace!

 Here is a translation of “Geistliches Lied”. Enjoy!

Geistliches Lied (Sacred Song) by J. Brahms

Let no sad thought oppress thee, distress thee;

Fear nothing, trust God's own will, and be thou still, my spirit, my spirit.

Heed not with care and sorrow the morrow, the morrow, our Father who all doth see shall give to thee thy portion.

From righteous paths then range not, and change not; be steadfast, for God is just; give Him thy trust forever, forever.

Amen