Coming week prayer request

I have decided not only sharing music and announcement in this blog but also sharing prayer requests among us as well as in general.
Prayer is not an option if we are Christians. We are easily compromising with our circumstances so that we make reasonable excuses for less praying life. I do too all the time. However, I believe that we need to encourage each other to keep on praying without ceasing.

These are prayer requests for this week.
1.For Debbie Swartz's thyroid cancer surgery on Oct. 1st (Mon).
2. For the community of Herndon who are friends and relatives with the Peterson's.
3. For our church that we kneel down to God for seeking His mercy and grace upon those people especially who don't believe Jesus as their Savior.
4. For our music ministry to glorify God fully through our ministry with our best.
5. For our JAM choir director who God will lead to them quickly.
6. Yoon's safe trip to Indiana, and God's help upon her writing the dissertation.

May the Lord hear our prayers! Amen

Living Water, Guiding Spirit

Do you like water? Not only is it an essential element for life, but it is also a gift from God have I loved since I was a child. I enjoy drinking water (either cold or hot), swimming in it, touching its freshness or warmth, watching oceans, rivers, lakes, or even water fountains. And I love using water to wash things clean. I think water is a mysterious gift from God.  If we look at the Bible, it is amazing to see how often water was used as an important prop—the parting of the Red Sea, drawing water from the rock,  water becoming wine,  and Jesus walking on the water, and so on.

Whenever I sit down in our sanctuary, I hear the sound of flowing water from the fountain underneath the cross. For me, I feel that the sound is representing the love pouring down from God through the cross to us. It sometimes soothes me with deep peace, and tells me that the life given to us through the cross is still flowing upon us.

The Sanctuary Choir will lift up a beautiful anthem, “Living Water, Guiding Spirit” accompanied by flute, cello, and percussion. There are many rhetorical gestures in the song to represent the wind of the Holy Spirit, rushing waters, or soaring eagles to express God’s love among us. The song is inspired by Psalm 42. The Floris Strings will praise, “Love Divine, All Love Excelling” as an offertory at the service too.

The Sonrise Singers will lift up, “Take My Life” based on an old hymn at the 8:00 AM service.

I pray that we have a chance to be touched by God’s presence –His presence that quenches our soul and restores our faith in Him throughout  the worship services.

Here are the lyrics to, “Living Water, Guiding Spirit”.

Living Water, Guiding Spirit

Just as the deer longs for the water, my spirit longs for You, my God. 

Living water flow in me. Refresh my soul with Your truth and grace. Make in me Your vessel pure, a heart to hold Your praise, a heart to hold Your praise.

Just as the wind blows through the forest, move through my life today.  O Lord, I pray.

Guiding Spirit blow through me. Refresh my soul with Your truth and grace. Lift me up where eagles fly. Teach me a higher way, teach me a higher way. Teach me O Lord, I pray.

 

If you are Happy, Say Amen!

After thinking about last week’s sermon message about bitterness, I have tried to practice applying wisdom, purity, peace-loving qualities, consideration, submissiveness, mercy, the bounty of good fruits, impartiality and sincerity in my daily life. I can tell you that it has been very hard for me to not be bitter at bitter situations and people. However, I have learned that a physical smile helps to remind me to refocus into godly reactions. I intentionally make myself smile when I am in difficult situations and it has been working 99 percent of the time. There must be a connection between our facial muscles and our hearts. We find in Proverbs, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” I think that it is true that the joyful heart makes our heart thankful in any circumstance.
I have chosen an anthem for this Sunday’s 11:00 AM service with the thought in mind to share a smile and some happiness with you all. The anthem is called, “If You’re Happy, Say Amen!” It not only makes us feel joyful but it helps us to think about the root of happiness in our hearts–Jesus. Mario Gonzales and Jason Richards will praise with the choir through their instruments of double bass and drums.
Also, at the 8:00 AM service, I will sing an old hymn, “Thank You God” as an offertory. I used to sing this song in Korean during difficult times to remind myself how faithful my God has been. I pray that we all lift our joyful hearts up to the Lord through the worship services. Come let us sing together joyful songs to the Lord!
These are the lyrics of the songs.
If you’re happy, say Amen! By André J. Thomas
If you’re happy and you know it, say, “Amen!” say, “Amen!” Amen! Amen! Look in the manger! See the little baby! See him at the temple, talking to the elders. See Him at the seaside, preaching to the people. See Him on the cross bearing all our sins. Died to save us! Rose on Easter! Amen!
Thanks to God
Thanks to God for my Redeemer, Thanks for all Thou dost provide!
Thanks for times now but a memory, Thanks for Jesus by my side!
Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime, Thanks for dark and stormy fall!
Thanks for tears by now forgotten, Thanks for peace within my soul!
Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered, Thanks for what Thou dost deny!
Thanks for storms that I have weathered, Thanks for all Thou dost supply!
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 home and thanks for fireside, Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain!
Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow, Thanks for heav’nly peace with Thee!
Thanks for hope in the tomorrow, Thanks through all eternity!