Do Unto Others

Are you excited for the new semester?  Even though my kids already started their school last Monday, I am so excited to jump into September.  As I shared with you last week, all music ministry groups will start this week and next.  Please visit our website to see their schedules. And particularly if you have kids in kindergarten through 6^th grade, please come and join us at the Open House on September 12 from 6-7:00 PM in the music room.

There will be a new student vocal ensemble called “Viva Voce” (living voice or the word of mouth) for students from 7 through 12^th grade. There will be a simple audition for members. They will sing new and various music in different  languages. If your students would like to try this new vocal ensemble, please bring them on September 9  at 4:00 PM to the music room.  One of reasons I decided to start this new ensemble is to give students an opportunity to explore and experience God’s calling through music.

 I started having my own voice lessons at the age of 13. Right after I joined the middle school choir at my home church, I started having confidence in my calling to be a singer. So, I asked my parents for voice lessons.  My church was an hour away by bus, but after I joined the choir, I went to the rehearsals on Saturday afternoon by myself, and woke up early on Sundays for the rehearsal before the 10:00 AM service. Believe or not, I hardly missed these rehearsals whether rain or snow. I still clearly remember those days and how important it was for my faith and calling. If we don’t try new things, we might miss an opportunity to find out our callings. I believe that it is very important especially for our children who will find out, cultivate, and grow in their callings.  I am truly looking forward to sharing my gifts with them!  

I picked a beautiful children’s song for the offertory this Sunday related to our new sermon series, “Stung by the Tongue.” The song is called “Do Unto Others” -- the golden rule! A few children from our children’s choirs will lift it up on Sunday morning at the 11:00 AM service. Also, there will be a special music during communion at the 11:00 AM service. The student ensemble will share a song “God is calling us” incorporated with a song “Kum ba yah”.

Both songs have meaningful reminders to us as Christians. I pray that our worship and praise may grow deeper and more powerful as we become restored to enter  a coming season.

Do Unto Others

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Be kind to others, be good to others, be fair to others as you would have them do unto you.

Try to be patient, and forgiving, a friend in all you say and do. God will guide you to love others as God has shown love to you.

God Is Calling Us

If the song’s to be sung, we must sing it! If the love’s to be shared, we must bring it! For God is calling us now, in deed, to go where there is need! If the Word’s to be heard, we must speak it! If you the peace is to come, we must seek it! For God is calling us now, indeed, to go where there is need!

Someone’s crying Lord, Kum ba yah! Someone’s dying, Lord, Kum ba yah! Someone’s praying, Lord, kum ba yah! O Lord, kum ba yah!  

Is it Your Best Effort?

I recently watched a DVD of a Korean TV drama and one of lead roles was the head of a department store. Whenever he gave approval for the launch of new events or programs, he always asked “Is this your best effort?” to make sure his employees were offering their best effort to the preparations.  Somehow, the phrase “Is this your best effort?” has been in my head ever since. “AM I giving my best effort in the ministry to which I have been called? How about you? I am very excited to invite you to be a part of Floris’ music ministry as we offer our best efforts to God.

The children’s music team will have an open house on Sept. 12^th at 6:00 PM in the music room. Please plan to come to find out about programs for kids from Kindergarten to 6^th grade. You will have a chance to meet directors and other families, and see what is new in children’s music this year. I can’t wait to share this new program with you all!

We are excited about some new ideas for the children’s music ministry at Floris. We will now have a “Children’s Music Team” consisting of volunteers who are willing to share great ideas and serve the children with a variety of music. If you have thought about being a part of this ministry, or if you feel God calling you to serve children in this way, please contact me at ynam@florisumc.org.  We will teach children not only songs but also various forms of music!   

One of my visions for the new season is having a full sanctuary choir each week. I want to literally see the seats of the choir loft full of people who are responding to their call to lead worship with through music and song. We need seven more sopranos, seven more altos, five more tenors, and six more basses for the sanctuary choir. If you have been saying to me “oh~ Yoon, you have plenty of people up there” when I asked you to join the choir, I’d like to say that we are always looking for more singers.  The good news is that there is no audition for the sanctuary choir! SO if God has been calling you to the music ministry, now is the time to join us! We are open to 6^th graders to 120 year olds. Please contact me right away!

The chamber choir, that sings once a month at the 11:00 o’clock service, needs three altos, two tenors, and two basses. The chamber choir is an audition-only choir that sings various forms of music from baroque to modern. They meet on every other Sunday at 2:00 pm in the music room! If you want to explore more challenging music, please contact me for these openings!

The Sonrise Singers, that sing every other Sunday at the 8:00 o’clock service, needs more than two sopranos, three altos, three tenors, and three basses. They sing simple but delightful hymn arrangements or anthems for the early service. If you are early birds, this will be your perfect opportunity to join a choir. The sonrise singers meet every other Sunday at 2:00 pm.

The Floris Strings are urgently looking for viola and cello players. We had two seniors in the viola section graduate and are looking for replacements. Also, we have only one cello so far. We are open to any strings but particularly violas and cellos!

Do you have children who are in middle school and high school? We have a new ensemble called “Viva Voce”!  Viva Voce is an audition-only group that will meet at 4:00 PM on Sundays. They will have vocal coaching and rehearsals, and perform regularly during worship services! Send me an e-mail if your kids are interested in Viva Voce.

We also have handbell choirs! Yes, we have openings in our adult, student and children’s handbell choirs. For more information about handbells contact Laura Shelton at handbellhog@gmail.com.

Are you excited to give your best effort to Him? I am! My heart has been beating faster thinking about this lately. God has everything; He must have beautiful choirs that we can’t imagine. However, He still wants us to worship Him with all of our gifts that He has given us. I can promise that your hearts will be filled with thanksgiving when you give your best to Him.

Looking forward to hearing from you all!  ynam@florisumc.org