Built on a rock

Summer is one of my favorite seasons even though humidity is not my favorite.  Somehow, summer gives me some energy to do exciting things such as the summer choir! If we look around our church, you can feel how exciting this summer is – just in this week alone -- Camp Hutchison, the service camp, the Music Man rehearsals, movie night, and of course, summer choir.

As I shared last week, it is an exciting opportunity for people who could not commit to come in for regular choir rehearsals. It also gives me a chance to meet various people and make music together for our beautiful Savoir! You don’t want to miss this chance! If you haven’t signed up for the summer choir but still want to join, please come on Sunday at  8:20 AM to the music room. The door is always open to people who desire to praise God.

We will sing “Built on a Rock” by Jay Althouse as our anthem this Sunday at the 9:15 AM and 11:00 AM services. This anthem’s  theme is Jesus, the Rock of our Salvation. Because our new sanctuary’s second year anniversary is this summer, I intentionally chose this song which is  full of prayers. My prayer is that our church --  not only the building but also all of us are built strongly in the Rock, our Savior Jesus -- will share His grace and salvation with others around us.

At the 8:00 AM service, one of our members, Maryann Williams, will share her beautiful violin solo, “Gavotte en Rondeu”  by J. S. Bach as the offertory.

In addition, there will be special communion music at the 5:00 PM service by CCS (Christian Classical Singers). The group consists of Christian, professional classical singers and they will share their musical gifts with us.

See, how many exciting things are happening at Floris? I am looking forward to having you all sing and worship our God together this Sunday. Here are the lyrics for the anthem. Enjoy.

Built on a Rock

Built on a rock, the Church will stand, even when steeples are falling. Built on a rock, in every land. Christ, the Lord, is calling. Calling to the young and the old to rest. Calling to the souls of those oppressed. Built on a rock, the Church will stand. Christ, our Lord, is calling.

This is a house of living stone, built for God’s habitation. He is a rock, on humble throne granting us salvation. Whenever two or more come to see His face, God will be among them to show His grace. He is a rock, and this His place, granting us salvation.

Built on a rock, the Church will stand firmly on one foundation. Built on a rock in every land, this God’s new creation. Together we have come for to give and receive. In Christ, our Lord, we do believe. Built on a rock, the Church will stand. This, God’s new creation. This, God’s new creation.

Come and praise God Together!

This summer it seems that time is passing by faster than in any other year.  Does it seem like that to you? It is already July!

My second anniversary at Floris UMC is coming up soon. It is hard to believe that I have been here for two years. I have been grateful that God has led me to be a part of His ministry at Floris UMC. I still have some hesitation when I need to drive into Washington, D.C., but except for the driving part I have been enjoying my life in Virginia a lot.

As you know, there will be summer choir for two Sundays --on July 15 and August 19.  I have met people who were sharing that they would love to join the choirs but don’t have time on Wednesday night to come for the rehearsals.  This summer choir will be a perfect opportunity for those people.  We will meet at 8:20 AM on that Sunday morning for a rehearsal.  If you have been thinking about joining the choir, please come early in the morning on Sunday July 15 and August 19 to the music room. If you haven’t thought about singing with us, but would love to try, this is a great chance. We will sing a simple anthem together to the Lord! I have had a few people say that they are not great singers. I would like to tell you for sure, God does not require great singers. He already has perfect ones in His throne at heaven. However, He wants us to praise and worship Him with all our hearts.

Let’s come together and praise our awesome God together during this summer!

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 

THe Majesty and Glory of Your name

One of things that I love about living in Virginia is having four seasons with lots of trees and flowers around. I cannot believe how fast the green leaves have been growing on trees! I love to watch them tirelessly. I also love to watch the sky--especially the night sky on a cold winter night or a really early morning.  Whenever I read Psalm 8, I remember the cold winter night sky with bright twinkly stars.

The Sanctuary Choir will sing one of my favorite anthems, “The Majesty and Glory of Your Name” based on Psalm 8 at the 11:00 AM service this Sunday. It always leads me to meditate on His glorious creation that was created for us. The Floris Strings will play, “On to Victory” as an offertory at the same service.

The Sonrise Singers will also sing a beautiful hymn, “All Creatures of our God and King” as an offertory at the 8:00 AM service. I pray that you will join us to praise His awesomeness in the worship services.

The Majesty and Glory of Your Name

When I gaze into the night skies and see the work of Your fingers, the moon and stars suspended in space. Oh, what is man that You are mindful of Him?

You have given man a crown of glory and honor, and have made him a little lower than the angels. You have put him in charge of all creation, the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, the fish of the sea. But what is man, Oh, what is man that You are mindful of him?

O Lord, our God, the majesty and glory of Your name transcends the earth and fills the heavens. O Lord, our God, little children praise You perfectly, and so would we, and so would we. Alleluia!

The majesty and glory of Your name. Alleluia!

Joy in the Morning!

First of all, I would like to share my grateful heart with all who participated in and prayed for the Holy Week at our church, especially our choir members and orchestra players. As you all know, even though it was the week of Spring break for many area families, none of these participants complained about having to be present at all rehearsals, the Good Friday worship service,  and all three Easter morning worship services. I deeply appreciate all of them for their efforts and prayers. I prayed that the experience of the worship services would remain in everyone’s hearts as God’s inspiration.  My heart almost burst with indescribable joy when we sang “Hallelujah” on Easter morning. I hope you all had similar experiences.
This Sunday will be the first Sunday after Easter and we will continue to praise and worship the risen Christ.  At the 8:00 AM  service, the Sonrise Singers will sing, “Here I Am to Worship” as an offertory.  At the 11:00 AM service, the Sanctuary Choir will lift up, “Joy in the Morning” as the anthem, and the Celebration Choir will sing, “The Mission Song.”  The Little Praisers will share,  “Give Me Oil in My Lamp” at the 9:15 AM service.
May the joy of God through the risen Christ be upon you and your family always.
Here are the lyrics to “Joy in the Morning.”
Joy, there’ll be joy, there’ll be joy, joy, joy, joy, joy in the morning.
There’ll be joy on that day, with the light of dawn, the dark is gone, there’ll be joy,joy, joy.
There’ll be peace, there’ll be peace ever more, every heart and voice will then rejoice, there will be peace. And the glory, glory, glory of the Lord will shine, will shine. And the glory, glory, glory of the Lord will bring the truth divine.
There’ll be love, there’ll be love and forgiveness everywhere, there’ll be love everywhere, and the way of the Lord will that day be restored, there’ll be love, sweet, love everywhere.