Philpott Inside :: Nov 2003
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Sat, 01 Nov 2003
Nov 01, 2003, 14:38
[top/family_news/music]
Christmas Choir Time
By Lane Fusilier
Some of my best memories are grounded in music. My dad was a pipe fitter during the week and a choral director on the weekends. He let me sit in on the rehearsals as a teenager, because he was always short of tenors. In university, I joined the glee club and was caught up in Bach’s Funeral Cantata, ‘in His life, we have life.’ Stravinsky, Poulenc and Ralph Vaughn Williams provided their own challenges! While in grad school, I learned more of the great music of the church in the Men’s Chorus.
I’ve thought a lot about why choral singing is so rewarding. Like most, I’d rather not have other people hear me sing. I enjoy singing more when I’m anonymous. That works in a choir!
Second, a large choir lets everyone ‘feel’ the various parts, so the blend of voices provides a tremendous excitement and satisfaction.
Third, a well-rehearsed choir allows its participants the freedom to enjoy the lyrics. Once you know the music, the words take centre stage. Great music then becomes a medium for worship.
Fourth, a worshipping choir carries others along into the presence of God, even carries those who can’t sing on pitch, but who love to sense God’s pleasure. A good choir is a prompter of worship.
Choral singing is not new. Levitical singers were to provide choral singing for worship in the tabernacle and later in the temple. Several of the psalms were composed to be sung by choirs.
Choral design is always slow to change in each generation, but eventually adapts to its changing culture. If you’ve heard the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, you might understand why they have received Grammys and so many other awards, even though many say that the day of choral singing is over. Like me, Carol Cymbala can’t read music. However, she can compose simple songs that focus worship with a contagious style. That fresh style, the fellowship of several dozens of singers, and the experience of singing together have all combined to make international impact.
If you enjoy singing and can sing on pitch, this might be a good time to sit in on our choir rehearsals. John Benoit, who leads the choir with excellence, is preparing for the Christmas Concert in December. I’m joining the choir for that. Hope to see you on Thursdays!
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Nov 01, 2003, 14:38
[top/family_news/deaths]
In Memory
By Lane Fusilier
Loreen Harvey lived out her life at Philpott Church. She arrived as a teenager and worshiped with us until the last week of her life, more than sixty years later. She loved the Lord and her church enough that all three of her adult children not only worship here but also serve in servant leader roles among us.
Hilda Slater and Jack did not have children of their own. However, they did care for children during the war who were sent to Canada to escape the bombing. Her husband Jack was a missions champion; many of the missions legacies that have aided ministries around the world came to us because Jack challenged our folk to ‘give beyond the grave.’ Hilda’s recent passing reminds us of their wonderful contribution to the life of our congregation.
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Nov 01, 2003, 14:38
[top/staff_editorials]
Retreating to Nature
By Jason Silver
Seeking God and Building Community
Life-can-whiz-by-in-a-blur. We’ve all felt time slipping through our hands— almost every one feels too busy. Stepping out of this craziness for a moment of reflection, community, and sober life-assessment is crucial.
On October 18th we tried to do just that.
The music teams from both services were invited to get-away-from-it-all. About twenty of us had a quiet breakfast together. After eating we laughed some, worshipped some, learned a couple of new songs, and were led through a section of scripture.
After a delicious lasagna lunch we made our way into the Red Hill Valley Conservation Area.
I gave each team member a few questions to lift before God. We sought to better understand how God has ‘wired us up,’ who he has made us to be, and what he wants us to do for him. Many took their Bibles and found a quiet tree under which to sit, to study his scripture. Some chose to just pray, while they walked down a forest path.
It was a good reminder to all of us how spending time in creation can help reconnect us with our creator. Computer monitors, video games, and television screens distract us from God— it can be very refreshing to instead peer into a river bed, a hollow tree or the blue sky. These are finger prints of God, and in them we can see his creativity, catch glimpses of his faithfulness, and perceive his grace.
When we rejoined under the train trestle, we were challenged to problem solve with some team-building and trust games. Using only two short boards, the entire team was asked to move from point ‘a’ to point ‘b’ without touching the ground. It was hilarious to see many different approaches as we sought to accomplish the mission before time ran out. ‘Leap-frogging’ the boards was tried, and also tying them to feet like skis using any available belts. We had three people on one set of ‘skis’ at a time! Hilarious!
After that we tried to stand as many people within a small circle as possible. I think we managed to get 13 people to stand in an area about 14 inches square! How fun! The sound of silliness mixed with the noise of nature are even now singing in my ears!
People are still talking about it! We are not only closer friends, but we’ve moved closer to God too. If you are a musician and you missed out this year, don’t despair! We plan on doing another one in six months. Please join us, and help us build a team that glorifies God!
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Nov 01, 2003, 14:38
[top/staff_editorials]
Change is in the Air
By Lane Fusilier
The winds of political change are in the air. We have a new government in Ontario and are soon to have a new prime minister in Ottawa. South of the border, the electoral machine is in high gear, churning out mud and debris. In spite of all the sound and fury, most of us realize that political leaders don’t actually change anything. They campaign as ‘outsiders’ and then become agents of the status quo when they are granted status. We must practice our citizenship faithfully, but the sort of changes we long for, come by different means.
Many of our neighbors, colleagues, and friends share a desire for the same sort of transformations. We would like to see less violence, but are confused about how to calm people’s anger. We would hope to see more marriages last a lifetime, but even some Christian friends give up on theirs. We would love to see children better cared for, but parents have less time now rather than more for family.
What could make a difference? How do we deal with evil? The most remarkable part of the life of Jesus is that he came to deal with this problem of evil. He recognized the difficulty, came to live a life that gained attention as the antithesis of evil, and then died an innocent death at the hands of evil. His defeat of death by his resurrection proves that he has power over evil. The promises he made to his followers as he left for heaven focus on removing evil from the world.
Jesus will deal with all of our life’s problems with evil. He promises that a life submitted to him will be one of self-control rather than self-absorption. He claims that a radical commitment to his kingdom will prevent the loss of anything important and the supply of all things necessary. He explained that a life given away is a life that can’t be lost.
Violence and selfishness highlight our problem with evil. Denying it doesn’t help. We all come into the world self-centred; most of us remain that way. Thus, the problem of evil is a personal one. The solution to that problem must be as well.
Politicians make wonderful promises. God keeps His.
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