Fee Fee Baptist Church

Category: Ronna Paden, Director of Music

All of Ronna Paden’s Forerunner articles.

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 19

    Children’s Nativity

    Our children’s Nativity presentation is one of our Christmas performance items that is absolutely a favorite.

    This year’s presentation will be in a different format in order to maintain safety and social distancing. Children will be able to participate in person or virtually, depending on your family comfort level. Please respond to Tara (tara@feefeebc.org) to let us know of your preference.  We look forward to hearing from you as we plan this favorite Christmas feature.

    Handbells Anyone?

    What an interesting few months we have experienced! There are still a lot of unknowns, but the general consensus is that in music making the use of small groups is better than large groups. So – handbells may be considered a very safe avenue for making music. Handbell players can easily wear masks and gloves and socially distance.

    I recently came across arrangements requiring 3-6 players. Many are geared toward Christmas themes. Please indicate your interest in participating by sending an email to Tara (tara@feefeebc.com). This would be a wonderful opportunity to share your gift for making music as we approach the Christmas season.

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 18

    Christmas 2020 at Fee Fee – Thoughts and Considerations

    It is that time of year when we start thinking about celebrating Christmas here at Fee Fee! It is safe to say our celebration will look quite different this year, but we still want to give our best shot to create a joyous and meaningful event to honor the birth of our great Savior.

    A survey was recently sent to our 2019 Christmas choir to find out participation interest for this year. Here are the results of that survey:

    • 14 would participate in a virtual choir
    • 13 would sing in a small ensemble (8 or less safely distanced)
    • 15 would sing in a larger ensemble (8-12 safely distanced)
    • All others would not be comfortable participating this year

    At this time, I am asking for a response from our extended church family if you would be willing to sing in a small/large ensemble OR virtual choir setting. You may send information to tara@feefeebc.org to indicate which group you would be interested.

    We would also like to hear from those of you who would contribute in other ways. We always need technicians, ushers, greeters, decorators, costumers, etc. Please let us know in what capacity you could volunteer your talents. You may come up with an avenue of service that would be completely new to our production! As always, thank you for considering and I look forward to hearing from you.

    The Joy of Music

    “David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a joyful sound with musical instruments, harps and cymbals,” (1 Chronicles 16:16).

    Music is a vital part of our lives. Music blesses us through hard times and good times. If we were to try and explain music to an alien from another world we would probably fail miserably. Music is not meant to be explained, but rather experienced. There are times when music can express what we feel when words fail us. Music is poetry put to rhythm. It is a rhyme put to a steady beat. This gift from God is a power that moves and stirs the soul. Music can be therapeutic, lifting us when we are down. Through music we lift our voices to God in praise and worship. Those who suffer affliction are wounded souls. Music can be a perfect salve for the sorrowful soul. Lift your soul with music. Let it carry your praises and appreciation to God even in times of uncertainty.

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 17

    Eternal Father, Strong to Save

    Recently I came across a website that lists a hymn of the day. The hymn for today is Eternal Father, Strong to Save. This is a hymn written by William Whiting in 1860. Inspiration for this hymn came from Psalm 107 which describes the dangers of the sea. This hymn is commonly associated with Naval Armed Services and is often referred to as the “Navy Hymn.” Here are the lyrics of the hymn:

    1. Eternal Father, strong to save,

    Whose arm does bind the restless wave;

    Who bids the mighty ocean deep

    Its own appointed limits keep;

    O hear us when we cry to Thee,

    For those in peril on the sea.

     

    1. O Savior, whose almighty word

    The winds and waves submissive heard

    Who walked upon the foaming deep,

    And calm amid the rage did sleep;

    O hear us when we cry to Thee

    For those in peril on the sea.

     

    1. O Holy Spirit, who did brood

    Upon the waters dark and rude,

    And bid their angry tumult cease,

    And give for wild confusion peace;

    O hear us when we cry to Thee

    For those in peril on the sea.

     

    1. O Trinity of love and pow’r,

    Your children shield in danger’s hour;

    From rock and tempest, fire and foe,

    Protect them where-so-e’er they go;

    Thus, evermore shall rise to Thee

    Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

    The writer, William Whiting, grew up near the shores of England. At the age of thirty-five he had felt his life was saved by God when a fierce storm nearly destroyed the ship on which he was traveling. This event instilled a faith in God’s control over the rage of the sea. Whiting wrote the hymn to “anchor his faith” and is commonly believed to have been inspired by Psalm 107 which describes the power and danger of the seas in great detail:

    “Some went out to the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the Lord, His wonderful deeds in the deep. For He spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away,” Psalm 107: 23-26.

    This hymn was popularized by the Royal Navy and the U.S. Navy, and has been adopted by many branches of the armed services in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has been sung at the funerals of many of our presidents and dignitaries – most recently John McCain and George H.W. Bush. For a stunning YouTube rendition of this hymn, search for “Naval Academy Glee Club Tribute to Pearl Harbor.”

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 16

    Hymn Caroling Project

    What a joy for our Friendship Choir to pay visits this past Sunday to some of our folks who have been staying in during these months of isolation during the pandemic. We did some “hymn caroling” safely distancing as we shared favorite hymns. It was great to see members we dearly love and have been missing! On Sunday we spread hymns of cheer in the St. Peters/St. Charles area and we look forward to “caroling” this week for folks in Bridgeton, Maryland Heights, St. Ann, and St. Louis. Feeling BLESSED!!!

    Music’s Effective Ministry

    God had His hand on this young man whose music not only would fill the heart of a depressed king, but also would someday fill His written word.

    “Provide a man,” Saul says. “I don’t care who it is. Bring him to me.”

    David was the man. With his primitive stringed instrument, he walked bravely into that dark place where Saul was living. Somehow his music unleashed the caged feelings inside this tormented man and soothed the savage beast within. Saul was relieved. The evil presence departed. God used the gift of music to put David into the very presence of the king. The king not only found relief from his depression, but he found love in his heart for the young shepherd boy whose music touched his soul.

    Be a singing saint. Never mind how beautiful or less beautiful you may sound. Sing loud enough to drown out those defeating thoughts that normally clamor for attention. Release yourself from that cage of reluctance. Sing out! You’re not auditioning for the Metropolitan Opera. You’re making melody with your heart to the Lord your God.

    Soft music for a hard heart is what David provided for Saul. That’s the music that Christ our Savior provides for us.  He is our Shepherd and we are His sheep. We need the music of His voice. His power can give us life free from depression and despair.

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 15

    Concerts – Need Helpers

    For our upcoming concerts on July 26 (The Lesters) and again on August 9 (Timothy and Hosanna Noble), we will need some volunteers to assist with “ticket taking” and ushering. We will need ticket takers at the main door of the Worship Center and also the Welcome Center. Ushers will be needed to ensure social distancing is observed and to point out the boxes that will be used to collect the love offerings. Doors for attendees will open at 5:45 p.m. for each concert so arrive by no later than 5:30 p.m. to be at your post.

    If you could be available for either or both of these events, please let Tara know. Send message to tara@feefeebc.org. Thank you for considering helping out for these concerts.

    The Songs We Sing

    “Then Deborah and Barack the son of Abinoam sang on that day…,” Joshua 5:1 NASB.

    Music is everywhere in our world today. It is at our fingertips on our various devices. It is hard to comprehend how powerful songs were for people who lived in earlier times. I really don’t know much about the Mongol armies in the 12th century A.D., but I have read that the officers composed their orders in rhyme and used fixed melodies in their delivery. As we read the “Song of Deborah” in Judges 5, we can picture this song being repeated throughout

    Israel as a reminder of God’s miraculous deliverance and all He had done for them.

    Songs can take on a similar role for us as we speak to each other “in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord,” (Ephesians 5:19). Songs provide a language that reminds us of Biblical principles and truths. They help us to remember God’s work in our own lives. They can lift our spirits and help prevent us from being saturated by the sin and corruption in the world.

    Fill your lives with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to teach you, remind you, and inspire you.

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 14

    Summer Concert Reminder

    Please remember that you will need to request a ticket to attend the upcoming concerts:

    • The Lesters on July 26
    • Timothy and Hosanna Noble on August 9

    To register go to our website and click on the Summer Concert banner, (or navigate to the Ministries heading and scroll down to Summer Concerts). Click on the green Reserve Tickets button for either or both concerts. Tickets are FREE of charge, but attendees will need a ticket to attend so we comply with the mandated seating limitations. You will have an opportunity to contribute a love offering at each of these concerts. If you do not have a computer are unable to order tickets, please contact the church office and someone will assist you.

    A Shelter in the Time of Storm

    I leave you with a lesser known hymn we recently sang in our 8:30 a.m. July 5 service. The message seems appropriate in this time of stress and uncertainty.

    Verse 1

    The Lord’s our Rock, in Him we hide.

    A shelter in the time of storm;

    Secure whatever ill betide,

    A shelter in the time of storm.

     

    Chorus

    O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,

    A weary land, a weary land;

    O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,

    A shelter in the time of storm.

     

    Verse 4

    O Rock divine, O Refuge dear,

    A shelter in the time of storm;

    Be Thou our helper ever near,

    A shelter in the time of storm;

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 13

    Summer Concert Information

    As you know we have two concerts scheduled for this summer. The Lesters will be here on July 26, then Timothy and Hosanna Noble will be with us on August 9. Because we will need to limit number of attendees this year, we are asking that you reserve your seats by emailing Tara@feefeebc.org and giving her the number in your family that will be attending each event. This is very disconcerting to me (no pun intended), since we have always advertised and encouraged attendance as these concerts have served as a great outreach opportunity for our community. But safety is of prime concern and we must follow state and county mandates.

    The Blessing

    The Blessing is a top-rated scripturally rich worship song (ranked #2 this week). The beginning of the song is straight from Numbers 6:24-26:

    “The Lord bless you

    and keep you;

    The Lord make His face shine on you

    and be gracious to you;

    The Lord turn His face toward you

    and give you peace.”

    The song was written as a blessing over our families, our children, and our generations. It is a song that aims to turn hearts to receive blessings from heaven, especially at a time such as now. Even during a pandemic, God still commands blessings over our lives. I won’t quote the entire song, but here is a lyric from Deuteronomy 7:9 that is particularly meaningful:

    “May His favor be upon you

    And a thousand generations

    And your family and your children

    And their children and their children.”

    This song reminds us of God’s bigness as well as His nearness. It further reminds us that His promise of future hope will go beyond this moment. You can find this song on many of the streaming music services right now. Find it on YouTube under “The Blessing” by Kari Jobe with Elevation Worship.

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 12

    Heavy Hearts

    Our hearts are heavy with the events of the past couple of weeks: the violence, riots, the hatred, the bigotry. It seems that hate is growing stronger and some are developing a numbness to it.

    Now is the time to let God’s love shine through us as we make choices to love instead of hate and stand up against injustice instead of sitting on the sidelines. It is time to love without an agenda, advocate for those who need it and forgive as we are forgiven.

    The following excerpt from a writing attributed to St. Francis of Assisi is an exemplary prayer for peace. May this be our prayer today.

    Lord, make me an

    instrument of your peace.

    Where there is hatred,

    Let me sow love.

    Where there is injury, pardon;

    Where there is doubt, faith;

    Where there is despair, hope;

    Where there is darkness, light.

    Where there is sadness, joy.

     

    O Divine Master,

    Grant that I may not so much seek

    To be consoled as to console;

    To be understood as to understand;

    To be loved as to love.

     

    For it is in giving that we receive;

    It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

    And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

     

    And now on a lighter note…

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 11

    Summer Concerts

    As you may have guessed, our summer concerts have taken a hit this year with the stay-at-home order. We had originally scheduled four concert events this year and planned to be spread out over the summer (one each month) rather than having consecutive weekly events. That being said – our May and June concerts have been canceled. However, we have The Lesters concert scheduled for July 26, and Timothy and Hosanna Noble are set to be here on August 9. We will proceed with these plans with the realization that proper precautions will be in place for each event. All safety recommendations for attendees will be set as we come closer to the concert dates.

    Singing…

    To sing or NOT to sing. As we are coming to grips with the issue of singing during this pandemic, we have become aware of the endangerment this activity can have on both producers and consumers.  We will work throughout this unusual season of time to protect everyone from existing dangers.

    An old Walt Whitman poem came to my mind while thinking about the luxury of singing. Though I feel unqualified to analyze the message, I love that this poet chose to use the idea of “songs” and “singing” to depict various characters singing their own “songs,” blending together in one unifying chorus that is America in his poem I Hear America Singing.

    I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear.

    Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be

    blithe and strong.

    The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam.

    The mason singing his as he makes ready for work,

    or leaves off work.

    The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat,

    The deckhand singing on the steamboat deck.

    The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench,

    The hatter singing as he stands,

    The wood-cutter’s song,

    the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning,

    or at noon intermission or at sundown,

    This delicious singing of the mother,

    or the young wife at work, or the girl sewing or washing,

    Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else,

    The day what belongs to the day –

    at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,

    Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 10

    Did You Know…

    Many of our popular hymns have interesting backstories.

    The song I Know Whom I Have Believed was written by a Union soldier during the Civil War, who was held as a prisoner of war and became a believer while praying for another dying soldier.

    Hymn writer Fanny Crosby was blind from infancy yet was able to memorize the first five books of the Bible, the four Gospels, the Proverbs, and most of the Psalms.

    But one song in particular, of which many of us have grown to adore, has an inspiring origin.

    Carl Boberg, a newspaper editor, and member of the Swedish Parliament, being inspired by the sound of church bells ringing during a wild thunderstorm, penned the poem, O Great God. When O Great God was published, the poem did not catch on and it seemed destined to be forgotten. However, three years later someone liked it enough to match the words with a Swedish melody. Boberg published the poem again in 1891 – this time in the form of a song.

    A few decades later in the 1930s, English missionary Stuart Hine heard the song while in Poland. He was deeply moved, translated the song to English and took it home with him to England. In English, the song was now called How Great Thou Art. 

    Moving on to the 1940s, an evangelist heard this song being sung by native tribal people in India, of all places! The evangelist, Dr. Edwin Orr, was deeply inspired and brought the song to the United States. In 1954 the song found its way into the hands of George Beverly Shea, who sang it over 100 times in Billy Graham’s 1957 New York crusade. In 1959 it became the theme song for Billy Graham’s weekly radio broadcast.

    The song later became recognized by ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) as “The All-Time Outstanding Gospel Song” in America. How Great Thou Art has consistently been listed as one of the greatest hymns ever written, usually falling in second place right behind Amazing Grace, and has been recorded over 1,800 times in the last 50 years. Many of you have no doubt heard the recordings by Elvis Presley and it was also recorded in 2017 by popular country artist Alan Jackson.

    How astonishing that this song started as a poem in a small Swedish town and somehow wound its way around the globe to become a great hymn of the faith.