Fee Fee Baptist Church

Tag: Music

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 08

    Easter Reflections

    Easter this year was unique to say the least. We gathered online to celebrate Christ’s victory over the grave. While it may have been different let us remember:

    Some Easter celebrations may be rescheduled…

    But we still worship our Risen King!

    Easter egg hunts may be postponed…

    But the Resurrection did not delay!

    Easter baskets may be hard to come by…

    But Jesus’ love and grace are in abundance!

    Places of worship were empty…

    But so is the tomb!

    Though times are difficult right now, JOY comes in the morning. And what greater JOY than the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 07

    Hold Me Jesus

    Christian songwriter Rich Mullins is certainly best known for writing the praise songs Awesome God and Step By Step. However, I would like to share the lyrics of a song he wrote in 1993 called Hold Me Jesus. Some of you may remember this song was recorded more recently (2008), by Big Daddy Weave.

    It seems to me this song would be very appropriate during this time of fear and anxiety:

    Well, sometimes my life just don’t make sense at all

    When the mountains look so big

    And my faith just seems so small

     

    So hold me Jesus, ’cause I’m shaking like a leaf

    You have been King of my glory

    Won’t You be my Prince of Peace

     

    And I wake up in the night and feel the dark

    It’s so hot inside my soul

    I swear there must be blisters on my heart

     

    So hold me Jesus, ’cause I’m shaking like a leaf

    You have been King of my glory

    Won’t you be my Prince of Peace

     

    Surrender don’t come natural to me

    I’d rather fight You for something I don’t really want

    Then to take what You give that I need

    And I’ve beat my head against so many walls

    Now I’m falling down, I’m falling on my knees

     

    And this Salvation Army band is playing this hymn

    And Your grace rings out so deep

    It makes my resistance seem so thin

     

    I’m singing hold me Jesus, ’cause I’m shaking like a leaf

    You have been King of my glory

    Won’t you be my Prince of Peace

    What an insight into the human condition! Bending our will to the will of the Father is an issue for all of us. The Good News is that since Christ did just that on our behalf, we can be transformed from children of wrath to obedient sons and daughters who cry, “Abba Father.” If you are feeling weak and unsure of everything right now, simply cry out “Hold me, Jesus,” and He will do just that.

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 06

    Praise and Worship Activities for Kids

    Here are some ideas for activities that may fit with worshiping at home during this time of precaution. Enjoy praising God with your kids and create lasting memories in the midst of these trying times.

    Music

    Music is certainly one way a child can worship God.  Read the story of Paul and Silas in Acts 16:25. Even though Paul and Silas were in prison, they still sang songs of praise to God. Point out how songs of praise can lift the spirit no matter what may be going on in our lives. Sing songs with your child. Think of songs you may have sung as a child, (e.g. Deep and Wide, This Little Light of Mine, Jesus Loves Me).

    Dance

    One of King David’s ways of worshiping was dancing. Read the children 2 Samuel 6:14, which talks about David dancing before God as the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the city. Play some upbeat praise songs and dance around. To enhance the experience give the kids a piece of ribbon attached to the top of a stick to wave around as they dance.

    Instruments

    King David not only sang and danced when worshiping and praising God, he also played music. Create a few instruments out of household items. To make a kazoo, give each child a toilet paper tube (which you undoubtedly have, haha!), a piece of wax paper, a rubber band, and a pencil. Place the wax paper over one of the open ends of the toilet paper roll and hold it in place by sliding a rubber band over it. Finish the kazoo by poking a few small holes in the wax paper with the point of the pencil. Blowing in the open end will create music. Make a praise shaker out of two paper plates and a handful of beans, rice or popcorn kernels. Turn the second plate upside down over top of the first. Staple the edges or use tape to secure the plates together.  Shake while dancing and/or singing!

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 05

    The Place of Music in Worship

    The people of God sing. The role of music in worship is Biblical. After escaping from the Egyptians and crossing the Red Sea, the people of Israel sang a song to the Lord (Exodus 15). Singing was part of Israel’s formal worship in both tabernacle and temple (1 Chronicles 6:31-32, 16:42). The Psalms bear rich testimony that in joy and sorrow, in praise and lament, the faithful raise their voices to God in song. Hymn singing was practiced by Jesus and His disciples (Matthew 26:30). The Apostle Paul instructed the Colossians to sing “…psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.”

    A Hymn of Confidence and Faith

    Our choir will soon be worshipping with a modern hymn, By Faith, paired with the old hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness, written in 1923 by Thomas Chisolm. By Faith was written in 2009 by Keith and Kristen Getty and Stuart Townend. Inspired by Hebrews 11, the message of this song shows how believers today are traveling the same journey of faith as those who’ve walked before us. In writing modern hymns, the Getty’s consider a musical vocabulary that might link generations rather than separating them.

    It Can’t Be Said Too Many Times

    We can always use more singers in our Friendship Choir. This ministry will afford you the opportunity to brighten days and share the love of Christ with a most appreciative audience. We are currently planning a trip in April to visit the Baptist Home in Ironton.  We also seek to schedule visits to facilities that house our members. You will find this time-honored statement true: “it is in giving that we receive.”  You are sure to be blessed.

     

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 04

    Friendship Choir is Back

    We need YOU in our Friendship Choir! Ministering mainly to residents in nursing homes and retirement centers, our traveling choir seeks to share joy and encouragement through songs of inspiration wherever we go. Please consider joining us in this ministry. Rehearsal is on Monday evenings from 5:45 to 6:30 p.m.

    Palm Sunday Choir

    Our Sunday choir is once again doing an extended program of music during our 8:30 a.m. worship on Palm Sunday, April 5. The music in this mini-musical consists of powerful worship songs to celebrate the journey of Christ. We are practicing this music on Monday evenings from 6:30-7:00 p.m.  Please join us in this special presentation that leads up to culmination of Resurrection Sunday.

    The Daily Song of the Levitical Choir

    Recently I have become intrigued by the intense training, duties, and ministry of the Levitical musicians. It may be of interest to many of you to know about the daily song of the Levitical Choir. Although the Levites sang upon many occasions in the Holy Temple, one of their most important and basic musical tasks was the daily song. Each day the Levite choir stood on the platform and sang a special song for that particular day. All these songs with their instrumental arrangements were performed while the morning and evening wine libations were poured out on the altar by the officiating priests. Each day during the wine libation, the overseer of the choir stood above one of the horns of the altar and signaled to the Levites with a kerchief in his hand to begin their song. At three points in their song, they would pause, when the priests would sound the silver trumpets and all the people in the court would lay prostrate before the Presence of God. On each day of the week, the songs, a different Psalm daily, represented the events of the six days of creation. Obviously, the choir was a busy one – singing daily!

  • Music Musings – Vol. 60, No. 02

    The Levitical Musicians

    If you have ever been curious about Biblical musicians you may find the following information interesting as I did.

    Some fascinating facts surrounding the Levitical Musicians and music of the Temple:

    • There would never be fewer than 12 Levites standing on the Platform to intone songs over an offering. More could be added without limit. The song or chant would be uttered vocally and there would be musicians alongside playing instruments. Some of the instruments used were: 2-6 lyres, 2-12 flutes, 9+ harps, and up to 120 trumpets (WHOA!), and only 1 set of cymbals to keep balance in check – a request from the sound guy!
    • On all festival and New Moon days priests would blow trumpets made of silver as other metals were unfit. Flute pipes were made of a reed because of its sweet sound. A song would always end with the pleasant sound of a lone flute.
    • A Levite did not enter the court to minister until he had been trained for five years.  The entry age would be 25-30.
    • A Levite could be removed from chanting or singing if his voice was impaired due to old age.
    • The Levites were forbidden to perform the service assigned to another Levite with a different assignment.  For instance, a singer must not assist a gate keeper and vice versa. In fact if a Levite assisted in a duty not assigned to him, he incurred the death penalty by Divine judgement. Sounds a little HARSH to me!
    Share the blessing of your musical gift

    It has been such a joy in recent Sundays to have some of our young people bringing musical offerings to our worship. Joey Stuart, J.J. Fisher, Ted Rosen, Christian Baugher, and Natalie Baugher have all come forward to play instruments.

    Please let Ronna or Tara know if you would be willing to use your musical abilities in our worship. I’m sure we have many folks of all ages that could serve in this way; you just need to be identified.

    We could also use more singers in our 8:30 a.m. choir. It is a wonderful group of singers and we would gladly accept others to serve in this capacity. It is a multi-generational choir, so we are not limited by age. Rehearsal is on Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m. Come sit in with us. We would be delighted to welcome you.