The Chorister Spring 2023

by Jasmine Reed

Choristers Guild Staff

DAWN JANTSCH

Executive Director djantsch@choristersguild.org

PAM HARRIS

Director of Marketing pharris@choristersguild.org

KATHY LOWRIE Handbell and Instrumental Editor klowrie@choristersguild.org

KATIE HOUTS Sacred Choral Editor khouts@choristersguild.org

VICTOR C. JOHNSON School Choral Editor vjohnson@choristersguild.org

KAROL KIMMELL AND EMILY FLOYD Choristers Guild Institute Directors

SAWYER LOWE Director of Operations slowe@choristersguild.org

JULIE ROCHA

Operations Assistant jrocha@choristersguild.org

AMY FARNELL

The Chorister Editor Customer Enhancement Associate afarnell@choristersguild.org

Advertising advertising@choristersguild.org or (469) 398-3606, ext. 227

The Chorister Design Kathy Lowrie

Spring 2023 | April-June

Contents

2 From the Editor by Amy Farnell, The Chorister Editor

3 Let’s Start and Reenergize Our Children’s Choirs! by Dawn Jantsch, Choristers Guild Executive Director

4 Choristers Guild Welcomes Back Anton Armstrong to the Board of Directors

6 Meaningful Messages by Katie Houts, Sacred Choral Editor

7 Why Your Voice Breaks and How to Avoid It by Kerri Ho

10 Anthem Features

All God’s Children – Baker Lawrimore Within Us Flows a River – Mark A. Miller, Lindy Thompson text

12 The River by Lindy Thompson

13 Quick Tips with Katie by Katie M. Deaver, Associate General Manager, One License

14 The Choral Community in Ukraine by Vitaliy Bolgar, translated by Dr. Nataliya Bolgar, compiled by Amy Farnell

19 My Reflections: Russian Invasion of Ukraine, First Year by Dr. Nataliya Bolgar

21 Warmups: Tried, True and Borrowed Too by Jasmine Reed

23 Children’s Choir Devotionals by Heather Harman, Pamela Vandewalker, and Angie Hawkins

31 Supporting Our Mission

32 Choristers Guild Contributors (January 1-February 21, 2023)

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Cover photo: The Kyiv United Young Adults Choir and Orchestra, under the direction of Vitaliy Bolgar, presenting their Christmas program at The House of Gospel in Kyiv, Ukraine, January 2021.

Board of Directors

JOHN SUTTON President Altadena, CA

From the Editor

BY AMY FARNELL THE CHORISTER EDITOR

TODD ARANT President

Elect

Apex, NC

STEPHANIE MCILWAIN MILLER

Past President

Bellevue, WA

ANDREW MASETTI

Secretary-Treasurer

Westfield, NJ

SANDRA ROSALES

Santa Ana, CA

TIM SHARP

Hickory Point, TN

ELIZABETH SHEPLEY Minneapolis, MN

RUTH SZUCS

Richmond, WA

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C. Michael Hawn

Dawn Jantsch

Helen Litz

Susanne Melton

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David Leigh Shearer

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Priscilla B. Zimmermann

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Spring greetings to everyone! In this springtime issue of The Chorister, we have a beautiful selection of devotionals for your little ones, written by Heather Harman, Pamela Vandewalker, and Angie Hawkins. We also have the second installment of our Quick Tips series with licensing specialist Katy Deaver, this time delving into the streaming of public domain music. Choir director Jasmine Reed has written a great article providing warm-up game suggestions for directors of young singers (but really could be used by any age!) And voice teacher, Kerri Ho, offers us insights into that dreaded vocal break and tips in mastering it.

Finally, for another important article in this issue, I was able to interview a Ukrainian family friend, conductor Vitaliy Bolgar, to get his perspective on the war in Ukraine through the lens of choral music. I know Vitaliy through his sister and my dad: His sister, Nataliya Bolgar, was my voice teacher while I was growing up in Fort Worth, Texas, and my father, Mike Farnell, traveled many years ago to eastern Europe on music missions trips, to meet Vitaliy and participate in his organization hosting church music workshops. I remember when I was a teenager, Nataliya would sometimes come to my family home, cook Ukrainian meals, and tell us stories. She quickly became like extended family. She would occasionally talk about her experience growing up in what was then the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR), and how life in America and even modern Ukraine was so different. Our friendship has come full-circle sadly, now with this war lasting over a year, and her constantly hearing the challenges and fear of her and her family. Vitaliy’s article is an insight into this world right now – while it is raw, with a foundation of honesty and the realities of war, it is also hopeful, shedding light on the resilience and faithfulness of the Ukrainian people. It’s definitely worth the read.

HAVE YOUR WORK FEATURED IN AN ISSUE OF THE CHORISTER. Have you written a great teaching activity, Orff lesson, or choral warm-up that you would like to share? Simply send your original* items to afarnell@choristersguild.org and we will consider them for use in a future issue of The Chorister

*All work must be original. Please do not send copyrighted materials.

Let’s Start and Reenergize our Children’s Choirs!

BY DAWN JANTSCH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Choristers Guild continues to move forward as it heads toward its 75th year next January, and it is thanks to you!

Through the gifts of supporters, we have been working with experts to find new and uplifting ways to reenergize children’s choirs. The result is Start Singing CGBK87, a faith-based guide for children’s choirs and youth choir directors. This manual includes contributions from experts in choral music such as Mark Burrows, Victor C. Johnson, Emily Floyd, Karol Kimmell, Mark A. Miller, Vic Oakes, Mark Patterson, Elizabeth Shepley, Tom Shelton, James Wells, and Katie Houts, and is edited by Katie.

From this, we are creating webinars for social-emotional learning (SEL); learning accommodations in the choir rehearsal; intergenerational repertoire and programming; and planning, building, and/or revitalizing a children’s choir program. In addition, all these plans capitalize on modern ways to engage children in the making of a joyful noise. And to help our supporters start and grow choirs, we have created new posters to market children’s choirs at your church.

In the next five years, we will continue to release curriculum that will assist in best practices in children’s choirs, choral technique, and tone, attending to the emotional and spiritual needs of singers, best rehearsal practices for inspiring young singers, and engaging children in worship leadership through choir,

Sunday school, and vacation Bible school.

We have also secured support from the Presbyterian Association of Musicians (PAM), the Fellowship of United Methodists in Worship and Music Arts, the National Association of Pastoral Musicians (NPM), the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians (ALCM), the Fellowship of the American Baptists, the Texas Baptist Association (TBA), Polyphony Music Resources, Bonclarken Music Conference, Augsburg Fortress, Handbell Musicians of America, St. Olaf College, and Baylor University in working together on curriculums and ideas. We have had relationships with these organizations for many years, providing promotional support and complimentary music for reading sessions. Our editors, board members, and Institute faculty members are also active in many of our partner organizations as members, clinicians and leaders.

Our work on these manuals and curriculums will be presented throughout a number of events from 2023 through 2028 with the best of training and curriculum for you, our supporters. Thank you to all who have been involved in the process! What a joy, and what a blessing to have such a team of choral leaders just a phone call away.

What a joy, and what a blessing to have such a team of choral leaders just a phone call away.

Choristers Guild Welcomes Back Anton Armstrong to the Board of Directors

Choristers Guild is honored to announce that Dr. Anton Armstrong has accepted a seat on the Board of Directors beginning in May 2023. Dr. Armstrong served twice before as president of Choristers Guild.

The 2022-23 season is Dr. Armstrong’s 33nd year as Conductor of the St. Olaf Choir, marking him as the longest tenured conductor in the ensemble’s storied 111-year history. He is the Tosdal Professor of Music at St. Olaf College, becoming the fourth conductor of the St. Olaf Choir in 1990 after ten years in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he served on the faculty of Calvin University and led the Calvin Alumni Choir, the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus and the St. Cecilia Youth Chorale. He is a graduate of St. Olaf College and earned advanced degrees at the University of Illinois (MM) and Michigan State University (DMA). He is editor of a multicultural choral series for Earthsongs

Publications and co-editor (with John Ferguson) of the revised St. Olaf Choral Series for Augsburg Fortress Publishers. In June 1998, he began his tenure as founding conductor of the Oregon Bach Festival Stangeland Family Youth Choral Academy. Dr. Armstrong currently serves as Chair of the National Board of Chorus America.

During the 2022-23 season, Dr. Anton Armstrong has served as Conductor of the 2022 Montana All State Choir and will serve as Conductor of the 2023 North Dakota All State Choir. Additionally, he will lead choral festivals at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY; Orchestra Hall, Chicago, IL; Meyerson Symphony Hall, Dallas, TX; concluding with an international choral festival in Assisi and Rome, Italy in June 2023. He will also serve as a guest lecturer and clinician at Biola University, CA; Azusa Pacific University, CA; and the Interlochen Arts Academy, MI.

Dr. Armstrong has frequently conducted ensembles and appeared before regional, national and international gatherings of the American Choral Directors Association, International Federation of Choral Music, National Association for Music Education, Choristers Guild, American Guild of Organists, Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, Organization of American Kodaly Educators and the Orff-Schulwerk Association. In recent years he has guest-conducted such noted ensembles as the Tabernacle

Anton served twice before as president of Choristers Guild.

Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, the Utah Symphony and Symphony Chorus, the Utah Voices and Salt Lake City Symphony, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Westminster Choir, the American Boychoir, The Houston Chamber Choir, The Vocal Arts Ensemble of Cincinnati and The Phoenix Chorale. He has also collaborated in concert with Bobby McFerrin and Garrison Keillor.

Since 1990, Dr. Armstrong has served as Artistic Director of the St. Olaf Christmas Festival, which features nearly 600 student musicians who are members of five St. Olaf Choral ensembles and the St. Olaf Orchestra. The St. Olaf Christmas Festival is one of the oldest musical celebrations of Christmas in the United States, begun in 1912 by F. Melius Christiansen (founder of the St. Olaf College Music Department). In March 2017, the festival was featured by invitation in two major performances at the National Conference of the American Choral Directors Association at Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis, MN.

In January 2006, Baylor University selected Dr. Armstrong from a field of 118 distinguished nominees to receive the Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching. He spent February-June 2007 in residency at Baylor University as a visiting professor. In March 2007

Dr. Armstrong was the first recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from the American Boychoir School and in October 2009 he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Michigan State University. In June 2013

Dr. Armstrong received the Saltzman Award from the Oregon Bach Festival, the festival’s highest honor, bestowed upon individuals who have provided exceptional levels of leadership to the organization. In the Fall of 2014, The St.

Olaf Choir and Dr. Armstrong received a Regional Emmy for the PBS television program Christmas in Norway with The St. Olaf Choir. In 2021, he was named an Honorary Life Member of the National Collegiate Choral Organization. Honorary Life Members are recognized as members of the choral profession who have devoted their life to the enhancement and artistic growth of the choral art. The award recognizes those leaders in the choral profession who have mentored young conductors, inspired singers, supported music educators in the arts, and shared their talents and gifts in the United States and abroad. In September 2022, Dr. Armstrong received the Distinguished Legacy Award from the College of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He also was a 50 Over 50 Honoree in the Arts Award from AARP-Minnesota and the Pollen Midwest in 2022.

The award recognizes those leaders in the choral profession who have mentored young conductors, inspired singers, supported music educators in the arts, and shared their talents and gifts in the United States and abroad.

When we present music to our choristers, and especially to our children and youth, is it a message worth singing?

Meaningful Messages

BY KATIE HOUTS SACRED CHORAL EDITOR

I had the opportunity to talk with composers at the national ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) in Cincinnati this past winter, where we discussed all things publishing and composing. I enjoyed sharing my perspective as an editor, offering composers insight into the publication review process and explaining how I approach selecting music for our catalog.

While chatting with my friend and colleague Dan Forrest at the conference, we discovered that we approach reviewing manuscripts in very similar ways. Rather than listen to a submitted audio recording or MIDI file of the manuscript, we audiate the score. That is - we hear the music by looking at it. If you were a music major in college or took advanced theory courses, you probably took an ear training class or two (or eight!). Training our mind to “hear” music by sight is a valuable skill for an editor, because it allows us to see the potential impact of a piece before it’s played, sung, or recorded.

However, even before audiating a manuscript, I make one key assessment: is this a message worth singing? I have this reminder displayed prominently in my office: Is it relevant, is it creative, and does it hold beauty?

The beauty and relevance of a text is central. Lyrics set the art of choral singing apart from other forms of

music-making because we have a text to convey. The beauty of a text does not always equate an expertly flourished phrase. Sometimes, a text that challenges us to create a more welcoming, equitable world or draws our attention to a longing or need holds just as much (or more!) beauty than a cleverly worded refrain. There are times, a simple message in just the right cadence holds as much (or more!) beauty than an extensive explanation. When we present music to our choristers, and especially to our children and youth, is it a message worth singing?

This issue of The Chorister highlights two new pieces from our upcoming Fall 2023 release with messages that are definitely worth singing. Poet and lyricist Lindy Thompson offers a reflection on her latest collaboration from Mark Miller on page 12 - along with sharing the full text of the poem which inspired the lyrics for their anthem. I hope you will check out Lindy’s website, where she offers poignant reflections on faith, music, and life that will inspire and energize you for the work you do as music ministers.

As we breathe in the fresh air of spring and welcome longer days of sunshine, may our hearts and voices be filled with meaningful messages to offer the world.

Why Your Voice Breaks and How To Avoid It

BY KERRI HO

It’s every singer’s worst nightmare. Imagine performing in front of people, and right at the climax of the song, you know that money-note in the chorus? And… your voice… CRACKS! Ok, let’s not go there. But the truth is, this is a very common source of frustration for singers. The dreaded vocal break, or the part of your voice that cracks/flips/ changes gears into a horribly weak and thin sound. The part of the voice where you lose connection. What many singers don’t realize is that there are common technical mistakes that almost every singer is making that causes this sudden break/flip in the voice. When these mistakes are understood, it is the first very important step towards fixing the problem.

Do you want to have the confidence to know that every time you get up to perform that you’re going to nail those money-notes and wow your audience? This confidence comes from knowing what mistakes you’re making and then employing the correct tactics to fix them. Below are what I’ve found in my experience as a singer trying to overcome my vocal break and as a vocal coach helping countless others overcome theirs, the top four mistakes that cause singers to crack and some simple tactics to overcome them.

notes trying to push their chest voice further and further up in their range. This only causes a thickening of the vocal cords which adds pressure continually. Once the pressure is too much, the voice ‘explodes’ or breaks causing the cords to thin out and therefore the resulting weaker sound.

TIP: Whenever you start to feel yourself straining up for higher notes, STOP. Instead let your voice go where it wants to go naturally even if it initially sounds a little weak in your ears. Doing this will allow what you perceive as the weaker part of the voice to strengthen without adding constriction and closure to your throat. Remember that straining and tension will never help you sing.

Mistake #2: Singing on the throat

Mistake #1: Pulling chest voice up Most singers, especially those without formal singing training, approach high

The second mistake pertains to resonance. Most singers will break dramatically because they are not placing their voice higher in the mask (behind the nose). As a result their sound does not travel forward as it should but stays stuck in the throat. This causes a dramatic crack in the voice because once again tension builds, causing constriction and limiting the voice to move freely through the vocal break.

... confidence comes from knowing what mistakes you’re making and then employing the correct tactics to fix them.

TIP: Rather than rely on the small muscles in your throat and put pressure on them – train your larger abdominal and diaphragmatic muscles and sing with support. Practice low breathing that sees the abdomen fill up like a balloon and the expansion of the ribs when inhaling. This will give adequate breath support which frees up your throat and allows your voice to move freely between registers.

This video will teach you about adequate breath support:

between the two vocal registers. Practice descending arpeggio scales that start from your head voice range and come down into your chest range. As you come down try to keep the sound as even as possible.

This video will help:

Youtube: The Songbird Tree by Kerri Ho, “Breath Management”

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=P7cQ334DtBc&t=2s

Mistake #3: Singing too heavily in their low-mid range

A common habit that singers have is that in order to compensate for what they perceive as a weak high voice, they tend to belt out their low notes with gusto –ALL THE TIME! This means that they are unknowingly creating a greater chasm between their low chest voice notes and their high head voice notes, accentuating and reinforcing the vocal break.

TIP: Singing lighter in the chest range so that you can even out the sound

Youtube: The Songbird Tree by Kerri Ho, “Erasing Vocal Break”

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=QcXjMx0bNkE&t=2s

Mistake #4: Singing too lightly and breathy in their high range

The opposite problem to the above mistake is that singers sing way too lightly and breathy in their higher range. Rather than singing with a forward sounding, bell-like tone, it becomes an unsupported and somewhat weak falsetto. This of course accentuates the vocal break more because there is too much difference in the sound compared to your solid chest notes.

TIP: Strengthen your head voice and aim to develop a fully resonating bell-like sound in your upper ranges.

Singing lighter in the chest range so that you can even out the sound between the two vocal registers.

Strengthen your head voice and aim to develop a fully resonating bell-like sound in your upper ranges.

This video will help:

Kerri Ho is an internationally recognised singing teacher and vocal coach, who has trained over 100,000 people across 50 countries to sing confidently and to find the joy in their own unique voice. Since 2005 she has done this through oneon-one coaching, group workshops, her online Vocal Academy, webinars and The Songbird Tree YouTube channel.

Youtube: The Songbird Tree by Kerri Ho, “Build a Powerful Head Voice”

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=MA8wuF5pUrU&t=20s

Understanding the mistakes we make is the first step towards improvement and progress. Next time you sing and you find yourself breaking drastically – ask yourself “Which of these 4 mistakes am I making?” then apply the Tip to overcome it. The key is to diagnose your problem (i.e. understand the mistake you’re making) and then remedy it by using the correct tactic to overcome it.

Kerri’s professional training spans over 10 years and includes a diverse range of techniques and styles including Bel Canto, Estill, Speech Level Singing, Classical/Opera, Musical Theatre (with world renowned Musical Theatre Voice Teacher, Educator & Author and Penn State Professor Emeritus Mary SaundersBarton), Pop & Jazz. Kerri is also a dynamic choir conductor, vocal director, creative producer and artistic director and also performs regularly as a professional singer enjoying belting out a Broadway and Disney tune or two! Find out more at www.thesongbirdtree.com.

Social Media:

www.youtube.com/TheSongbirdTree

@kerrihocoach on Instagram

Understanding the mistakes we make is the first step towards improvement and progress.

All God’s Children

Anthem Feature: Treble Voices

All God’s Children

FROM THE CHORISTERS GUILD CATALOG

USES

& TIPS

BY KATIE HOUTS

The two anthems featured in this Spring edition of The Chorister are part of our brand new release for Fall 2023. Read on for an exclusive peek inside these fantastic new anthems for children, youth, and adults.

When it comes to inclusion and diversity, youth often have the courage to say what adults cannot (or will not). This new anthem from Baker Lawrimore gives children the chance to offer a message of unconditional welcome and love. “All God’s Children” highlights the beauty and power of unison voices, yet provides a quality option for emerging part-singers in verse 2’s echo. A dynamic piano accompaniment creates both urgency and warmth, a dichotomy which many children experience daily.

This piece is an excellent selection for teaching these important choral skills: Resonant, unified vowels: use the first phrase (4 notes: do do sol sol) to experiment with the spectrum of dark-

to-bright vowel colors. Use the fourth note (“all”) to assess: where on the spectrum do your choristers sing this note most beautifully? Where do they feel they sing their very best? Create a visual for the vowel spectrum or indicate vowel colors by referencing head placement - and then have student volunteers lead the choir in vowel exploration.

Diction: phrases in this piece should be connected, but need energy and crispness. Incorporate articulator exercises in warmups to prepare your singers.

Solfege practice: the melody stays within an 8-note range (no accidentals), which makes it a perfect song to practice solfege, sight reading, or music literacy.

Use this piece any time of year! It makes an especially good complement to themes of inclusion, hospitality, and outreach - and would be an excellent anthem to pair with a specific service project effort.

Baker Lawrimore | CGA1702 | Unison/two-part with piano

When it comes to inclusion and diversity, youth often have the courage to say what adults cannot (or will not).

Anthem Feature: Mixed Voices Within Us Flows a River

FROM THE CHORISTERS GUILD CATALOG USES & TIPS BY

KATIE HOUTS

A. Miller,

Lindy Thompson

Frequent collaborators Mark A. Miller and Lindy Thompson have teamed once again, crafting a beautiful new mixed piece for youth and adult choirs.

CGA1701 Within Us Flows a River features Mark’s fresh, lyrical melody and Lindy’s poignant text. I reached out to Lindy to ask what prompted her lyrics, and here’s what she had to say:

“In 2013, following a season of great personal loss, I began to learn and cultivate a new way to perceive and relate to God. I discarded my former neat containers for God and was constantly exploring new ideas and metaphors through the writing of poetry. I wrote a piece called “The River” at that time. Later, I began to think it should be sung, so I turned it into a lyric. The first lyric was good but didn’t go anywhere. Years later, I entered into a mentoring relationship and began to rework all my unpublished lyrics, and once I had

worked with this one again, it was a seed ready for planting. Mark’s music gives the words a life way beyond what they had on paper, and the tune and harmonies take both the singers and listeners to a place of great hope and promise. The river that is God is beautiful, indeed.”

Lindy has graciously given Choristers Guild permission to print the full text of her poem, The River (p. 12) and encourages congregations to share the text to complement the singing of the anthem.

“Within Us Flows a River” would make a wonderful addition to Earth Day observations, Pentecost Sunday, and baccalaureate services. It also makes a thoughtful choice for milestone moments which mark growth in Christian life and service: baptism, commissioning, and confirmation.

Mark

text by

| CGA1701 | SATB with piano

I discarded my former neat containers for God and was constantly exploring new ideas and metaphors through the writing of poetry.

The River

BY LINDY THOMPSON

There is a river that is God running through my soul. It is where I live and move and have my being.

The pulse and flow of my life are found within that river. The dancing light of my joy, the solemn depths of my sorrow, my cherished memories, like varied stones –all are held safe within that sacred water.

I was born from that river. In that river I was baptized. Through that river my sins are washed away. Within that river I pray. From the nurturing of that river, I grow. To that river I will go when I die.

This holy water runs through the hearts of all of God’s children, every unique person whom God’s hands have made.

Through the grace of God, the river is discovered. With patience and yielding, there comes softly to the soul an awareness of a Holy Presence, greater than can be imagined, suffused with love and tenderness, quietly delighted with its beloved creation.

There is a river that is God within each of us, flowing with living water, giving life and freedom to all who avail themselves of its gifts.

Come to the water. Step in boldly, drink deeply. The river of God’s love flows eternally within us, and we are forever made new in its life-giving water.

From the nurturing of that river, I grow.

The river of God’s love flows eternally within us, ...

Quick Tips with Katie A series of easily answered questions

BY KATIE M. DEAVER, PHD

Q: Hello, Katie. We record our services and then post them on Facebook and YouTube. Recently we have started getting a lot of claims on the public domain music that is included in these services. I understand claims are not really harmful, but we make sure to post our permissions and licensing information correctly. I am getting a little frustrated by having so many claims each time I login to our channel. Is there anything we can do to fix this issue?

-Jeannie, Ontario, WI

A: Hi, Jeannie, thank you so much for your question! Here at ONE LICENSE we have some best practices that may help to cut down on the claims that you are describing.

First, double check that you are correctly displaying your permission and licensing information for all the included copyrighted music in the video description, as well as within the video itself if possible. Here is a helpful graphic to make sure you have included all the necessary information.

List the title, contributor and any other information you have for the public domain titles you are using in this format as well. Instead of listing the copyright holder or publisher for public domain titles you can just put Public Domain in that spot. Listing titles and contributors for all of the music included in your service is a great way to make sure that you are giving credit where credit is due and that the appropriate composers, authors, and artists are credited for their creative work even if the piece is no longer under copyright. Hopefully consistently following these guidelines will keep the claims on your videos to a minimum!

Our blog also features a number of helpful articles on this topic, take a look:

Understanding Public Domain

https://news.onelicense.net/2021/03/18/ understanding-public-domain/

Not Just a Quick Fix: Streaming is the New Way of Doing Ministry

https://news.onelicense.net/2020/09/21/not-justa-quick-fix-streaming-is-the-new-way-of-doingministry/

Katie

M. Deaver, Ph.D. serves as Associate General Manager of

LICENSE. Deaver’s love of music and religion has allowed her to serve in a variety of music ministry settings, as well as to study and teach religion, feminist theology and ethics. She lives in beautiful Marquette, Michigan and is an alumna of Luther College (BA) and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (MATS, THM, PHD).

Best Practices for Posting Your Services to Social Media

https://news.onelicense.net/2020/05/22/best-practices-for-posting-yourservices-to-social-media/

ONE

The Choral Community in Ukraine

BY VITALIY BOLGAR

TRANSLATED BY NATALIYA BOLGAR, COMPILED BY AMY FARNELL

The Church always plays an important role in society, but especially in wartime. Before the war started in Ukraine in 2022, there was a lot of information around the world that there could be a war, but people did not believe that it would be possible in Ukraine, which chose independence 30 years ago. Honestly, I also could not allow the thought that there would be a war in Ukraine on such a scale as it is today. On the morning of February 24, 2022, the entire country of Ukraine, as well as my family, was awakened by the terrible explosions of shells and air-raid sirens. From that very moment, our lives were divided into ‘Before’ and ‘After’ –‘Before February 24’ and ‘After February 24’. Since Ukrainians are, culturally, a very hospitable people, I knew that whoever I called that morning asking for shelter would have welcomed me and my family. Everyone thought the same way I did at the time of the war, however, and lots of the people began to quickly leave their apartments, houses, and cities.

Many people, though, remained where they were and continued serving in the church. Before February 24, some churches gave their parishioners information in case of war: Some churches in Kyiv were buying generators, fuel, and food, and gave masterclasses on how to give first aid to the victims. Of course, these were only a few churches, but they started working smoothly from the day the war started, since they

had experience receiving displaced Ukrainians in 2014 who were fleeing the war in the east that Russia started.

People in the neighborhoods immediately started looking for help, and where do you think they went? To the church they knew that was in their neighborhood. Churches were engaged in evacuation from the captured areas, churches distributed and gave out food, churches served as a bomb shelters, churches served as ‘warm banks’ where people could go to get warm while their heating was cut off, churches served as laundromats and charging stations for the electronics, and certainly churches shared with everyone who came to them words of hope. Such ministries continues to this day – many unbelievers have already repented, accepted the Lord as their personal Savior, and been baptized. This year there were more baptisms by churches than in the last 2 years combined, showing that the church became a point of physical and spiritual refuge during the war.

However, there are also of course destructive realities to this war. More than 400 church buildings throughout Ukraine (2 of them in the Kiev region)

I knew that whoever I called that morning asking for shelter would have welcomed me and my family.

have suffered from Russian shelling. Some church’s ministers left Ukraine near the start of the war, 30 left in the Kiev region. Some churches, of course, were left without any leadership team, and there are churches that simply have ceased to exist. Others will not be able to recover due to the fact that their village or town has been completely destroyed by Russian bombs.

much and this wound of war will remain as a scar for life.

Constant anxiety, worry, and instability greatly depresses everyone, including me; but a certain psychological defense for survival is probably developed and this is how we live. Of course, from time to time I am overwhelmed by despondency and uncertainty about what will happen next. How is it going to be? What do we need to be prepared for in order to survive? How do I save my life and protect my family? How do I stay faithful to God and stay with the people of Ukraine in this difficult time? Most of these questions stay unanswered... I have to look for strength – physical, emotional, spiritual and psychological –to be in fasting and prayer, to lead others and ultimately to direct their attention to God. I know that spiritual stability and physical strength can only be found in God, but everything we see, hear, and feel in Ukraine hurts our hearts very

Before the war, there were 11 adult choirs and four children’s choirs representing evangelical churches in Kyiv. Since the war started the number plummeted to a mere five adult choirs and one children’s choir. Since I have been engaged in music for most of my life, I have friends in each of the regional centers of Ukraine. There are many of my friends who left at the start of the war for Europe, USA, and Australia. I had been leading a combined young adults choir whose members were from 10 churches in Kyiv, but due to the war, 60% of this choir are now scattered across Europe and the USA. In our chat we regularly support each other and pray for one other. Of course, I realize that we will never be able to gather as a pre-war group of singers, but we will support one another as much as possible. This year the choir would have celebrated its 20-year anniversary. I am not in every chat of all the choirs in Kyiv; however, I know that many churches keep in touch almost daily with their choir members, as well their church members. I also know that every church sincerely hopes that as soon as the war is over that many will

How do I stay faithful to God and stay with the people of Ukraine in this difficult time?

I know that spiritual stability and physical strength can only be found in God, ...

return back to Ukraine, to their churches, and they will be together again.

to be indifferent or atheist, started attending a church since the start of the war. People want to listen to the word of God. People are ready to go to church, profess Jesus as their Lord and Savior and get baptized. And, interestingly enough, no one stopped coming to the choir rehearsals, except for a few choir members who have been drafted at the start of the war and continue to serve in the Ukrainian army. During the first two months of the war, there were no choir rehearsals at all, but in the third month, the churches, one after another, started having choir rehearsals.

I stay in Ukraine because of the main calling in my life – serving God and people – even though the prospects of what will happen next to my country are as foggy as they could get. I know that people will never appreciate what I have to sacrifice while remaining in Ukraine at the time of war: I am not close to my family, I cannot hug my son and wife every day, and it is emotionally difficult... but I know and believe that God knows and sees everything and in due time He will fill this gap in our life.

The choir of the church I attend has a two-hour choir rehearsal, once a week. However, each choir member makes a great effort to get to the rehearsal: in the evenings the street lights are off, therefore, one needs to be extremely vigilant when he walks down the street. During the summer it was easier because the daylight hours are longer; in autumn and winter it is much more difficult since it gets dark earlier, and it is not safe to be outside without personal lighting. Therefore, each choir member has purchased a small flashlight to use in the dark when walking outside. This has also been helpful in the choir room, to shed light on the music we are rehearsing, when electricity is off in the building.

And God has surely been with us –several young people joined our church choir since the start of the war. I also know that many people who claimed

As Christians, we must encourage the body of believers with a song...

I know and believe that God knows and sees everything and in due time He will fill this gap in our life.

In general, singing individually and collectively gives a lot of strength for surviving crisis moments in the life of a Christian, the church, the city and the country we live in. As Christians, we must encourage the body of believers with a song, so that the Church (the people) can impact the world for God’s kingdom. Encouraging each choir member to sing is what the Levites (singers) can do in this difficult wartime. Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns to God when they were in prison (Acts 16:25). We also have such an opportunity to sing in the ‘dark’, literally and figuratively. The choir members are encouraged to learn and memorize the songs so that when the lights are turned off in the building, they can continue to sing them by heart.

Every choir member is an ordinary person, a regular worker, who earns his or her living outside of the music field. The people who sing in my church choir: a soldier who is serving as a national guard since the start of the war (he also sang in the choir before the war), a crisis psychologist, an assistant judge, a hairdresser, a housewife, a medical rehabilitologist, a truck driver,

several young students who did not leave Ukraine, and others… They are all united by a desire to serve and glorify God. Of course I would like to have more singers; Regrettably, there are not enough young female singers, and this has been a problem. Many of them have left the country due to the war, but we are learning to work with what we have and who we have. I am grateful for the commitment of each choir member to serve the Lord in times like this. And I am happy to report that, so far, in our choir, God has protected those who are on the battlefield and their families. We pray hard and earnestly that everyone will return home alive from the frontline.

In regard to the selection of songs for the choir: the songs we sing are prayerful, gratitude, introspective, soulful, heartfelt, and have a message of hope. Before the war, the repertoire was of an exclamatory and powerful nature; now the heart longs for prayerful songs, but I try to listen to the needs of the choir, the church, and the community. We, as Christians, want to support our country, the military, the people, and inspire them to pray more for God to send everything necessary to stop this war. In my humble opinion, there is a great awakening happening now among ordinary people in Ukraine. In some regions, the church followed God’s command of helping people – to be the salt and the light. We need leaders and missionaries especially in the eastern part of our country. A lot of humanitarian aid is brought in by various Christian organizations and people are willing to go to church, but there are no leaders to lead them, so I organize prayer meetings online to support such people.

I am grateful for the commitment of each choir member to serve the Lord in times like this.

The songs we sing are prayerful, gratitude, introspective, soulful, heartfelt, and have a message of hope.

I am the Ukrainian representative of the global non-profit Music in World Cultures (MIWC), and director of the Eurasian Music Mission (EMM), two organizations which have been working in partnership since 1999. The main purposes of these organizations are to train young generations of musicians to serve in the local churches, organize and lead children music camps, and organize music seminars and conferences. However, due to the circumstances in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, we were forced to pivot in our ministry directions, now focusing on humanitarian ministries in the regions affected by the war: assisting with evacuation, providing food boxes, and medical care (photo is of one of our teams, geared to enter the front line in combat-readiness to distribute food boxes, medicines, and survival items for the months of winter). The preparation and management of these three ministry areas can only function effectively with an immense amount of time, manpower, and financial support.

If anyone would like to partner with us in helping the ministries we are doing in Ukraine during the time of war, we will be forever grateful. You can go to the MIWC website where you can learn more about the ministries we are involved in. There you can also send financial support to the needs and requests of the Ukrainian people who survive the war by clicking “Donate” for MIWC Eastern Europe. Many people, after receiving our assistance, start coming to church, listen to the Word of God, and find Him as their personal Lord and Savior. What a great opportunity to touch people’s lives and make a difference for eternity!

Preview YouTube video

Mercy Ministry in Ukraine || Eurasian Music Mission || Music in World Culture:

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=igIrFthV4Ys&authuser=0

Vitaliy Bolgar (b.1980) is a fourth-generation Ukrainian Christian, married to his beautiful wife, Lyudmila, together raising their son, 8-year-old Julian. The family also has an adorable 3-year-old Cocker Spaniel by the name of Spanky. Vitaliy is a choir and orchestra conductor, and a vocalist. His hobbies include playing soccer, fishing, and having fun with family.

What a great opportunity to touch people’s lives and make a difference for eternity!

My Reflections

Russian Invasion of Ukraine

First Year – February 24, 2023

BY NATALIYA BOLGAR

As I am writing my reflections on the day that marks a year of Russian invasion of Ukraine, I go through an ocean of mixed emotions. On the one hand, my heart is aching from an overwhelming sorrow of sadness and horror, misery, and grief that continues to rage throughout. In the past year I feel like as if I have been playing a myriad of different acting roles 24/7/365 – daughter, sister, aunt, friend, teacher, translator, church member, music leader, singer, worrier, and so on and so on. I constantly, non-stop, think about my family in Ukraine. I talk with my 82-year old Mom almost every day making sure she is well-taken care of in the Netherlands where she is temporarily with one of my nieces. When I am at work, I need to be in perfect shape physically and emotionally in order to be able to teach my classes and to be productive at the workplace. During my breaks, between classes, I check my phone messages (WhatsApp or Viber) to see if there is anything I received from my siblings and their family members in Ukraine. When I get home in the evening, I get into a comfortable position in my recliner and start translating the messages I received from Vitaliy during the day: formatting, organizing, and sending them out to my friends and acquaintances through the WhatsApp platform. Basically, in the evening I take a role of a spokesperson between Vitaliy and the English-speaking group of people.

On the other hand, February 24 is a very special day – it’s my birthday! Especially on this day, one thing that is clear to me and there are no mixed emotions which is – God is always present in our lives despite the circumstances.

I am grateful for the life He has given me. I am humbled by God’s compassion and kindness toward me despite my daily fallouts.

I am grateful for the nuclear and extended family I have. I am grateful God has kept everyone in my family safe and alive during the war in Ukraine.

I am grateful for the beautiful friendships I have in my life. I am grateful for the church family I have.

I am grateful for the opportunities God has given me to worship Him wherever I am planted.

My brother Vitaliy, who is also an accomplished musician, has poured out his heart in this article by sharing his first-hand experiences. His life and the life of his family (like many others) has changed drastically from day one

God is always present in our lives despite the circumstances.

of the war, February 24, 2022. From sharing God’s message through song, he was forced, due to the circumstances, to become God’s messenger to the current frontline or to deliver hope and encouragement by various means to the people who live in the regions that were under Russian occupation. I am very proud of my little brother (there are three brothers between us), yes, I am the oldest in the family. Whenever we can serve together it brings me great joy and an incredible sense of satisfaction. I am grateful to our parents for showing us the way to the Lord – truly, they are the reason we are in ministry.

DIFFERENCE

Sponsor a Ukrainian refugee child for summer music camp

Donate

today

at miwc.org/camps

Dr. Nataliya V. Bolgar has a passion for teaching people of any age to develop the musical gifts with which God has entrusted them. In 2016 she earned a Doctor of Musical Arts in Church Music with Voice Performance Concentration from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, after several masters in Church Music and Christian Education. She has been a voice instructor at Southwestern Music Academy since 2011, and, since fall 2016, also holds a position of a voice instructor at Lake Country Christian School in Fort Worth, Texas. Since 2007, Dr. Bolgar has served as a director of Senior Adult Choir at Gambrell Street Baptist Church, Fort Worth, TX as well as sings with the sanctuary choir at the same church since 2005. Dr. Bolgar has performed and taught as a guest Voice Instructor/Music Educator in churches in Finland, Republic of Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, and USA.

Before coming to the Southwestern, Dr. Bolgar served in different churches in Ukraine as an assistant director in childhood education, a member of a church planting team, Sunday School teacher, and music educator for all ages. She is currently teaching at Temple Christian School in Fort Worth, Texas as a choir director (grades 3rd-12th) and a Russian Language Instructor (K4-5).

I am grateful to our parents for showing us the way to the Lord – truly, they are the reason we are in ministry.

Warmups: Tried, True and Borrowed Too

BY JASMINE REED

We all know that warmups are vital to all musicians and ensembles. Very often, we get so caught up in making sure that we are on track for whatever event is next on the calendar that we forget to plan worthwhile warmups, or we skip that part altogether. Either way, warmups set the tone and serve as the foundation for a great rehearsal. Here are some things that I have done to keep students engaged and some things that I have stolen borrowed… from my colleagues.

1. MOVE YOUR BODY

Starting with stretches is a great way to ease your students into warmups. Whether you are leading or a student is, I find it is a great way to check in with them and get them moving. I often ask questions about their weekend or a positive thing that happened in school while stretching. I have also asked students for song suggestions that we can use to help with stretches and breathing before we sing.

When we are preparing for a rigorous show full of dancing and singing, i.e., Pop Show, we start Friday rehearsals with a full-blown dance routine. It pays to have enthusiastic dancers that are willing to teach and lead. Just Dance YouTube videos work just as well.

2. WOO BALL

Need a way to start your singers in their head voice or falsetto? WOO Ball is the game for your choir. With any light ball – think beach ball – students throw

it in an arch around the room to another singer and ‘WOO’ for the duration the ball is in the air, matching the shape of the arc with their pitch. Students that stop before someone catches the ball, go too long, or do not ‘WOO’ in their falsetto are out. A quick 5-minute game of WOO BALL can get the kids out of their comfort zone and willing to access their head voice or falsetto, cracks and all!

Credit for WOO Ball goes to Melissa Smith and Jennifer Gallagher.

3. FUN EXERCISES

For me, sight-reading is an integral part of warmups with my choirs. It helps keep them consistent in the skill that they need every day in rehearsal, but sometimes it can become stale. ‘Pick Your Poison’ is a good way to add some variety. When students are singing a scale, steps, skips, etc. I ask a student to select one solfege syllable (the Poison) for the choir NOT to sing. If a student sings it, then they are out. Students that are out are still expected to audiate, use hand signs, and follow along while the choir finishes the exercise. The student or students left after singing the exercise accurately have bragging rights and maybe some type of treat.

Warmups set the tone and serve as the foundation for a great rehearsal.

Adding more than one poisoned solfege syllable for students to avoid is a good way to keep them on their toes and help them practice tricky intervals. Asking them to omit solfege and sing it in a 2-part or 3-part round is a way to get students to really think.

Quick Tip: This also works well when you want students to recognize short melodies or rhythms! Demonstrate or display either melody or rhythm and tell the students it is now poison. Have more examples ready, and sprinkle in the poison rhythms. The goal remains the same – to be the last one standing.

4. SWITCH IT UP

If you have noticed your students on autopilot during warmups, consider reaching for your choral methods binders, asking students for their favorite warmups, or asking colleagues for some of their favorite exercises. I am guilty of falling into a routine that doesn’t engage the whole student during warmups, so I find that the resources I have collecting dust at home can be useful for me.

If I am looking for a little more inspiration, I find that observing my colleagues for a day can provide me with more ideas to bring back to my classroom. A new perspective can really revive the teacher and in turn, your students.

5. THROW THE PLAYBOOK OUT

My focus as an educator is teaching the whole student. When finals roll around or when it is a stressful time for my students, I use team building games to reach them. It does not take the place of the entire warmup routine but playing a

quick 5-minute game of ‘THIS or THAT’ or a ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ tournament is a great way to let them socialize and focus on anything else but their problems. Then we jump into rehearsals a little more relaxed and willing to engage.

I fully understand that warmups look different in every classroom and I have found what works for myself and my students. Overall, the goal is to get the student ready to create music, which is an incredibly vulnerable process. Setting the tone early on is always helpful and understanding your singers’ needs is always best, singing or not. I hope that these ideas jog your memory or provide something new to take back to your classrooms.

Jasmine Reed, a native Houstonian, earned her Bachelors of Music Education from Baylor University in 2013. In the fall of 2022, Jasmine began her tenth year of teaching at Dawson High School in Pearland ISD. Prior to Dawson HS, she directed choirs at Peet JH in Conroe ISD and Bayside Intermediate in Clear Creek ISD where her ensembles consistently earned Superior ratings at UIL Concert and Sight-Reading contests and other local festivals. She is an active member in her region and enjoys serving her choral community. In 2017, Jasmine was awarded the Texas Choral Directors Young Director of Distinction. She enjoys teaching young students and connecting through music.

Overall, the goal is to get the student ready to create music, which is an incredibly vulnerable process.

Children’s Choir Devotionals

BY HEATHER HARMAN (APRIL) | PAMELA VANDEWALKER (MAY) | ANGIE HAWKINS (JUNE)

APRIL DEVOTIONALS BY HEATHER HARMAN

Week of April 2

Scripture

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9

Devotional

Have you ever been to a parade? There is so much to take in… crowds of people, brightly decorated floats, marching bands, dancers in elaborate costumes… what a celebration with so much to see and hear! On Palm Sunday we recall another ‘parade’ of sorts, the grand entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem. Although this parade was far different, it was probably just as exciting. People lined the streets of Jerusalem, waving palms and shouting “Hosanna!”, eagerly waiting for a glimpse of the King they had heard so much about. But King Jesus didn’t arrive

with marching bands, shiny chariots, or beautiful horses. He rode into Jerusalem on one of the lowliest of all animals, a donkey.

Close your eyes and imagine what it was like to be there in Jerusalem that day. What might you hear? Smell? Feel? Why do you think Jesus chose a donkey?

Prayer

Thank you God for sending your son, Jesus, to save us. Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

Coordinating Anthem

CGA1160 | Ride Through Jerusalem, found in Seasonal Songs for Young Singers | Michael Bedford | Unison with keyboard and optional handbells

Week of April 9

Scripture

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright, the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” Luke 24:1-6

Devotional

Do you enjoy being surprised? Surprises can be fun, like receiving an unexpected gift or finding something special that you lost. But surprises can also be scary, like when someone jumps out and startles you on

purpose, or when you don’t do as well as you expected on a test.

On that first Easter morning, the women went to the tomb to mourn the death of their beloved friend, Jesus. Imagine how they felt when they discovered that the stone at the entrance to the tomb was rolled away, and Jesus was not there! Do you think that was a happy surprise or a scary surprise? Could it be a little bit of both? How do you think you would have felt?

Prayer God, help us to always trust in your promises. Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Coordinating Anthem

CGA1393 | Just As He Said | Trevor Manor | Unison/two-part with piano and 2 or 3 octaves handbells

Week of April 16

Scripture

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. Luke 12:27

Devotional

There is a beautiful outdoor area at my church called the Disciples Garden, and at the entrance to the Garden there is a curved brick wall with the inscription ‘Consider the Lilies’. On Easter Sunday, the Garden comes alive with children and families enjoying our annual Easter Egg Hunt, and in the warmer months we enjoy outdoor worship services there, surrounded by the flowers, trees, and chirping birds. Sometimes I go outside for a walk on my lunch break and find myself standing in front of that scripture… consider the lilies. In the same way that poinsettias remind me of Christmas with their vibrant red blooms, lilies have always reminded me

of Easter. Standing tall, their bright white coloring is said to be a symbol of hope and rebirth, and their sturdy blooms are shaped like trumpets heralding the risen Christ.

Is there a place where you go to enjoy the flowers? Maybe in your backyard or a local park, or at your own church? Do you have a favorite flower? What makes it your favorite? God created the flowers, and God created us too. In what ways are people like flowers?

Prayer

God, give us thankful hearts to appreciate the lilies and all of your beautiful creations!

Coordinating Anthem

CGA1568 | Love Was Made a Lily Bright | Mark Patterson | Unison/two-part with piano

Week of April 23

Scripture

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

Devotional

Have you ever felt sad about something that was happening in your life? Maybe things are not going well at school, your grades aren’t very good, or you are struggling to make friends. Or perhaps someone you love is sick and hurting. Sometimes when things are not going right in our lives, we lose hope. We can only think about the bad things that are happening at that moment. In those difficult times it is especially important to remember that our awesome God is by our side always, even though we can’t see God. We can talk to God through prayer and ask for God to send the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us. Whatever we are going through will not last

forever, and there is always hope in the Lord. Think about things that you know are real, even though you can’t see them… our feelings, the air around us, the love we have for others. What others can you add? Do you know someone who is going through a hard time? Say a prayer asking God to be with that person to comfort and guide them.

Prayer

God, sometimes we feel sad and alone. Help us to find comfort in your promise that no matter what we are going through, with you we have hope and a future.

Coordinating Anthem

CGA1510 | I Believe | Mark A. Miller | Threepart treble with piano

Other voicings: CGA1310 SATB

Also available: CGRP51 (string quartet) and CGOR1310 (full orchestration)

Week of April 30

Scripture

The Lord is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of his people. Psalm 113:4-8

Devotional

Who? What? When? Where? Why? When I was in school many, many years ago, I remember learning about ‘the five Ws’, which is a series of questions to be sure to answer when you are writing a report or a story. Throughout my life I have found that asking myself these questions can also be useful when reading the Bible, and it is especially applicable here in Psalm 113. Let’s give it a try!

Who is this verse about? (God!) What is it telling us to do? (Praise God!) When should we praise God? (Now and forevermore!) Where? (Everywhere!) Why should we praise God? (God raises the poor and lifts the needy, and seats us in Heaven!)

Sometimes a sixth question is added to the 5 W’s, and that question is ‘How’? While I don’t see an answer to ‘How’ in the scripture above, I know it can be found in our hearts. Think about how we can praise the Lord for all of the wonderful things the Lord has done for us.

Prayer

Lord, you are our Salvation and ever worthy of praise. We thank you for creating and loving us.

Coordinating Anthem

CGA1608 | The Lord is My Salvation | arr. Katie Houts | Unison/two-part with piano

MAY DEVOTIONALS BY PAMELA VANDEWALKER

Week of May 7

Scripture

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninetynine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’” Luke 15:3-6

Devotional

Who doesn’t love a counting game? Let’s all count the number of people in the room. Did you know that God loves to count too, just like you? The Bible tells us God counts the number of hairs on your head (Luke 12:7) and God counts all the stars that God created (Psalm 147:4).

Jesus also counts sheep, but not the kind you might count when you are trying to go to

sleep. People are often referred to as sheep because we all need someone to watch over and guide us. Jesus knows when you are lost or unsafe (like a sheep) and He searches to rescue you. Jesus also rejoices when you are found and safe just the way a shepherd feels when he has found one of his lost sheep. Know that God always provides a safe place, as God watches over you.

Prayer

Lord, I can count on You to count me. You knew me before I was born. You know the number of hairs on my head. You know my heart. And I pray my heart will always be open to You. Amen.

Coordinating Anthem

CGA1621 | I Am a Lamb | arr. Eric Whitehill | Unison with optional flute and finger cymbals

Week of May 14

Scripture

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” . Jeremiah 29:11-13

Devotional

What do you want to be when you grow up? Sometimes those exact hopes come to pass, but other times we change what we want to be because we will like something else better later, or because of financial challenges, difficulties in training or schooling, or we just change our minds. Hopes can change because life has struggles and can get hard. But in the midst of good and bad times remember that Jesus is your Hope… always. He never changes.

When Jeremiah 29:11-13 is read in light of the previous scriptures, a powerful promise

emerges. These words were written to God’s people – the Israelites – who were in the middle of a very hard time. God told them they would have to endure more suffering but that God would work through those challenges and give them hope and a future.

Difficult things will happen in your life, but know that God’s promise is sure - God is always with you, and gives hope because God is Hope. God is the Hope of life eternal and a full life.

Prayer

Lord, your Word says: Surely, no doubt, 100 percent, you are with me. You are my Hope. Thank You for this promise of your Presence and power in my life. May I live with You ever in my heart and mind. Amen.

Coordinating Anthem

CGA1672 | A Future with Hope | Mark Burrows

| Unison/two-part with piano

Other voicings: CGA1679 SAB

Week of May 21

Scripture

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Devotional

Let’s play a short game of “Hazard.” Place 8-10 plastic cups (or hazards) in a defined area. Pair your group into groups of two. One child in the pair is blindfolded and the other team member guides the blindfolded friend through the hazard area using only verbal commands. The objective is to make it through without touching the cups, requiring the participants to trust and depend on their partners.

In the same manner, believers have to lean into God for guidance to avoid the hazards of life, even when we don’t understand why things are happening at the moment. In happy or sad times remember that God is trustworthy and reliable. God can be leaned

on completely – from the bottom of your toes to the top of your head. You can know with total security that you are never alone no matter what you are doing. God is with you if you are afraid, happy, surprised, mad, or lonely. Keep on trusting, relying on, and leaning into Christ knowing you are loved and safe no matter what.

Prayer

Jesus, you know what it is like to be sad and worried; When I am troubled or anxious, give me courage to trust You. When I am unhappy, help me lean into You - knowing You are there. Help me bring all my worries to You, because You understand and care. Amen.

Coordinating Anthem

CGA1662 | I Will Trust You Lord | Becki Slagle Mayo | Unison/two-part with piano

Week of May 28

Scripture

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.. Acts 1:8

Devotional

Jesus promised the power of the Holy Spirit to come when He left the earth. And Jesus delivered on that promise on a day we now call Pentecost. Acts 2 says that Jesus’ friends – the disciples – were gathered in a room when all of a sudden, they heard the sounds of fire and wind. What happened? The Holy Spirit had entered their lives and empowered them! Afterwards, large numbers of people gathered and were amazed because the disciples spoke to them in a language each could understand. As a result, many people trusted in Jesus that day.

That same power of the Holy Spirit is available to you as a believer today because the Holy Spirit is God living in you! As such, God is teaching, living, comforting, leading, and producing godly character in you. Why? So that you can tell others about God! Much

like electricity, believers are ‘wired’ with the Holy Spirit. You see, electricity has to be turned on for its power to work, i.e., lighting lamps and powering TVs. Likewise, even though believers already have the Holy Spirit’s power in them, they still have to tap into God’s power by reading the Bible and asking God to produce the fruit of love, joy, peace, and patience. How much of the Holy Spirit’s power do you access today?

Prayer

Let’s all say the prayer of Saint Patrick, an Irish man from the 5th century: “Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.”

Coordinating Anthem

CGA502 | Pentecost Fire | Jayne Southwick Cool | Unison with piano/keyboard

Looking for volunteers! If you love children’s devotionals like we do, and are keen to try your hand at writing a few for our young choristers, contact Amy Farnell (afarnell@choristersguild.org) for info on how!

JUNE DEVOTIONALS BY ANGIE HAWKINS

Week of June 4

Scripture

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And, surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

Devotional

1, 2, 3… Let’s talk about the Trinity! Triple, triangle, tricycle, and triceratops! What do these words all have in common? ‘Tri’ is a prefix that means three. That means when you see ‘tri’ at the beginning of a word, you are talking about 3 of something like 3 wheels, 3 sides, or 3 horns. Some great things come in threes like breakfast, lunch, and dinner. How about morning, noon, and night? The Three Little Pigs and Goldilocks and the Three Bears are great stories. But, how does this relate to God? Did you know God can be thought of in THREE ways, and we call it the Trinity!

God can be called a Father or parent. God loves us and takes care of us. God can listen to us through our prayers and comfort us. God is always there for us just like our

grownups. God also came down from Heaven to be WITH US through Jesus Christ. We call Jesus the Son of God because he was a real man living on Earth with the spirit of God. Jesus came to guide and teach us. Jesus gave his life for us to be closer to God. Finally, sometimes we experience God as the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is the divine force in all of life, in all of us! The Holy Ghost is the spirit in all of the universe so God can be everywhere!

When you hear the word Trinity, that means God in all three ways. It means God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. We give praise to the Trinity to celebrate the many ways God is with us!

Prayer

God is so amazing! God can be with us in so many ways. Can you think of three ways God is with you? Thank you God for being with us in so many ways. Thank you for loving us, guiding us, teaching us, and giving us Grace. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Coordinating Anthem

CGA668 | Praise to the Trinity | Rob Glover | Unison/two part with keyboard and guitar

Week of June 11

Scripture

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts... So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body… Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 1 Corinthians 12:12-17

Devotional

Head, shoulders, knees, and toes! Look at all these parts of the body and how amazing each one is! Your eyes see and your ears hear! Your nose and your toes smell! Just kidding! All of these parts make up your body and each one has a specific job to make you, YOU! You are wonderfully made by God!

Do you think we can use these body parts to praise God? How could we use our hands to praise God? How about our feet? What about your ears? Imagine if we only used one body

CHILDREN’S

CHOIR DEVOTIONALS, CONTINUED

part at a time to praise God. What would it look like coming to church and only using your ears! It’s wonderful to listen, but we don’t just listen in the worship service. What else do we do? We use our hands to greet our friends. We use our eyes to read the bulletin or worship guide. We use our voices to sing! It takes a lot of parts to worship God!

What does it sound like when you hear one person clap? What about when a whole group of people are clapping? How about when one person sings versus a whole choir? Just as we have lots of parts to our bodies, WE are all a part of the body of

Christ! We are the church together! It takes all of us together in community to do the work God has called us to do. We may all be different. Hands and feet are different. But we are ALL a part of the body of Christ.

Prayer

God be in my head. God be in my heart. God be on my right side. God be on my left side. God be in my whole self. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Coordinating Anthem

CGA1500 | We Are the Body of Christ | Emily Lund | Unison/two-part with piano and optional flute

Week of June 18

Scripture

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him… The father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost and now is found.” So they began to celebrate. Luke 15:11-32

Devotional

Have you ever misplaced something and thought it was lost? A favorite toy? A book? A shoe? How did you feel when you found it? Were you excited? Relieved? Sometimes when we have something special, we worry about it. We work hard to protect it. We take extra special care because we love it. Did you know that to some people, YOU are that something special?

When you read our Bible story we learned of a father who loves his long-lost son. God is like the father in our story. The father is so happy, relieved, and excited that his lost son was found. He hugged his son. He brought him new clothes and even decided that there should be a feast to celebrate his son

coming home. That’s three different ways to say, “I love you”. Can you think of some ways that God says, “I love you,” to you?

God shows his love for you in so many different ways. What are some of the ways you can show your love for God? God asks us to love each other the way God loves us. The best part is loving others is awesome! It makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. God wants you to love others to be an example! Then, others can spread even more love to more people! And so on, and so on! We keep spreading the love until it’s all around us. God is all around us!

Prayer

We love you Lord! Thank you for all of the ways that you love us. We feel your love every day in countless ways. Thank you for our families, our friends, and the special people in our lives that love us too. Help us to love others the way you love us. Help us to spread the love we feel, and in doing so to share God all around us! Amen.

Coordinating Anthem

CGA1185 | Those Who Love and Care for Me | Vicki Hancock Wright | Unison with piano and optional flute

Week of June 25

Scripture

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” John 8:12

Devotional

This Little Light of Mine. I’m gonna let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine! Have you ever been in the dark? I mean, you can’t see your hand in front of your face… completely dark? Imagine going into a closet and turning out the lights. What would it

like? Would you be afraid? How would you feel if you had a flashlight? Would you feel better about being in the dark? Close your eyes. Do you think you could get up and walk around? We could, but it wouldn’t be easy. You might run into something. You could maybe get hurt. Maybe hurt someone else? That wouldn’t be fun at all, would it? But, what if you opened your eyes? Much easier, right? Just like that dark room and finding a light!

Jesus called himself the light of the world. Jesus wants people to think of him like a light in the darkness. His light is there to guide us. He wants to help us find him and to find each other. Jesus is there to help light our way. To be with us. Each and every one of us can be a light just like Jesus. How can we be lights for each other? All of our lights can be different, and we can use our lights to work together. We are called to let our light shine just like Jesus did! Go light your world!

Prayer

Rise, shine and give God the glory! God, thank you for our lights! Help us use our light to guide those in darkness. May we reflect your holy light through ours. Let your light shine in me, O Lord! Amen.

Coordinating Anthem

CGE271 | Firefly | Mark Patterson | Two-part with piano

Other voicings: CGE270 Three-part Mixed/ SAB

Heather Harman is a 1993 graduate of Penn State University with a BS in Education, and a 2017 graduate of the Choristers Guild Institute. A lifelong singer and lover of music, Heather served for many years as the Music teacher at Asbury Child Development Center in Salisbury, MD, before transitioning to her current position as the full-time Director of Children and Care Ministries at Asbury United Methodist Church. Heather directs the Cherub Choir (K-2nd) and Kingdom Kids Singers (3rd-5th).

Pamela Vandewalker has served at churches in Missouri and Texas and is presently a full-time Minister of Worship Programming and Kids Music serving a congregation of over 7,000 active worshipers and 700 kids involved in Kids Music in Georgia. She is passionate about leading all generations in authentic, meaningful worship. Pamela earned Magna Cum Laude undergraduate and graduate degrees from Houston Baptist University and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, respectively. She is the author of more than forty books and children’s musicals, including the Dove Award winning, “God Made Me Special”, and has served with a variety of publishing houses as a creative arts, devotional, and curriculum writer for worship, drama, and children’s music.

Angie Hawkins is the Children’s Music Coordinator at Christ United Methodist Church in Plano, Texas. She has worked over 20 years with Children’s choirs and elementary music, and encourages imagination in the classroom.

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Supporting Our Mission

THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO SUPPORT CHORISTERS GUILD’S MISSION

Facebook Fundraisers

Are you on Facebook? One of the fun ways to raise donations to Choristers Guild is through Facebook, by hosting a fundraiser for your special occasion. It may be for your birthday, anniversary, seeing your choir live again unmasked…. whatever occasion that makes you who you are. Since we are a nonprofit organization, Facebook makes it easy to have your friends and family know about the charities that affect your life. Won’t you consider making a fundraiser in your name on Facebook and sharing it? You will be surprised how many contribute, and every contribution makes a difference in keeping the world in song.

Create a nonprofit fundraiser

1, On your computer, login to Facebook

2. On the left, click  Fundraisers Tip: If you don’t see Fundraisers on the left, then click See more

3. On the left, click Raise money.

4. Click Nonprofit.

5. You can either:

• Scroll to find the nonprofit you want to raise money for, or

• Type into the search bar to find the nonprofit you want to raise money for

6. Select the nonprofit.

7. On the left, enter:

• The goal amount of money you want to raise

* The currency you want the funds to be in

8. Click Create

You’ll see a screen pop up where you can invite your friends to donate to your fundraiser, share your fundraiser in your news feed, or donate to the fundraiser yourself.

Choristers Guild thanks you for helping us meet our mission!

Our mission is to Enable Leaders to Nurture the Musical and Spiritual Growth of Children, Youth, and Adults.

Do You Shop at Albertson’s, Safeway, Randalls or Tom Thumb?

If you grocery shop at one of the Albertson’s Safeway stores, you can have your loyalty card become part of their Good Neighbor program, and have the store donate one percent of your grocery bill to Choristers Guild without any cost to you!

All you need to do is ensure your card is linked to Choristers Guild. Stop by the Courtesy Desk at your local store, and use our Good Neighbor number: 10468.

...every contribution makes a difference in keeping the world in song.

...have the store donate one percent of your grocery bill to Choristers Guild without any cost to you!

Resources for Sunday School & Kid's Music

Wiggle, Giggle, and Learn About God!

Sincere

thanks to our donors for their amazing support of our mission.

The Shepley Family Fund

PATRONS

Susan and Neil Gilmour

Sarah Hawbecker

FRIENDS

Janet Barbour

Janet Davidson

Andrew Masetti

Merrell McIlwain

Lynne McWithey

The Rochester Chapter of Choristers Guild

David Hays

Stacey Stenerson

COVENANT SOCIETY

Won’t you consider joining the Choristers Guild Covenant Societythose who have included the Choristers Guild in their wills or other estate plans? For information, please contact Dawn Jantsch, executive director, at 1.800.246.7478. The Choristers Guild is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, founded in 1949, whose mission is Enabling leaders to nourish the musical and spiritual growth of children, youth, and adults.