Happy New Years!
Gung hey fat choy ;-P
I think over lunch my brain was really ticking and I had a bunch of things to say, but I think a lot of it has slipped into my unconscious already…
Today, was the 1st day of the Chinese New Year, year of the Dog. I led the first English Worship @ church the 1st Sunday of the solar New Year, and just led the first English Worship of the lunar New Year… so it’s been quite a privilege to lead my church at such monumental times of the calendar. Recently, since I took over lead worshipping on our team from Nathan (English Worship Coordinator, Deaon and PK pastor’s kid of our Senior Pastor Rev.William Yung)…week after week, I’ve gotten many words of encouragement and thanx for leading, “good job leading today.” I’ve always taken a humble attitude towards it, and still continue to do so. My response: “Yeh, it was alright today, thanx;-1″ Coz honestly, this week, I didnt feel the groove. Songs I picked out early, and had a theme moving–Lost in the Wonder + Wondering about the Lost. Friday’s practice everybodyelse was a bit late, so we didnt have much time to rehearse, and didn’t really learn “God of Justice (We Must Go)”, so this morning I ended up counting it out of the set first thing in the morning.
Nevertheless, things turned out gloriously despite my not-totally hotness, maybe because I felt very unprepared even though everything was prepared. The set went fairly smoothly, the Psalm reading inbetween songs was good, as was the Prayer….and the last song before Dan’s sermon, “I Stand Amazed In The Presence” we ended up singing verse1 + chorus accappella at the end, and then as planned I left everybody standing for like 10seconds in silence after the voices faded out before walking off the stage. I think I coulda and maybe shoulda left it hanging for a bit longer…but still, the standing in amazement of God was quite an act of worship.
Sharon played fairly well;-2 We haven’t played together for the past 2 times our team was up to lead; her cousin Catherine took over. On Friday’s practice, it kinda seemed like she wasn’t totally in the groove yet either, but today she sounded much better, I guess after a bit more practice. We’ve missed her on the team; we’ve got lots to work on for the rest of the term as a team of lead worshippers. I hope to dialogue more with our team, and with the other worship teams too…in order to figure out a general strategy, a direction we are moving towards, in terms of musical worship. coz a lot of the times, i’ve a hard time trying to figure it out. I tried asking the other teams for set lists from the past 6months–and Holly’s team doesn’t have a record…which to me, ain’t too good. In order to figure out where we are going right now, we need to know where we’ve been. In terms of songs, especially new ones, it is especially a sign of unpreparedness if we for the reasons of bad communication and not being on the same pag” overly repeat various songs, or for new songs, there is no continuation from the other teams. All in all, we just need to dialogue I think…to bounce ideas of each other, to plan together (also with Pastor Arthur).
I’ve also been UNinvited to the English Ministry visioning meeting coming Saturday. apparently, Pastor Arthur & our Elder Jody had a bit of miscommunication, and the meeting is for “English Planning Committee” members only. and as Cat rightfully noted, I’m not on the Committee! At first I just thought of it as an invite coz of all that I’ve done for the church, being quite an influential member of the English congregation…but Arthur talked to me a bit today, and clarified that he’s inviting me to join a new committee–the “Think Tank”, strategizing /visioning committee that would come up with / figure out conceptually where God is leading us. I am humbled, and should take some time to pray/think it through before accepting the invitation…but already, I know God is leading me towards this.
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Have mention this, some good links here on a Southern Baptist perspective and McLaren’s on homosexuality. Quite the contrast I would say.
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Anywayz, with all the talk in Sunday School on Paul’s theology in Romans…It’s all got me thinking more and more, trying to understand God’s message to us His chosen people. I’ve got so much input into my heart mind and soul right now, that I need an outlet. I feel like I can explode. I don’t have anybody close right now to unleash my heart-thoughts on, nobody whom I’ve found that I can be truly free and open to trust. I think this is the part that hurts most. A lot of the times, during a meal, after everybody else is finished and it’s just me sitting there–I ponder and think, but have nobody infront of me to share all THIS that God’s put on my heart. And with what my mother just wished me, for Chinese New Years…it’s funny, and just ~sighs~ agreeable.
I am praying for an outlet to share my life with somebody, best friend, who would understand me, and support me in all that I am and all that I’ve been called to do.
*I’m praying that it would be you, and for opportunities to share with you.
