MUSIC UPDATE

We are very blessed at this church to be able to lift up God’s name and sing his praises in a variety of ways; with more traditional overtones with hymns, organ, piano, and a dedicated choir at our 9:00 worship and with a more contemporary flair with praise songs, a joyful band, and a wider use of visual technologies at our 10:30 worship. Many churches our size are not blessed with these gifts and we should continually be praising God for showering us with such talent and diversity. The Session and I share a commitment to enhancing both of these styles of worship and connecting worshippers with the best we have to offer - knowing that true worship comes from each person’s
heart as it is directed to God, not by who or what is at the front of the sanctuary on a Sunday morning.

At the Session meeting of January 25, the Session voted to end the church’s employment relationship with Rob Sopo. We thank Rob for his efforts and ministry with us and wish him nothing but Christ’s abundant blessings. We feel that at this juncture in the life of the church that it is time to explore other avenues of leadership for our music ministries with special attention to the 9:00 service. Please pray for Rob and the church as we go through this time of transition.

A search for a new leader for our music ministries will begin soon. In the interim, the Worship Committee will do its utmost to find individuals who can fill the role from week to week, as it has done in the past when substitutes have been necessary. Please pray for the Worship Committee as they seek to give us the best leadership possible during this period.

The choir is dedicated to being a continuing presence in the life of our worship during this transition and we are diligently working to give them the tools they need for their ongoing ministry. We have many choir members who have made this a part of their ministry for decades and we continue to celebrate with them as they share their gifts with us. We are also so blessed by those who have more recently joined the choir and share their talents with us so generously. We are thankful for the many hours the choir puts in to enhance our worship. Please pray for the choir as they seek the best ways to continue glorifying our Triune God in our 9:00 worship.

I would also like to take a moment to lift up the praise band. They dedicate several hours each week, without thought of pay, to providing leadership for our 10:30 worship. Without their ongoing commitment to this ministry, we would literally not have a more contemporary worship service. We are very thankful for their ministry amongst us and send Christ’s blessings their way as they continue in their service to God. Please pray for the praise team as they lift up God’s praises in our 10:30 worship.

There will be updates along the way during this journey. If you have any questions or comments, please feel encouraged to contact me (810.735.5755/pastorseth@lindenpres.com).

As you can see, there are many people committed to the worship heritage of this congregation in its diverse forms. The Session and I are excited for the future of this congregation and we hope that you are, as well. Let us continue to lift up God’s praises on Sunday mornings and every waking moment. Praise be to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.