The memory of the righteous will be a blessing (Proverbs 10:7, NIV)
Let us with a grateful heart thank God for this country and to those who died and gave up their todays so we can live our tomorrows. May we then, redeem the time remaining and choose our words and deeds wisely.
The State Route 99, nicknamed the Golden State Highway, spans north and south in the middle of California. It once was the main artery for the fertile San Joaquin Valley.
The palimpsest of Highway 99 is rich with texture and colors. Imprinted on its one time dusty lanes are layers of toils, tears, and triumphs of the human spirit. Many came through and settled in this region. John Steinbeck wrote of such a impecunious pioneering family. This household went for broke as they left the Dust Bowl during the Great Depression and traveled through this California region in the Grapes of Wrath (1939).
Road signs of interest (not directional signs) are placed along this and other state routes. They are named after individuals who are recognized for their services to the locale or country. It is fitting that a chapter in the life of Highway 99 is recalled on this Memorial Day weekend 2005.
The portion of Route 99 I am referring is between the Salida and Manteca. Going south in the vicinity of State Routes 120 and 99 interchange, is a green background and white letter sign which reads, "442nd Regimental Combat Team Headquarters." Prosaic and plain it may seem, the guidepost proclaims to the travellers the roots, the contribution, and sacrifices of the Japanese-Amercan farming communities. It was they who loss it all to internment. It was also they who yielded up their sons, husbands, and brothers to serve their country in World War II.
The 442nd Regiment (along with the 100th) are Nisei (second generation American-born Japanese) soldiers who served in Europe during World War II in units of the United States Armed Forces. These men had to prove themselves as worthy and loyal Americans, perhaps more so than the Tuskeegee Air Men. The burden and honor of all interned Japanese-Americans rested on their shoulders. It was all or nothing for these young men. They went for broke in their service to duty, honor, and country. Hence the motto of the 442nd was "Go for Broke."
These Americans proved themselves and then some. The 442nd Regiment was the most decorated unit of its size in this country's military history.
Man: You have got to hear this about my wife.
I am all ears.
Man: She was away for a week's vacation with a coterie of alumnae on a cruise to Alaska.
So you have a vacation, too. You needed a break.
Man: Hah! What I am going to tell you is even funnier.
Do tell.
Man: She called on her cell phone around Sunday noon and said, 'I am back.' Anyway, I didn't get a chance to say anything and the connection was cut off.
Your point?
Man: Her flight from Seattle was not due at SFO until 4:15 last Sunday afternoon. So I thought she caught an earlier flight. I waited for her to call back to tell me where and and when to collect her. She never called back. So I called her cell phone a few times. It rang, but she didn't answer.
You put on your deerstalker and tracked her down, eh, Sherlock?
Man: Not quite. I had a dilemma. Should I go to the airport or her friend's house? Mind you, I don't have her friend's phone number. And should I leave after her call, or should I wait for a few more hours then go to the airport as per her returning flight schedule?
So which plan did you choose?
Man: I decided to stick with the original flight schedule of the 4:15 ETA from Seattle to San Franciso. So I took a nap.
(LOL) Really?
Man: I figured to enjoy a couple more hours of peace and quiet before the H-Hour.
You are one cool, calmed, and collected dude. She never called back?
Man: Nope.
Anyway, what next?
Man: I decided I should go to the airport first. If she were'nt there, then I will head right over to the University of San Francisco. Her friend lives next door to the university. Long story short. She DID come in on the 4:15 flight. She didn't call from the airport or San Francisco after all.
I don't get it. The phone call, I mean.
Man: The wife meant - when she called - she had disembarked the cruise ship and back on terra firma in Seattle. Or something to that effect.
Leave it to the female logic. I assume you have discussed the phone call with her
Man: Just a few words.
Just a few words? You could have told her she was within the borders of the United States whether she was on or off the cruise ship. Her calling you from Seattle would not mean much to you as her transportation. She had to be in San Francisco or vicinity.
Man: Sit down. You are rocking the boat.
(LOL) You are right. I am making waves for you, aren't I. My bad.
Today, 20 May, is GK Chesterton's 131 birthday. He was a historian, essayist, and a poet. And a par excellence mystery writer to boot (Father Brown mysteries). He, along with CS Lewis and Dorothy Sayers are some of my favorite authors.
The Chesterton wit is something to behold. In the poem "Wine and Water", he wrote this humorus line:
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." - Matthew 19:14 (NIV)
In the French comedy/drama film "Le Papillon" (2002), Elsa, the eight-year old little girl, and Julien, the grandfatherly entomologist, sang a charming and endearing song. The theme song, in fact. It was a duet about the circle of life and the rhythm of the universe. Of the twenty or so questions and answers exchanged between the two souls, only one question was asked three times.
Elsa asked three times in the duet this question:
Pourquoi le Diable et le Bon Dieu?
(Why is there the Devil and the (Good) God?)
Three times Julien gave the same answer:
C’est pour faire parler les curieux.
(It gives the curious mind something to talk about.)
One could speculate until the cows came home why this question and the response scripted three times for the duet. If you were Julien, or if you could alter the answer, how would you respond what Elsa thought was the most important question of all? The answer has to be short like the one delivered by Julien.
My response:
Evoluer dans bon, le mal ne peut pas.
(Evil cannot evolve into Good)
H:
I am blessed and encouraged by your witness and commitment to Him.
There are two hymns I am sending you. One is the London Philharmonic Chorus recording of "Abide With Me." The other is classical clarinetist Richard Stolzman's rendition of an uplifting Brazilian and yet reverential arrangement of The Lord's Prayer(Nos Padré).
I have been keeping copies my church bulletins and sermon notes for a number of years. Overtime, they've become another pile of stuff attractive only to dust and no one else. Not even to their owner collector. The advent of the PDA (personal digital assistance) provides me a timely, hi-tech way to record and manage the worship contents each sunday.
A lot can be discovered about the life of a church by the contents of its worship bulletin. With respect to my rambling discourse on Church Music and Worship, I thought to illustrate a day in the life our presbytarian church. Its membership is about 400. We have two morning services. What follows then, is an outline of today's worship service, 15 May, 2005. My annotations are highlighted in red.
______
Reaching out in Christ's Love...Building Up in Christ's Love...Sending Out in Christ's Love
______
*asterisk denotes a time for those wishing to stand (there are elderly and or handicapped members in the service who have difficulties rising and sitting)
The Preparation
Preparing Our Hearts for Worship
Prelude Rondo Campana
Choir: Echoes of Joy Handbell Chor
Arranger/Composer: Wilson
Giving God the Glory
Words of Welcome and Life of the Church
Call to Meditation
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's Will is-His good, pleasing and perfect Will." -- Romans 12:2-3 (NIV, New International Version)
Call to Worship
Leader: Give thanks to the Lord, call on His Name; make known among the nations what He has done!
Ministers (the congregation): My soul rejoices in You and delights in Your salvation! I sing praise to You and tell of all Your wonderful acts! I give You glory and my heart rejoices in You!
Leader: Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. Remember the wonders He has done. His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced.
Ministers (the congregation): You are my God! I adore You and Your faithfulness to Your Covenant! You are upon my heart even as I am upon Yours! I give You glory and my heart rejoices in You!
*Hymn 551 O to be like Thee!
(cf: Galatians 4:19; Walking with God; Aspiration and Consecration)
*God's Children in Confession (unison)
Dear God, I acknowledge and confess before You my sinful nature. I have at times in ignorance cut myself off from You. I have alienated myself from You, the root of my being. My life has turned empty, inane, meaningless, and without purpose. Forgive me and renew my mind in Your Truth, that my life might demonstrate and reflect Your Love, Your Will and Your Grace. May others see in me that Jesus in the only way and only answer to our needs and only Lord of life. Make me into the person You want me to be. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
*Assurance of Pardon - Ephesians 1:7
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses."
(NIV)
*Gloria Patri (Hymn 813)
(Organ accompaniment; cf. Psalm 96:8; Ascribing to the Lord the glory due His name)
The Praise
Anthem The Holy Trinity
Choir: The Koinonia Choir
Arranger/Composer: Ellingboe
(Piano accompaniment)
Minute for Purpose Evangelism/Mission (Innder City Los Angeles)
Praise through Tithes and Offerings
Offertory (Organ accompaniment) Festival Capriccio
Arranger/Composer: Kinyon
*Doxology (Hymn 815)
(Organ accompaniment: cf. Ephesians 1:3)
*Hymn 554 Give Me Jesus
(Organ accompaniment: Aspiration and Consecration)
The Proclamation
God's Written Word Ephesians 4:17-32
God's Word Proclaimed (Senior Pastor)
Put off the Evil Side of the Force...Put On the New Side of the Force...
Our Senior Pastor often uses the current cultural or media event to illustrate one or more Biblical principles. Today's sermon's was on Ephesians 4:17-32. He used the latest Star War episode to illustrate this portion of Scripture. Today's message was there is only ONE reality in life. That reality is Jesus. In Him only is the new and true side of the "force."
The Prayer
*Hymn 588 All for Jesus
(cf. Roman 12:1; Walking with God, Assurance and Trust)
*Benediction
(Today's benediction is also our Senior Pastor's opening remarks before he delivers every sermon. It's is from Psalm 19:14)
"Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is veing renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." (NIV)
*Postlude (Organ accompaniment) Symphony No. 1 Finale (Excerpts)
Composer/Arranger: Vierne
_______
The end of WORSHIP - the beginning of SERVICE
This has been an atypical morning. I did some good and some not so good things. Let me count the vibes.
1. Good vibes. Uploaded a Richard Wynands Trio tune - Daydream.
2. Good vibes. Exhanged e-mail with a blog friend.
3. Mixed vibes. Filed insurance claim to have my roadway damaaged vehicle windshield replaced on Monday. It has 20+" crack. The deductable will be $50.00.
4. Mixed vibes. Recycled alumninum cans. Over 60% of the cans were from my brother who is living in the City by the Bay. He never recycles his cans. I had to wait 45 minuntes for my turn under a 78°F|26°C sun. Not too hot. There was just one guy before me. He got a truck load of recyclables. I had only 4 garbage bags.
5. Good vibes. Used $28.00 of the recycle refunds to buy fruit and snacks. I had to spend another six to cover the extravagance like cheese cake and red sauce chicken enchilada.
6. Good vibes. Renewed my annual acquaintenance with the Vets who are out collecting funds for the VFW (Veterrans fo Foreign Wars).
7. Bad vibes. Derailed my computer desk drawer when I fell on the desk. It was a result of my tripping over the carpet mat.
8. Good vibes. Going to SF to have a belated Mother's Day dinner with the mater.
All things considered... it is a day the Lord has made. I am thankful and glad that He did.
God sent His singers upon the earth
With songs of sadness and of mirth,
That they might touch the hearts of men,
And bring them back to heaven again."
--"The Singers" by Longfellow
I had been a member of a small Presbyterian denominational church hailed from Tennessee. This is a mainstream traditional evangelical Protestant denomination. My graduate studies and work had me situated in several cities over time. Thus I had spent more years worshipping in other denominations other than with my parent church.
Before rejoining a local Presbyterian church in 2004, for many years my church home had been the Covenant Church. I left the latter place of worship not for reasons of hermeneutics nor organizational discords, rather, because of the church gradual shifting away from using the hymnal and liturgy in corporate worship.
The music aspects of the worship service at this Covenant church has devolved. From this worshiper's point of view, the Sunday service music had become, for lack of a better word, incidental. It existed to fill the worship order. During the last year of my attendance, with the prompting of the worship leader and Powerpoint slides, we sang more contemporary Christian songs than hymns from the hymnal. The intention was moving toward a more culturally aware worship service to attract the X and Y generations on the one hand, and to keep the peace with the old-timers. The result was a conflation of contemporay Christian songs and traditional hymns on worship services.
At the worship service, we sang more "warm and fuzzy" Christians songs (e.g. I Stand in Awe; God is So Good) than selections from the hymnal. The assembly no longer voiced its collective spirit in the doxology of praise with the accompaniment of the organ following the offertories. Nor at the Lord's Supper was the congregation invoked to sing hymns of rememberance such as "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross." In reality, this church was quietly discarding the liturgical forms and the crystalline hymns from ages past. It was leaning toward a contemporary worship scripted with the amorphous Christian music.
These songs take away the emphasis on sin, repentance, God's mercy, and our edification. The focus is on the artist or his song rather than on Christ. The Christian doctrine and the imperatives of the Gospel are watered down, if not completely removed altogether. The richness of metered doctrinal poetries are supplanted by monontonic, flat, and irregular metered touchy feely proses. These songs are more suited for personal worship, small groups, or fellowship around a camp fire. They are not hymns for public worship as the song publisher, the artist, and some churches would want Christians to believe.
To illustrate the fuzziness and the feel-good "hymn" I've sung in worship at the former church, here are the verses to "God Is Good."
God Is So Good
God is so good, God is so good,
God is so good, God's so good to me.
God cares for me, God cares for me,
God cares for me, God's so good to me.
God loves me so, God loves me so,
God loves me so, God's so good to me.
God is so good, God is so good,
God is so good, God's so good to me.
This monophonic (to sing in unison) song says nothing about the attributes of our God, much less about how good He is and what He has done for me. In computer jargon, this song has interlopability. Replace "God" with "Buddha" or "Allah" and you have two more "worship" songs for the price of one.
On the matter of God's reconciled man to Himself (if that's the song writer's intent), here is "Haven't You Been Good" by Steve Earl.
Haven't You Been Good
Verse 1
Thank You for the cross
Thank You, Lord, for drawing me
Out of millions lost
Thank You, Lord, for saving me
Chorus:
Haven’t You been good?
Haven’t You been so good?
Glory to Your name
Glory to Your holy name
Thankfulness and praise
For grace and mercy never changing
Haven’t You been good
Haven’t You been so good to me?
Verse 2
Favor on my life
Always watching over me
My darkness turned to light
And heaven’s arms enfolding me
In this song, the focus is on the artist or the "Me", not Jesus by name. The artist was somehow chosen or saved by God for unknown reasons relating to the cross. In this song, just like the preceding one, God is "good". The flip side of this fuzzy theology is that God can also be "bad" if He so chooses. This is one ambiguous song about who God is.
There is no Christian theology in these so-called worship songs. What's deceptive and if not heretical about their affect, non-Christians could very well think by singing these songs in or out of a contemporary Christian worship service they would have curried God's "goodness" and salvation.
In contrast, here is Isaac Watt's "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross" (based on Galatians 6:14; Philippians 3:7). It's an 8.8.8.8 metered hymn-poetry. In my view, it is the best English hymn ever written. It is also my very favorite.
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
When I surey the wondrous cross,
On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the cross of Christ, my God:
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.
See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were an offering far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.
Amen.
This, my friends, is a hymn of my faith. A concise expression of who God is and of His dying on the cross for my sin. And this is precisely the kind of hymns some churches are saying no longer relevant to this generation.
I beg to differ.
... to be continued in Part 4 of 4.
A CHILD'S FANCY
Blind, Mathilde (1841-1896)
"HUSH, hush! Speak softly, Mother dear,
So that the daisies may not hear;
For when the stars begin to peep,
The pretty daisies go to sleep.
"See, Mother, round us on the lawn,
With soft white lashes closely drawn,
They've shut their eyes so golden-gay,
That looked up through the long, long day.
"But now they're tired of all the fun--
Of bees and birds, of wind and sun
Playing their game at hide-and-seek;--
Then very softly let us speak."
A myriad stars above the child
Looked down from heaven and sweetly smiled;
But not a star in all the skies
Beamed on him with his Mother's eyes.
The riotous colors of the Carrizo Plain, April, 2005 PL
(this nature's canvas is at between Bakersfield and Paso Robles, CA)
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