The Joy of Serving
I’m blessed to be in one of the most lively, enriching areas of our church life: worship music! The privilege of doing “works of service” is a recognition that each of us has received a specific gift from God. We seek then to “use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10).
The privilege of doing “works of service” is a recognition that each of us has received a specific gift from God.
The key driving impetus here is serving others. We do so to help each other in the band to grow musically and spiritually; finding a place as part of a larger team which includes those who provide the technical and operational basis of our Sunday church services on-site and via Livestream; being part of the vision and direction set by our church leaders; and all ultimately focused on every person who joins us as we worship God together as the family and community of HVMC.
Doing this, though, is not just an easy stroll in the spiritual park, as there are challenges every week: Finding the time to learn the worship songs and to deliver these songs in the best way; juggling our rehearsal time with our school, work, family, and other commitments or responsibilities.
But in our individual and our collective prayers as a worship team, we do know that we serve “…by the strength that God supplies” (1 Peter 4:11).
In truth, it is serving that brings happiness and great joy in many ways!
There is the simple fellowship of shared thoughts, ideas, trials and prayers that help us learn to listen to each other as musicians, sharing the musical space as we play, and feeling the fulfilment of “talking” to each other through our playing.
Serving in this way gives us a sense of purpose in what we do: our commitment to the weekly works of our service, and the giving of more than just our time. The true pledging of our gifts that we share with each other, with a paying forward of efforts to help younger members of our church find their place and grow as part of the music team. Knowing that they are the next generation of the church’s worship team.
And always adhering to the music creed of “less is more”. No, not just playing less so that the overall sound is less cluttered and is more meaningful to the congregation whose hearts and voices are lifted in worship each Sunday. It is the learning that no matter how great or small our music gifts are, less of us as individuals means more of God in what we do together.
For truly, our enduring experience as the church music team is that:
“... there are varieties of gifts, but one Spirit
... there are varieties of service, but the same God” (1 Corinthians 12:4,5).
From the diversity of personalities, abilities, gifts and types of service we have seen amongst and around us in the music team, what emerges is this: the sense that in serving, we are bound together by God. And we find unity.
To God be the glory!!
Low Wye Mun
