😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you. God had me smiling this week as I thought about how He quietly works on us in the background and then waits for us to respond. In the last quarter of 2025, our family of parishes ran a campaign. As with most, our minds typically think a campaign mean someone is asking for money, but not so with this one. Spread out over multiple weeks, we took a look at what we are involved with at the parishes, introductions to the ministries within our family of parishes, prayer for discernment, and the opportunity to submit a commitment card with our intention for involvement within the parishes for 2026.
As I looked at the opportunities, some were interesting, but I kept coming back to one question…”Is this something I would be committed to? I ended up not turning in a commitment card, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t committed. Discernment can take time.
One Wednesday during Advent, I was at a friend’s parish for a women’s event. In the background we could hear the choir preparing for Christmas Mass. They sounded beautiful. The joyful hymns at Christmas Mass are one of my favorite things to experience. I turned to my friend and told her I wanted to enjoy the sounds of the choir as much as I could, because we don’t have a choir at our church, so we won’t have the typical Christmas songs experience. And then I said…”I know, I know. If I want something to change, I need to be willing to make a change.”
A few Sundays ago, I spoke with the organist at our parish. I told her that I’ve been thinking about where I think I’m being called within our parish. I asked her if she would be interested and willing to have a choir. After a bit of discussion, she said yes, if I would organize it.
Our parish is pretty small. We only have around 67 registered families. I didn’t know what kind of response we might receive when we put the choir invitation out at our pancake breakfast after Mass last Sunday. We had 7 people sign up and they seemed to be very excited with this opportunity. In speaking with some of them, it turns out that we have some professional signers and musicians.
Plans and discussions are in the works and practices will begin shortly. At this point, I think our goal will be to have Easter Sunday as our first official Mass. I’m really excited about this. And yes, this is something I’m willing to be committed to.
The power of an invitation can be a mighty force indeed.
Bless others and be blessed.
Shelly :0)
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#ZachWilliams – Old Church Choir
Third Day Devotions 