A Symphony of Grace Notes…

You will see elsewhere in “Consider” a letter from our Director of Music Ministries, Gabriel Evans, concerning his newly-announced move to New York City. Gabe has been our choir director and organist for four years and in that time has brought us not only beautiful music to uplift our worship, he has brought his good humor, warm care, and dedicated spirit to every aspect of his work with us. It is not easy to let him go.
I will miss especially Gabe’s willingness to be a contributing member the pastoral team; a collaborator on all things holy and moving. I have also greatly prized his relentless work to bring new musical opportunities to everyone here: from “Share your Music” Sundays to recitals of all kinds, to the expansion of choirs and inclusion of guest musicians in innovative ways.
All of these gifts to us have formed a veritable symphony of grace notes. Grace in the hearing, grace in the performing, grace in the friendships formed, grace in the illuminating and uplifting. And grace is hard thing to think about living without. Who wouldn’t want to keep drawing living water from such a spring?
But just as music cannot be but a single note, and a dance can’t remain motionless, grace, too, is a moving, dynamic force. For Gabe, this move represents a tremendous and grace-filled opportunity for both he and Joseph to have full-time work in their fields. It represents the chance to spread musical, artistic, and professional wings, that both of them deserve.
As for Union Church, grace is still moving here, too. God is in no way done calling forth music for praise and prayer, and God is in no way done calling it forth from among us. If we have learned nothing else from Gabe’s leadership, and the other great musicians before him, it is that musicians are among us, and music is inside of us. That symphony will go on, though now, with a different orchestration and new directors.
In the coming weeks Worship Board and I will be working out substitutes for services and will begin to advertise for the next “grace note” in our long composition. We’ll be looking for someone to play keyboards as well as conduct the choir in a position similar to what Gabe has done for us. It may be that we will separate the positions in order to have a keyboard musician and a separate choir director, but that will be a decision to consider as we better understand the people and resources available to us.
In all things, says the scripture, give thanks. How could we do anything else for all the time, talent, hard work and great love that Gabriel Evans has poured into our congregation. We wish him well and we open ourselves to new song we are about to become, the next movement in the symphony of our service and love.
“We would not have you grieve as those who are uninformed,” said Paul. As one player takes his place on a new stage, we look to the next fine artist, called to bring us life and accompany our ministry with new grace upon grace unfolding. May the song be in all of you, wherever you go.
Harmoniously and with Great Gratitude,

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Footer