I titled this in 2007 as "Lamentations and Music".
I re-title it now as, "Stand Firm Music Ministers!" Indeed, music ministry is God’s war department.
This one-of-a-kind Music Ministry Workshop may perhaps be just what our chapters need today. (One of a kind because the basics must be there, but how you conduct it and who will participate are uniquely the chapter's.)
I re-title it now as, "Stand Firm Music Ministers!" Indeed, music ministry is God’s war department.
This one-of-a-kind Music Ministry Workshop may perhaps be just what our chapters need today. (One of a kind because the basics must be there, but how you conduct it and who will participate are uniquely the chapter's.)
Personal Reflections on the WestB5 Cluster Music Ministry Workshop
June 7, 2007
Early this year,
the clarion call was sounded by our CFC elders: we must be in
Lamentations. The reason has been
explained by Bro. Frank during the Baguio MC Hope Weekend during which he
said that “God is not going to wait for
us to fall like that of Israel
Inspired by
these teachings, the cluster quickly responded. And of the many possible,
feasible, noble and even practical responses available, what it first discerned to do as a cluster was
to conduct --- a Music Ministry
Workshop.
Initially, there
seemed to be no relation at all between lamentations and music; no connection between
the challenge in the Baguio MC Hope Weekend and a Music Ministry Workshop. But session after session, God has brought to
light how actually practical and achievable this journey of lamentations to
hope is, using music and our various experiences in the music workshop, as
examples.
These were what happened.
In Session One – Music as Worship (April 25, 2007 ), Bro. Danny Lopez introduced us to the first Greek word for “worship” in the
New Testament -- Proskuneo, which means "to bow in respect or
submission" (Matt. 2:11; 4:9-10; John 4:20-24; Rev. 7:11).
We learned that “right worship is [relational];
it is founded upon a right relationship with God”. It is based on who He is, His holiness, His
greatness, His glory, His steadfast love and compassion and what he has done
for us.” As such, no matter how you
feel at the time, our worship must “display awe, honor and devotion, respect
and submission.” Our desire as music
ministers, is “for everyone to give a full musical expression to the Lord
according to what is in their heart.”
In the session
one workshop, we realized how rich and meaningful CFC’s tradition is in
worship. Our Glory Songbook is a precious compilation of God’s words written in
music. Our Glory Songbook tells us who our God is, from where we can establish
that “right relation” to Him. We came to
know of the unfamiliar CFC songs and appreciated them to be beautiful.
In Session Two – Music as Service (May 2, 2007 ), Bro.
Rainier Lim introduced to us the second Greek word for “worship” : Latreuo,
which means "to serve". We
have learned that music is service and that there is joy in service through
music. It trains us to commitment and faithfulness. It makes us disciplined.
Most importantly, it prepares us to leadership.
In the session
two workshop, we have learned the Circle of Fifths from where we realized that
music, despite all its complexities and intricacies, is after all, simple and
learnable. Imagine reducing all the harmonies and progressions of chords and
notes into one simple and graphic representation that is the Circle of Fifths. By
God’s grace therefore it should not at all be difficult to “worship,” read as,
“serve”.
In Session Three – Forming and Building up a
Music Ministry (May 9, 2007 ),
Bro. Bob Serrano allowed us to enter
into the enchanting journey of their group,
29 AD. We realized that after all
the theories and concepts have been learned, the success of a music ministry is
anchored ultimately on Love. As Aileen Serrano has put it: “In the end, it is
the love that keeps us [music ministers/community] together.” Guitarist Chris
Fernandez shared that because of this love, we pray for one another and “hindi
puwede ang pride”, which is the greatest enemy of any musician. Who can also
forget 29 AD’s musical director’s sharing that despite a successful 17-
year stint as EDSA Shrine’s musical director, his serving in the CFC music
ministry is the “next and higher level of service”.
We have also
learned that Satan’s attacks are first directed or are more unceasing at the
music ministers. This is because music ministry is God’s war department. It is
the frontliner; a strategic group. Destroy it and God’s people would falter, even crumble.
Hence, the need to be ever prayerful.
In the session
three workshop, we worshiped together. And 29 AD showed us how powerful indeed a
loving and prayerful music ministry may become, as God’s army and God’s people.
In Session Four – Singing (May 16, 2007 ), Sis. Susan
Barretto and her daughters and nephew, Justice, allowed us to experience heaven
by singing “Heaven” and we realize that “Heaven is in our hearts.” If viewed in
the context of worship, we understood that truly, we can worship under (and
despite) whatever personal situation we are in. For heaven is in our hearts.
We were taught
that when we sing, we are singing for the greatest audience of all time. Hence the
need to practice to be “graceful”, and once graceful we will sound out “real praises.”
We learned that when we play music or when we sing, we need to Obey (like the saxophone player who was
asked to bow every now and then to avoid the trombone hitting his head,) and to
Listen to our friends. We were
taught of the three Cs of singing – Confidence (gained
through practice); Concentration; and Communication.
In the session
four workshop, we have tried singing as a group with SATB voicing. We realized
it could be done, even by us, in so short a time. In the process, the song “As
the Deer” will be sung by us henceforth like never before.
In Session Five – Guitar (May 23, 2007 ), Bro. Diony Cruz gave
us a preview of the many more possibilities and/or the more beautiful ways of
playing the guitar. He explained that
another great enemy of musicians is mediocrity. Hence, we need to heed the Psalmist who said
that we must play our guitar “skillfully”
translated as excellently. This however has costs – the 3 D’s of guitar playing -- Desire,
Discipline and Determination.
In the session
five workshop, we have tried to pluck our guitars, led by Bro. Diony who played
“As the Deer”. We then realized, we could also do it and that indeed, we need
the 3Ds to make our guitars a powerful and beautiful musical instrument.
On May
26, 2007 , almost all of the music ministry workshop attendees
have participated in the Hope Weekend in
Tagaytay City. There we heard the talks – Claim to Nobility, Falling Short,
Repentance and Awakening, Rising Unafraid, and Restored in Hope.
More importantly, there at Hope Weekend, we prayed, listened to God’s message
for us as individuals and as members of the CFC community, and we worshipped
together with the whole sector at that.
Parenthetically,
of all the songs sang during the Hope Weekend, the song that made us feel God’s
presence, moving us to tears even, was “Heaven” -- for that was the same song
sang by Susan Barretto and her daughters during Session Four.
In Session Six – Keyboards (May 30,
2007 ), I was the resource person. I introduced myself with the
following credentials: a Grade 2 graduate of Thomson’s Piano Course under Mrs.
Antonio, who was asked to return to kinder when I enrolled at Yamaha School of
Music because I could still not read notes, and graduated Grade 2 (Michael
Aaron’s Piano Course). I then repeated everything under Prof. Pacita Lardizabal
Elepaño, and finished Grade 2, again without mastering note sight reading. Eventually, I played the piano through oido, using the Jingle Songhits Piano
Chord chart. Impressive credentials!?
I was led into
highlighting the role of silence in music. Music to be music has intervals of
silence, chasms, or momentary interruptions, if not full “rests.” That is what makes music beautiful because
there are only two universal languages used by God – music and silence. In our silence,
God also speaks.
In the session
six workshop, we demystified the keyboards and piano. We realized that learning
how to play is easy, but the practice part is what will make us play, actually.
And that is the difficult part. To
ensure a follow through, we were given a chord table and a compact disc (cd) of
actual piano chords as played in keyboards, chord by chord, and step by step.
Session Seven (set on June 6, 2007 ) was supposed to be
“Organizing Praisefests”. But God has
another plan. A better one.
During Session
Five, we were told that Bro. Frank Padilla would meet the sector in an assembly
open to all CFC sector members. The date would exactly coincide with our Session Seven. And the music ministry tasked
to serve at the talk should be WestB5 Cluster Music Ministry.
But there was no
WestB5 Cluster Music Ministry! None just as yet. All it had at the time were the same members
attending the Music Ministry Workshop. Bro.
Bob therefore assigned the same workshop attendees, to provide the music during
the sector assembly of June
6, 2006 . Meanwhile, Bro. Enjie
Liwanag was named musical director.
WestB5 Cluster
Music Ministry, was, thus, born. Not according to what we have planned but
according to God’s plan. Not according
to our time frame, but God’s time frame.
What a great and obvious way for God to affirm that what the cluster has
been doing all along was pleasing to Him!
Session Seven (June 6, 2007 ), has turned out to be our practicum. All the learning, the
concepts, and the workshops were put to a test. We passed. The cluster music ministry rose to the task.
It led the whole congregation in a powerful worship singing Victory to our King, How great is the Lord,
and God is my refuge.
Then wonder of
wonders, Bro. Frank talked about Lamentations. This time, he summarized and
crystallized all teachings on Lamentations since the MCG Hope Weekend to the
Sector Hope Weekend. (Will look for a video footage..)
Bro. Frank emphasized
that Lamentations is something positive. It is a cause for great joy. We were
brought to lamentations this early because God does not want us to go astray,
as He is yet to use us more powerfully in the next 25 years.
In this
lamentations journey, the key is faithfulness to our covenant with God. This
shall pave the way for our right relationship with God (holiness), the right
relationship with brethren (Faithfulness) and the right relationship with the
world (Evangelization).
Crucial too is
our remembrance of what the Lord has done for us in the last 25 years. Binasbasan tayo noon . Hindi pa tapos and Panginoon. Gusto pa
Niya tayong gamitin.
The goal now is
to realize that we have already reached the crossroads. These crossroads are
two-pronged. One is the road that would further drift us away from God; the
other would draw us near Him and would make the community’s anointment more
powerful and evident. At the crossroads, the wise and better choice is rendered
obvious. At the crossroads, the making of the choice becomes an
imperative.
The Cluster
Music Ministry, therefore, has completed the circle. The workshop was inspired
by the clarion call made this January. The workshop ended with the same clarion
call made clearer and sharper this June. All by the same brethren: Bro. Frank,
two weeks before CFC’s 26th Anniversary.
Looking back,
the Music Ministry Workshop was a journey in lamentations in itself. Here’s
how.
First. In the workshops, we learned
that music is not just talent; it is a skill. As Justice puts it “It may come
out or it may not.”
Satan does not
want God’s music to come out. For when it does, many will be drawn closer to
God, in worship. Hence, Satan had deceived us into believing that music
is out there, far away, and cannot be reached. He has been saying: Be content with what you
do and what you have right here, right now. In other words, Satan does not want
us to be in “lamentations’.
In the
workshops, we uncovered the lie. Music
is just here right in front of us, ready for the taking. All it takes is a
paradigm shift, and an attitude of Desire, Discipline and Determination.
Just like in repentance. Haven’t we all been once deceived that repentance
is a myth? That it cannot be done and it is too presumptuous and boastful of us
to even consider doing it? But then by
God’s grace, we learned how easy it is. It
just takes an open heart and faith in our loving God, to experience that metanoia.
Lamentations is
a call to take stock of ourselves. To be restless in the face of what is and
look farther for what we may become. Lamentations pave the way to a desire for
a constant and unceasing metanoia.
Second.
We learned that music ministers are always under attack. We discovered
this not just from the sharing of 29 AD group members, but by our own
experiences in organizing and attending the workshops. Bro. Danny Lopez was sick when he gave
Session One. Bro. Bob Penalosa had to absent himself on opening session as his
son suffered a seizure. Bro. Rainier Lim could only arrive at our venue at 10PM due to his work schedule. We had
poor attendance even in Session Three despite the fact that our Cluster Head
declared that the attendance in session
3 workshop may be in lieu of household. Sister Susan’s brother was critically
ill when she gave Session Four. We had
two deceased brethren in the cluster at the time that we were conducting
Session 5.
Before and
during every session, thus, we were storming heaven and praying for
empowerment, protection and harvest. For
every session we were just simply relying in the faithfulness of the brethren.
And we were able
to overcome.
Indeed, faithfulness
is key. At every turn and in every
trial, we still can be faithful. Once faithful, we can be used still,
powerfully even, despite our weaknesses.
Just like in
living out our covenant. When everything is murky and uncertain, when we are in
lamentations, faithfulness in our covenant will make things happen. The
covenant will situate us right back on track. The covenant will bring
everything else into the proper focus -- God. Ang Diyos ang nagbigay sa akin ng komunidad na ito. Bakit ako aalis? O
bakit ako hindi makikilahok sa mga pinagagawa nito?
Third. We have learned that there is
still much more to learn. We found out that there is this wide room for
improvement still, an ocean to travel to perfection, and that to reach the goal
will take a lifetime of commitment to one’s craft. Hindi
puwedeng pwede na hangga’t puwede pa.
Just like in growing
in holiness. The goal is to be conformed to the character of Jesus. To be
an image of God. An impossible task which will be the goal of the lifetime
achievable only with God’s grace, through the empowerment of His Spirit.
Thus viewed, our
cluster music ministry workshop was indeed a journey in lamentations. For months
we have been wondering how it is to be in lamentations. Now we have just
discovered that we have been undergoing just that through this humble and
unobtrusive service that is Music Ministry Workshop. In fact, we might even be
doing just that in other CFC service.
Our prayer now
is to reach the crossroads, where lamentations may be turned into hope; hope
that the time has already come for the music ministers to claim their rightful
place in God’s plan and people --- There right at the center of the battle, but
battling while singing with joy, peace and hope in their hearts.
Arnel M. Santos
