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Fellowship news and notes From the president


Lord, remember what the Edomites did on Jerusalem’s dark day, “Rip it down, rip it down! All the way to its foundations!” they yelled. Daughter Babylon, you destroyer, a blessing on the one who pays you back the very deed you did to us! A blessing on the one who seizes your children and


smashes them against the rock! –Psalm 137:7-9,


Common English Bible


Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.


Never having been there, I can


only begin to imagine what it feels like to reach that place, to have experi- enced so much anguish, that I would bless those who murder children. What depth of pain! What sear-


ing lament! What a deeply distressing image ...


I hope and pray that you and I


never have to walk through that par- ticular shadow of the valley of death. Like the Book of Ecclesiastes,


I sometimes fi nd myself wondering, AdVenture


West End United Methodist Church, located in an urban setting in Nashville, TN, is seeking a full-time Minister of Music. Its 2200+ members strongly support its traditional, nationally-known music program, which provides music for the weekly liturgical services. Program includes adult choirs, handbell choirs, and children’s choirs along with concerts accompanied by orchestra and a variety of other worship services. Willingness for a long-term commitment along with ten years of experience and a Master’s degree are preferred. For more details or to apply, go to www.westendumc. org/musicdirectorsearch. All applications must be received by January 31, 2014, with an employment start date of August 2014.


“How in the world did this make it into the canon?” And then, aſt er a moment of


refl ection, I fi nd myself painfully thankful that this passage from Psalm 137, like Ecclesiastes, did indeed make it into the canon. For it is certain that there are times where the desire to murder the children of those who have done them such terrible harm, to declare that “all is vanity” is an emotion that, for many, is part of the human experience. While any sensible follower


of Christ would never, under any circumstance, encourage the destruc- tion of children, for to do so would violate everything Jesus taught us and the way in which he lived, died, was resurrected and ascended, surely God wants us to be able to express the depths of our humanity, especially the depth of our need, to God in worship. When we feel that depth of


emotion, God desires for us to express it to God. Yet much of our Western culture


wants to preclude these expressions in any form. From phrases such as, “It’s all good” (guilty of overuse myself!) to “Don’t worry; be happy” it can be easy to talk oneself into believing it really is all good, until, of course, it isn’t. Or until we get on the web, turn


on the TV, read a newspaper, or, as


Jesus would have it, BE with those who are suff ering. Enter the Psalter: one of God’s


great giſt s to God’s people. In the psalms are contained the gamut of human emotion, from intense joy to murderous rage. Friends, these emo- tions encapsulate the human experi- ence. T e Psalms was Jesus’ songbook. “And did not Jesus sing a psalm that night when utmost evil strove against the light?”


T ey must become ours as well. “T en let us sing, for whom he won the fi ght: Alleluia!” Sisters and brothers, let 2014 be


the year we reclaim, as a Fellowship, the Psalter in corporate worship. Let this be the year we off er a suff ering world a place to express the depth of the human experience in public wor- ship, surrounded by the community of believers. Let this be the year we off er worship that has the potential to transform the world. T e reclamation of the Psalter


is so important that, aſt er having read this issue of WorshipArts, I challenge you to pass it on to a colleague who may benefi t from the knowledge con- tained in this issue. May God continue to bless you


in all that you do. Rev. Joe Stobaugh


Following the Fellowship family T e Rev. Laura Jaquith Bartlett,


president-elect of T e Fellowship, of Eagle Creek, OR, has been named worship and music director for the 2016 United Methodist General Conference by the Commission on the General Conference. An ordained deacon in the


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Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference and program director at the Alton L. Collins Retreat Center, as well as worship coach for several United


Methodist churches, Bartlett will be responsible for designing and coordinating the worship experience and music of the event. She will also be responsible for music leadership in the plenary sessions, work with the Council of Bishops’ Worship Committee and the General Board of Discipleship in planning worship services, and audition and choose choirs to perform during the 11-day event.


January-February 2014 • WorshipArts • www.UMFellowship.org


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