Make sure to see full Info on stake music events in newsletter including:

• Oct 9 Chapel Music Hour
• Pre- Missionary Organ Workshop Oct 9
• Stake Choir Practices
• Dec 4 Christmas Sing-Along

Taking Care With Music Everywhere

May the hallways be filled with music. Let us wear out our instruments in the service of making music to our God rather than by neglect, misuse, or malice. We are blessed to have musical instruments in our houses of worship. Did you know:

~A Kawaii Electronic Keyboard costs appx $700 – $3000. These are often found in Young Women’s and Relief Society rooms and some chapels.
~A Kawaii Upright Piano cost appx $6000 – $12,000. Often in Primary and Relief Society rooms.
~A Kawaii Grand Piano cost appx $20,000 – $40,000.
~An Allen Organ cost appx $30,000 – $50,000.
~The Human Voice is priceless $$$. In every meetinghouse.

How can you appreciate and respect these instruments? Here are your responsibilities:

• No food or liquid on the keyboard instruments (including fresh flowers).
• The top of the piano is not a serving counter. No water bottles either.
• No cleaning fluids on the instruments, just a duster.
• Cover keys with lid (if there is one). Close grand piano lid (ask for help if you’re unsure how to do it) and Put Dust Cover On grand piano (if there is one).
• Turn off electronic keyboards and organ when finished.
• As for the human instrument, Drink Water, eat a good diet, get proper sleep, Use It!

Many houses of worship throughout the world are unfortunately being decommissioned and sold due to lack of interest and membership. We are blessed in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to have chapels, chapel building, and instruments in all of them. Each instrument is valuable not only in monetary measurement but as an essential part of our worship of the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father.

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My Calling

Instrumentalists

Please offer your musical self to play special music in Sacrament Meeting. The Ward Music Coordinator is the one to talk to. She/he will coordinate you into the meeting schedule and thank you for coming forward. The revised handbook offers flexibility on instruments played reverently with appropriate arrangements. The Bishop and Music Coordinator work in tandem if an unusual offering is presented. Be flexible and willing to take council. Hymns are always appropriate.

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What’s New

• WardOrganist.com has free accompaniments to hymns such as “Redeemer of Israel” as well as preludes and solos. Small fee $ for downloads but well worth it. Note: the term “free accompaniment” refers to a looser interpretive harmonization of the hymn, not monetarily “free”.

• Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing arr. by Tolbert for Flute & Piano. FREE

• Online Helps for Organ from BYU – check out their list of resources.

• Free Piano and Organ Music by Laurel Hunt Pedersen. She has an extensive offering of easy to moderate church music.

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Up and Coming

• Pre-Mission Organ Workshop – Sunday 9 Oct 6-7. Be prepared musically by learning 3 hymns that could be used on your mission. Keyboard skills are prerequisite. Let us know you’re coming coalstakemusic@gmail.com You might want to download Manual-Only Hymns for Organ.

• CHAPEL MUSIC HOUR – New. Sunday Evening 9 Oct 7-8. Enjoy an hour of music in the chapel of the Coal Mountain Stake Center. Come and go as time allows. Invite others. Open to the community. Upcoming dates include 13 Nov, 11 Dec.

• STAKE CHOIR and ASL CHOIR for Stake Conference on Nov 6 – We will sing ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’ arr. DeFord and ‘Choose the Right’ arr. Bailey. The SIGNING CHOIR can learn the hymns on these videos, click on ASL video: “For the Beauty”ASL, “Choose the Right”ASL. PRACTICE OCT 16, 23, 30 at the Stake Center 7 – 8:30. Please learn your music before practice. NOTE: Please try to attend at least 1 practice. In anticipation of being called up to give hurricane help, the practice on the 16th might be the best one to plan on. We will find out.

• CHRISTMAS SING-ALONG Sunday 4 Dec 6 -7:30 Coal Mountain Stake Center. Bring your voices, family, and friends for a special evening of singing Christmas Carols. Please bring a personal LED candle. Cookies afterwards.

• ORGAN TUTORING – Get an introduction to the organ or improve existing skills. Available at the Coal Mt. Stake Center, Brannon, Dahlonega, & Union Hill Chapels. Drop a note of interest to coalstakemusic@gmail.com or contact Sister Dean, stake music coordinator.

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Hymn Highlight

“Nearer My God To Thee”

As suggested in an earlier “Come Follow Me” lesson, The Hymn “Nearer My God To Thee” was inspiried by Jacob’s dream. See Genesis 28:10-22 and then read the verses of the Hymn (several of which are not usually sung since they are outside the music staff).

• “Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down, Darkness be over me, My rest a stone, Yet in my dreams I’d be…..” verse 2
• “There let the way appear, Steps unto Heav’n; All that thou sendest me, In mercy giv’n; Angels to beckon me….” verse 3
• “Then with my waking thoughts Bright with thy praise, Out of my stoney griefs Bethel I’ll raise; So by my woes to be…..” verse 4

Watch this video of the Hymn sung by the Londonderry Choir.

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Watch This

A video to help us remember when we are in the service of others, we are only in the service of our God. (see Mosiah 2:17)

Hymn lyric by poet John Greenleaf Whittier.