Callings

I am grateful for church callings.

In our church, we don't pay people to run everything. Each member of the congregation is called to serve in some aspect that keeps the church going. It is a blessing and a challenge all in one because it gives us the opportunity to learn and grow in an area in which we may not have previously been familiar.

Last Sunday I was issued such a calling. I am the ward Music Chair. I couldn't say anything before because I hadn't been set apart yet. That happened today after church. The two counselors of the bishopric who set me apart told me they had great news but they didn't want to tell me until after my blessing. (I should have been suspicious...) After the blessing, Brother Janis sat me down and told me what the wonderful news was. The bishopric had decided that we needed to have a special Christmas program the Sunday before Christmas. And who do you think they decided was the perfect person to create such a program? Yeah, that's right me.

When I was first issued my calling, my emotions were mostly calm but excited. I knew it would be a challenge to coordinate the music every Sunday. I'm also in charge of planning choir and special musical numbers. I need to have 2-3 of those a month. Plus we have no ward organist, so I have to go through a very small list of people who have admitted to knowing how to play the piano or organ and rotate them each Sunday. I was taking all this in, planning a calendar and generally feeling for the first time I'd been issued a calling that I could really dig deep into. I have no musical background, but I love music and am often touched by the spirit that is invited by good music. I was excited to share this love with the ward. Now, the full force of the task has hit me. If I wasn't feeling daunted before, I am now.

But luckily, I have musically talented friends who are excited to get to sing in church. And so far, the choir director has been very cooperative in helping me get some musical numbers together. So I am still very grateful for my calling. Now if I can just figure out the Christmas program...