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Good Morning

I have worked as a church musician for most of my life, from quite early childhood singing in choirs, to now – directing a choir and playing the organ in my local parish church. I grew up close to a large Lutheran church in America, where there was a choir school, an organ scholarship programme, and a minister of music called Ronnie Nelson who organised it all.  He was a person who radiated energy – a musical dynamo filled with such spirit that was impossible not to be drawn into the world of church music: classic compositions by Bach,

Brahms and Praetorius and contemporary anthems and cantatas, many of them composed by Ronnie himself.  During the summer, at choir camp, we would play games, swim, go boating, have campfires, compose a cantata of our own and produce a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta to perform for our parents when they came to collect us at the end of the week.  At the time, we had fun, but quite probably no great sense of how rare and special – and far-reaching the education we received actually was.

Just about every bible passage I know, comes from music we sang in Ronnie’s choirs and everything I play or conduct these days is connected in some way to that precious early influence. 

When Ronnie  passed away on Good Friday this year, I was playing my church organ for a vigil marking the three hours at the foot of the cross.  On Easter Sunday, the choir and congregation sang the Hallelujah Chorus.  And Ronnie was there, as he has always been, in the memories he created and the skills he taught and the love of music he inspired in me, and anyone else who was fortunate to know him.

Lord God, bless the mentors and teachers who have helped to shape our lives, and bless us as we strive to continue their work.  Amen