June 2023 Newsletter (Year A)
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HOW DO YOU MEASURE A YEAR? |
In the 1996 Broadway musical Rent, there is a wonderfully catchy song called "Seasons of Love." If you are a Broadway lover, I apologize for the earworm, but the lyrics have been on my mind as I reflect on my first full year as host of Sing For Joy. The central question of the song is this: How do you measure a year? The chorus answers, "five hundred, twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes!" That is, indeed, how you measure a year in minutes. 525,600 minutes, to be exact. But you also measure a year in "daylights, in sunsets; in midnights, in cups of coffee; in inches, in miles; in laughter, in strife."
I'd like to add a few things to how I might measure a year, in Sing For Joy time: in beautiful hymn arrangements and choral anthems; in rich biblical passages and joyful recording sessions. It has been a delightful first year as host of Sing For Joy, and I give thanks for the opportunity to be in community with each of you through the airwaves each week. I have especially enjoyed returning to the cycle of the Revised Common Lectionary and working alongside my husband, Sing For Joy music director, Andy. Through this year of music, scripture, and reflections, we have both grown in gratitude for the diverse and vibrant gifts of the Church's music.
As I reflect on the year behind us and anticipate the year ahead, I return to a favorite hymn of mine, "There's a Wideness in God's Mercy," which you will hear on our June 11 program. May this be a reminder of gratitude as we continue to journey forth in these summer months.
"There's a wideness in God's mercy like the wideness of the sea; there's a kindness in God's justice, which is more than liberty ... For the love of God is broader than the measure of the mind; and the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind."
Peace to you,
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Rev. Alexandra M. Jacob
Program Host, Sing For Joy
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Sing For Joy is supported by listeners like you. All gifts go directly towards our operating budget that makes Sing For Joy possible. To become a sustaining supporter, check the "recurring gift" option on our online giving form.
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June Playlists and Programs
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Interested in reading hymn lyrics as you listen? We recommend hymnary.org, where you can search by hymn name, composer, and more.
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Memorials and Honorariums
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Thank you for your gifts in memory and honor of those close to your heart.
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IN MEMORY OF:
Albert and Norma Eickmann
Lyndon Ellefson
Arthur and Erna Raap
Dennis Sorheim '60
Pastor Reg Torrison
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IN HONOR OF:
the birth of Michael Heath Alexander
Miss Margaret Rose V. Mills
Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Veltman
Mrs. Carolyn Lee Williams
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To include an honorarium or memorial when you give to Sing For Joy, simply include the name(s) and occasion(s) in the comment box, as well as who should receive an acknowledgement letter and their street or email address. Due to editorial lead times, Honorariums and Memorials will appear in the Sing For Joy newsletter two months following our receipt of the gift.
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Sing For Joy is sponsored by:
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