Nairobi Music Society

As of Saturday 3 September 2011, I am going to conduct the Nairobi Music Society choir.  I'm not sure how I was chosen for it, but I know this:  I'm BALLER excited.  Would you like to know why?  Here you go:

1. It's a community choir in Nairobi, Kenya.  That's awesome in itself.
2. One of my dreams in life is to combine 3 of my life passions:  Coffee, Communities, and Choir.  I really didn't plan on all of those starting with C's.  Don't hate me for that.  Anyway, my dream is to start a coffee shop/community music center where people can come and be influenced in great ways.  Two of these C's are beginning right now, and why not bring in some coffee to rehearsals every once in a while and complete the third?
3. It's such an awesome way to get to know people here in Nairobi...singing with them, being a part of an ensemble, and taking tea (soon to be coffee?) with them during a break in a rehearsal.
4. We sing pretty challenging classical music.  Currently we're singing Puccini's Messa di Gloria, and I'll be directing a Christmas oratorio for the Christmas program.
5. I have a chance to proclaim the Gospel through directing music to a group of people who are singing songs about Christ but may not know him.  Ripe for the harvest?  Not to forget:  This group of people will then be singing for an audience that will hear the message of these songs.  Awesome opportunity.
6. I love this.  It gets me more and more excited as I think about it.

I ran first my rehearsal on Tuesday night, and thanks to God's grace, it went really well.  It's so much fun to make music with a group of people that love to make music together.  I've experienced conductors drawing music out of me, but this was my first time to be on the other side, drawing music out of the group.  So cool.  I loved it.  And I got to preach the Gospel.  Part of the section of Messa di Gloria says this:

Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem.

- Who takes away the sins of the world, receive my supplication. -

It starts softly, with the basses singing the Latin line in a quiet, timid way.  The whole choir comes in a little louder next time with the same line.  The sopranos then take it back to a soft, quiet, heart-breaking way.  And then everyone comes in fortissimo - very loud - with that line.  After we rehearsed those sections, I read Ephesians 3:10-12.....

"His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Here it comes...) In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence."

I talked about how we can come before God with confidence (the fortissimo section), because of our faith in Christ.  We may start softly and timidly, but as we realize God's love for us and Jesus' purpose here on earth, we can come before God knowing that He sees us as pure and blameless.

I'm loving my opportunity with the Nairobi Music Society.  Pray that it's always for God's glory...that I give my life away for Him everyday and in every rehearsal with them...and that I can serve these people and love God with all that I am.

Amen.  :)