This is BY FAR my favorite thing about music in the church.
Whether we're stuck in quarantine and only have home church, or in traditional Sacrament and other meetings.
The chance to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord.
The chance to offer a bit of myself, my thanks to God for all He's made possible in my life, in the form of a piece of music.
And you know as well as I do how powerful a simple piece of music can be.
Just this past Sunday, we were all gathered in the living room having our little Pew Family Sacrament Meeting.
I was playing the Sacrament hymn on the piano.
"There is a green hill far away..."
I can't resist singing that descending bassline.
Most of the kids sang the melody.
My 14-year old sang the alto line.
And suddenly, voicing those remarkable words with my family gathered around me, the Spirit really hit me.
How special, how personal, how private, how universal, how infinite Christ's sacrifice was and is.
Somehow, music can work like Spiritual adrenaline. Like the spark that ignites the sometimes "too dormant" spiritual engine within us (or at least, me... I should probably just speak for myself... ).
But someone had to put those notes together.
Someone had to voice those words with, yes, a rather simple, yet poignant melody that magically drew out the bitter within me and replaced it with warmth, gratitude, love, reverence, and more.
That's why I spend time writing music for worship services.
Because just the opportunity to help make a moment like this occur for another struggling person...
THAT is special.
And it's the real intent behind the upcoming Writing Your Hymn Arrangement With Dr. Douglas Pew 8-week class.
We begin this Friday, May 8th, 2020.
Whether you have already signed up, are still on the fence, or aren't really into writing your own arrangements...
...I hope you'll at least consider that moment when "someone," maybe you, maybe someone from long ago, put their heart down on paper in the hopes that your heart, or another's heart, would resonate with spiritual vibrations.
It's a very sacred act, at least in my mind.
If you would like to join me and several excited hymn arranging colleagues for the next 8 weeks as we work to write, polish, and beautify your first or next hymn arrangement, just click the link below.
https://douglaspew.thrivecart.com/writing-your-hymn-arrangement-with-doug/
Everything we do... from harmony to notation to instrumentation to voicings... all of it is to create MORE special moments like the one I had this Sunday.
Like the MANY I know you've had.
What a great way to bring the gospel to more hearts!
Will you join us?
I hope so. I'm really excited to help you translate your testimony into a living, breathing, powerful hymn arrangement.
BTW, the doors for this 8-week class close on Thursday at midnight, mountain time.
I look forward to seeing you in class soon!
Best,
Doug
P.S. If you're a little nervous about whether you're up to this or not... let me reassure you. You DO NOT have to be some wiz-bang pianist or composer or whatever. Some ability at the piano is important. But you don't have to be a virtuoso by any means. I'm certainly not! And you can go at your own pace because everything will be recorded and you'll have access so you can take your time if need be.
One more time, here's the link:
https://douglaspew.thrivecart.com/writing-your-hymn-arrangement-with-doug/