August 31, 2022
A Note from Jody Hepp
Dear Friends,
When do you feel closest to God? For some people it’s in nature. For some people it’s in quiet meditation. I’m sure it is no surprise that I feel closest to God through music.
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17)
I once heard a devotion on this verse saying that the “whatever you do” can be anything! It can be teaching or reading or running or flipping burgers! It doesn’t matter as long as you do it in God’s name and in God’s love.
Growing up the daughter of a church organist and choir director, singing at church has always been a given. When I was starting my career as a music teacher I didn’t want to do church music. I wanted to be “normal.” I wanted to come to church with my husband and daughters to be a wife and mom.
Then I met Debbie Detrick and felt the pull to get involved. (If you know Debbie, you know her gift for recruiting!)
Debbie and I co-directed the Praise and Worship team for a few years for the contemporary service.
While leading singing during that time, I started to notice a change in myself. I was a music teacher! I sang all the time, but somehow I was feeling something different.
I realized I wasn’t just singing in my daily sense, I was actually worshiping through music.
The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi begins “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.” That phrase started getting stuck in my head, but shortened to “Lord, make me an instrument.”
That’s how I identify the feeling now. I feel like maybe God is using me as his voice.
There is an ongoing debate around which is “better,” traditional or contemporary music in church. My answer is whichever brings you closest to God.
With my upbringing and background in music education I feel better equipped for traditional choral music and hymn singing, but spiritually I feel more led by the Spirit during contemporary worship.
Either way I feel like I am giving what I do “in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Have you ever felt the nudge to get involved in music at HUMC?
This is the time of year to give it a try!
Chancel choir has started practicing on Wednesday evenings, 7:30-8:30pm. Anyone is welcome to join us! You do not need to be a professional or a trained singer! I like to think we are a welcoming and helpful group!
I also like to think of us as a small group. Yes, we sing together, but we also share our lives, and we pray with and for each other.
I am also always looking for folks to help me with music at 11am!
If you want more information, please email me.
Whether it’s at church or elsewhere, how can you take what you do and use it to feel closer to God and feel his spirit use you?
Peace,
Jody
Jody Hepp
Music Director
