As Lent approaches, I would love to let you know about one of the great activities that the music program of First Pres. is involved with each year at this time. One of the most important things we do as a church is to equip young people to carry on the Gospel message after we are gone.

In this vein, we’re preparing the 18th annual musical mission tour of the Youth Chorale. We will be touring all over Washington state during Spring Break, which begins two days after Easter this year instead of the usual time several weeks before Easter. So, there will be a great deal of activity in the coming weeks getting musically and spiritually ready to bring our message to churches in Lacey, Port Angeles, Seattle, and Richland, Washington, while at the same time preparing for a very early Easter celebration!

The Youth Chorale is singing a musical we have put together ourselves about what happened after the resurrection to change the disciples from doubting followers who let Jesus down and betrayed Him so many times to people who would die for the Gospel. I thought this would be a great topic this year since Easter was before Youth Chorale tour.

Something that spurred on my faith when I was about 15 and singing in youth choir myself was the turnaround in the disciples’ attitudes toward following Jesus, after he appeared to them and hundreds of others following the resurrection. They had seen Jesus perform miracles of all kinds and had been taught intimately about the Kingdom of God, yet it took the appearance of Jesus after the resurection for them to turn around and begin changing the world one life at a time. And, later in the gospel story, I think of Apostle Paul’s conversion and his appeal to Timothy near the end of his own ministry to “fight the good fight” even if Paul could no longer join with him.

The Youth Chorale musical will encompass all these ideas. We are recruiting young people from Salem high schools again this year (we are especially looking for young men) so that we can continue this great tradition of a musical mission tour. We hope that next year more young people from our own church body will be a part of the Youth Chorale and that this great tradition will continue. Please be in prayer for us that, as we learn this music and our narrations and lines, these young people would become equipped for lifelong service and will help to inspire others in their service to God after they hear us!

And join us for our special Youth Chorale Tour Fundraiser Valentine’s Jazz Night on Thursday, Feb. 14, 6 - 9 p.m., in the Social Hall! Prime rib dinner will be prepared by Youth Chorale parents. (Tickets available for $15 after each service Feb. 3 and Feb. 10). Don’t miss this chance to help the next generation commit their lives to His service!

Jim Regin

http://www.salemfirstpres.org/msgs/pp080203pf.htm

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