Lelia,

That is sure needed in the body of Christ today.  And you really are an
encourager.

Vicki

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lelia Struve" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 8:31 PM
Subject: Re: [ECHURCH-USA] speaking of leading music


> Well, I know I am a good encourager so I've been told.
>
>
> Lelia Struve email [log in to unmask] msn [log in to unmask]
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Vicki and The Rors" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 8:22 PM
> Subject: Re: speaking of leading music
>
>
> > Good for you for trying Lelia.  And now you know.  But I am sure you
have
> > other things, gifts and talents.    Do you have any ideas what those
could
> > be?
> >
> > Vicki
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Lelia Struve" <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 6:10 AM
> > Subject: [ECHURCH-USA] speaking of leading music
> >
> >
> >> As the subject says speaking of leading music yesterday being Sunday,
my
> >> pastors wife was a bit ill yesterday and had almost no voice and she
> >> asked
> >> me to kind of lead the music while she played well, at first I thought
I
> > did
> >> awful and I didn't do as well as I might have wanted to but I also
> >> learned
> >> something first and foremost I'm not a leader I love to sing but no
> >> thanks
> >> to leading.  Second, its ok to make mistakes I knew that but in order
to
> >> learn we need to make the mistakes to see all that I knew that too but
I
> >> still needed that lesson.
> >>
> >>
> >> Lelia Struve email [log in to unmask] msn [log in to unmask]
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: "Vicki and The Rors" <[log in to unmask]>
> >> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >> Sent: Sunday, January 23, 2005 4:33 PM
> >> Subject: Re: Right Church
> >>
> >>
> >> > Brad,
> >> >
> >> > I can sure appreciate where you are coming from on this one.  Jumping
> > off
> >> > in
> >> > the middle of leading music is for sure difficult.  Maybe the Lord is
> >> > using
> >> > a God-given desire under his leadership, no ship pun intended, to
guide
> >> > you
> >> > elsewhere.  And I'll be praying with you for God's direction and
> >> > fulfillment
> >> > of purpose.
> >> >
> >> > Love your ship analysis, by the way.
> >> >
> >> > Vicki
> >> >
> >> > ----- Original Message -----
> >> > From: "Brad D" <[log in to unmask]>
> >> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >> > Sent: Sunday, January 23, 2005 3:57 PM
> >> > Subject: Re: [ECHURCH-USA] Right Church
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >> Approaching the harbor you are struck with awe of the external view
of
> >> >> the
> >> >> ship you are about to board. It's girth, length, height and width
are
> >> >> breath taking to consider. One wonders how this vessel can stay
afloat
> >> > with
> >> >> it's many floors, cargo and people. As you approach to board it
along
> >> >> with
> >> >> hundreds of others you have no idea of what exists inside and
> > excitement
> >> >> builds as you consider what it is like inside this enormous piece of
> >> > craft.
> >> >> Slowly you make your way through the chained barricades as they wind
> > you
> >> > to
> >> >> and fro like a maze until finally you walk up the gang plank and for
> > the
> >> >> first time see what lies inside this ship. Once you are inside and
> >> >> look
> >> >> around, and get a feel of what it is you find, just like a church,
you
> >> >> are
> >> >> either aboard a party barge, slave ship, or Christ cruiser. It is
> >> > difficult
> >> >> when you have researched the voyage and ship prior to boarding and
> >> >> then
> >> >> find later, after you have purchased your ticket and packed your
bags,
> >> > that
> >> >> you need to jump off at the next port because it is not the ship for
> > you,
> >> >> the voyage is not what you had hoped. Again this is similar to
> > churches.
> >> > We
> >> >> find Party Barges who drink up the Holy Spirit like a bar fly and
> >> >> party
> >> >> on
> >> >> in a sea of lost folks totally oblivious  to anything beyond their
> > claims
> >> >> in Christ for their own wants and desires. And you have slave ships
> >> >> who
> >> >> also have blinders on who are so consumed with working on the inside
> >> >> of
> >> > the
> >> >> four walls which hold it's cause, that they begin to burn out and
the
> >> >> voyage becomes very labor some and with each stroke of a row, it
seems
> >> >> the
> >> >> ship moves no where, none of the  people floating lost at sea are
> > picked
> >> > up
> >> >> because the focus is on the ship, therefore no new blood comes in to
> >> > spread
> >> >> the load of work, no sense of accomplishment is seen, no progress,
no
> >> >> nothing but sight of endless work and no forward progress but just
> > enough
> >> >> bustle to stay afloat. Sort of like flailing ones arms about the
> > surface
> >> > of
> >> >> the water in a disorganized manner, and for the enormous amount of
> > energy
> >> >> spent, it is by the occasional hits upon the water treading water is
> >> >> fortunately accomplished, while breathing becomes more and more
> > difficult
> >> >> and the arms are beginning to burn with muscle fatigue. And we also
> > have
> >> >> Christ Cruisers who focus on Christ, the lost, set forth plans by
the
> >> >> guidance of god and although much work is put into it, it is done
> >> >> joyfully
> >> >> and with genuine appreciation and one is energized to continue and
> >> >> through
> >> >> the efforts those willing to be picked from the salty sea are done
so,
> >> >> brought in, washed off, and join the ranks of laborers  making it
> > easier
> >> >> yet to lift more folks out of the sea.
> >> >>
> >> >> It is indeed difficult to find balance in a church. I too am in
just
> >> >> such
> >> >> a position. I've  bought my ticket, boarded the ship and began work,
> > and
> >> >> found out it is a slave ship and in need of checking out at the next
> > port
> >> >> stop. I'm somewhat convicted as I despise church hopping. That is to
> > say,
> >> >> to hop hop hop to find just the church that fits my needs, for my
> > wants,
> >> >> the way I want things to be. After all why don't they do things the
> >> >> way
> > I
> >> >> suggested or want, after all that is the best way... right? Right? I
> >> >> do
> >> > not
> >> >> care for that attitude and yet I know that is not the motivator of
my
> >> >> stepping back from music over the next month or two and eventually
> >> >> researching a new voyager. For months and months we've served with
no
> >> >> vision, no plan, no idea of where we are heading. No sense of making
a
> >> >> difference and lack of conviction that if we ran across someone in
> >> >> desperate need of god, that we could bring them to church and they'd
> >> >> actually be affected. In fact there is no real opportunity for them
to
> > be
> >> >> affected on this particular ship. After this decision has been made,
> > now
> >> >> out comes the big plans for a vision, to take action, to move
forward,
> >> >> and
> >> >> etc. The idea of removing commitment of music is so freeing, so
> >> >> lifting
> >> >> of
> >> >> a burden, I hadn't realized how much it was weighing on my
shoulders.
> >> >> Either I am really missing God to be backing out at this juncture of
> > the
> >> >> church catching a vision and goal planning, or this is the divine
> >> > appointed
> >> >> time to do such to make way for a right person for the work. I've
been
> >> >> through essentially two churches on the entry level of growth and
> > getting
> >> >> feet off the ground and now this one, and have experienced as well a
> > ship
> >> >> who is established and carries wisdom and is making a difference. I
> > can't
> >> >> help but look for the latter as it has become too draining to
continue
> > to
> >> >> reside in the former.
> >> >>
> >> >> I don't look for the perfect church, cause I'll join and ruin it,
but
> >> >> I
> >> >> do
> >> >> gauge  or discern it from it's fruit as God's word says.
> >> >>
> >> >> Brad
> >> >>
> >>
>