Special Edition!
Celebrate Recovery® (CR) welcomes Sarah Smyth as our regular CR worship music leader. We are so grateful and excited about Sarah joining our CR Team and look forward to seeing how God will work in and through her as we continue to minister to people who are desperately in need of the hope and healing found in Jesus Christ - our true “Higher Power”! (By the way, that’s all of us! We should all be desperate for Jesus!) In the past, the praise and worship music has been primarily by music videos. CR Leader and Sound Guy, Mike Marion (AKA “Uncle” or “Saint” Mike) spent a great deal of time each week selecting and downloading relevant songs for the group to sing. (Thank you, Mike!) The opening worship music was often times the highlight of the night! Even with music videos, the group chose favorites that they wanted repeated almost every week. (For example, “No Longer Slaves” by Bethel Music has been the CR theme song for a couple of years now.) In group discussions, participants would comment on how the worship songs seemed to speak life and hope into their brokenness.
From time to time, Sam Junkin, along with others from the Common Ground Praise Team would come in and lead the worship songs. Those were always extra special nights! Having live voices, from people who genuinely care, singing and leading the worship songs adds a spiritual dimension to the worship time that just cannot be realized with music videos alone. Also Fayette’s own, Rachel Taylor, a local recording artist who tours with Bev McCann and Friends (http://bevmccannandfriends.com/node/8) recently began helping lead some on Thursday nights when not on tour - as her schedule allowed. The group also loves it when Rachel sings. She has a special way of bringing in some of the old familiar hymns but with a slightly different sound. She also has some original songs like “Lost in God’s Grace” that the group has found particularly encouraging. (Thank you, Rachel!) (https://www.reverbnation.com/racheltaylor8/song/28677473-lost-in-gods-grace)
Knowing that our participants are much more engaged and responsive to live voices, we saw the need and have been praying for a regular CR worship leader who can sing, lead and coordinate other voices. Sarah Smyth has the gifts and graces and feels called to be that team member. Sarah led the worship songs along with Sam last Thursday night and it was such a blessing! Sarah has a heart for this ministry and has experience in helping people engage and connect with the Holy Spirit through worship songs! This is critically important for our CR group as there are many who are hurting so badly that worship songs may be the only way for them to let go and express their feelings and reach for hope! We are so grateful that Sarah is responding to this call on her life! Sam has expressed that this is an answered prayer and a huge weight of responsibility lifted for him as well. There will still be a place for others voices to lead and sing but Sarah will help coordinate that. She and Rachel Taylor will be singing this week. It will be a blessing!
Celebrate Recovery is open to all. Pray for us and come worship with us! Our worship time begins at 7 PM in the Common Ground worship area. (Free meal at 6:30 PM, Small Groups at 8 PM). We would love for you to join us!
Kathy Griffith
CR Pastor
Fayette FUMC
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