Music Ministry . . .

"And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi,

Let me now go to the field,

and glean ears of corn after him

In whose sight I shall find grace.

And she said unto her, Go, my daughter."

Ruth 2:2  KJV



Music ministries seemed to turn up in some very unexpected locations . . . sometimes it turned up just around the corner out on the street and sometimes in more expected places. I'd like to share some of the music ministries I saw and heard while in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Accordion player
in Dublin

The first music I recall was while on the bus tour we took around Dublin, on Tuesday, July 23rd. I looked out the window of the bus and saw a man sitting on the sidewalk playing his accordion for donations, as people walked past him. I wondered what his story was. Why he was out on the street playing? It didn't appear that he was playing just to entertain those passing by. Was he homeless? In need of money to pay his bills? Did he have a family to support? Was he hungry? I'll never know the answer . . . the bus drove on.

Music during Ireland Yearly Meeting sessions in Cork was a bit of fun. The first music I recall was on Thursday, during the 'Singing' workshop that I attended along with two of my travel companions and several other Friends from England and Ireland. We sang several well known hymns/songs during the workshop in both English and Irish! Yes, we learned to sing at least part of each hymn/song in Irish. When I went into the workshop I was not expecting that I would be learning any Irish let alone find myself singing in Irish! I admit it was not easy, at least not for me to learn. That being said a few words were much easier to learn and pronounce than others. Before the workshop was over, we had agreed to sing a couple of songs, in a combination of English and Irish during the talent show on Saturday night. Yah, we were gonna sing in the talent show! We ended up singing three songs in English and Irish.

Saturday night the talent show was very musical. It was opened by a couple of Friends from the US, now working and living in London, England, who sang a couple of songs. The first was a very fun song about committees and the second one was one that he had written with his father, several years ago. A group of young adult Friends then did a really cute skit with a bit of singing included. The power point that I had put together was played - I used a couple of short recorded pieces of the Mooresville Friends bell choir with pictures of Mooresville Friends Meetinghouse, the Friendship House, Western Yearly Meetinghouse, Quaker Haven Camp along with Friends and activities that go on there. The choir, from Thursday's workshop, then sang three songs - we were able to get many in the audience to sing along with us. The Clerk of Ireland Yearly Meeting sang a song that she had written about clerking and we were encouraged to join in on the chorus. The evening ended with a couple of Friends teaching/trying to teach us several international folk dances. This was quite a bit of fun!

Before our 'shared meal' at Moyallon Conference Center, on Thursday, August 1st, with visiting Ulster Friends, they sang the Moyallon Grace for us, it was lovely! Thanks to the Friend who found the words and sent them to us. Now that I have the words, I need to find the tune, so I can learn to sing it, too! Here are the words:

'He giveth Heavenly measure,

Pressed down and running o're,

Oh what a priceless treasure,

Glory for evermore.

He supplies my every need,

He supplies my every need,

I do believe and His love received,

He supplies my every need.'

I've already posted about the 'International Storytelling' program that I attended with one of my Derry Friends, on Saturday, August 4th, and the singing that took place during that program, check out my post titled "Ministry in Story and Song . . ."

Guitar player on eastern walls
of Derry/Londonderry

On Sunday morning, August 4th, in Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland, we took a walk before we joined Bishop Street Friends for worship. As we walked to the Guildhall, there was a group entertaining the crowd out front. We then walked the eastern side walls, where we were entertained by a man sitting along the way, playing his guitar and singing for donations.

Several sights that we visited during our time in Ireland and Northern Ireland provided us with yet another type of music ministry, that which is found in nature – the waterfall I saw and heard at Blarney Castle, the rippling brooks at several locations, the birds flying and singing around us . . . that special music that God provided to help refresh us along our journey.

Waterfall at
Blarney Castle

It's been said that music soothes the soul. The music ministries that I experience and found myself a part of on this pilgrimage took on many different forms - accordion, guitar, bell choir, singing and the waterfalls and rippling brooks. All were freely shared with anyone who would take the time to open their ears and just listen. What an amazing range of gifts and talents God provided for us. I'm reminded of Psalm 100:

‘Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands!

Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know ye that the Lord, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with Thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.'