God Bless America

“I’d like to write a great peace song,” Irving Berlin told a journalist in 1938, “but it’s hard to do, because you have trouble dramatizing peace.”

Years before John Lennon or Bob Dylan were even born, Berlin took up the challenge of penning an anthem that would inspire his fellow men to live in harmony. As America’s most successful songwriter, the 50-year-old Berlin had already lived through one world war, and with the rise of Nazi Germany, he knew a second was brewing.

He recalled, “I worked for a while on a song called ‘Thanks America,’ but I didn’t like it. I tried again with a song called ‘Let’s Talk About Liberty,’ but I didn’t get very far. It was too much like making a speech to music. It then occurred to me to reexamine an old song of mine, ‘God Bless America.’”

Berlin’s practice of “going to the trunk,” where he squirreled away every verse, chorus and half-finished idea he ever wrote, often got him out of songwriting jams. He’d come up with “God Bless America” in 1918, while serving in the Army at Camp Upton in Yaphank, N.Y. It was intended for a military revue called Yip Yip Yaphank.

His musical secretary Harry Ruby remembered, “There were so many patriotic songs coming out at the time. Every songwriter was pouring them out. I said, ‘Geez, another one?’”

Berlin decided Ruby was right, calling the song “just a little sticky.” He cut it from the score, stashing it away in his trunk.

Two decades later, Berlin saw new hope in the old tune. “I had to make one or two changes in the lyrics, and they in turn led me to a slight change and improvement in the melody, one line in particular. The original ran: ‘Stand beside her and guide her to the right with a light from above.’ In 1918, the phrase ‘to the right’ had no political significance, as it has now. So for obvious reasons, I changed the phrase to ‘Through the night with a light from above.’”

Pleased with the revamped song—he packed a lot into its compact five-line frame—Irving searched for the right singer to introduce it.

Kate Smith was 200 pounds of wholesome country girl goodness, a vaudeville singer who’d entertained WWI troops when she was 8 years old and gone on to host her own CBS radio show, with millions of devoted listeners. On Nov. 11, 1938, Smith sang “God Bless America” as part of her Armistice Day broadcast (anniversary of the end of WWI).

This is the recording of the original broadcast performance:

A view from the past - This is my country! God Bless America

      This is the closing scene in John Wayne's "Swing Out Sweet Land" 1970. 

Chonda Pierce & Mark Lowry - 'Features On Film' by CCM

This week Sharron has been working in the church office as our church office manager is away. Yesterday I heard a conversation taking place outside my office and I wondered way they were laughing so loud.  I went to my office door to see Sharron laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. 

 Here is what she was watching:

How to balance the demands of Ministry and Family.

I’ll admit it: I like when I’m in the supermarket or the mall and someone from church (even if I do not know them) comes up to me and says, “Hey, Chris. How’s it going?” It’s flattering. Something about being known gives a little boost to the ego.

But then there are times when I want to just blend into the crowd.

Honestly, if I’m on a date night with my wife, I’d prefer not to be interrupted by someone asking me, “When’s the next summer camp?” (Of course, there are times when an interruption to family is appropriate, like in the case of a community crisis or an immediate church need.)

The idea of “personal time” is something that represents a struggle for all of us. There is tension when it comes to how we live out our different roles: When do we play the role of youth minister, and when do we play the role of spouse and parent? It can sometimes feel like we’re in high demand. The line between our vocation and our personal lives gets blurred, crossed or flat out wiped away.

It’s an ongoing challenge to make sure we’re faithfully carrying out our ministerial calling, yet still giving our family top billing.

I found it necessary to create some rules to protect what’s most important. Here are a few I try to live by:

Rule 1: When I’m Home I’m Home

With a few unique exceptions, when I get in the car to head home, I’m done with youth ministry. I’ve told my leaders that unless it’s an emergency, if they are going to call me on a Friday or Saturday (off days) then it better be social. My work laptop stays in the office or in my bag. Blogging is done at designated times so it doesn’t interfere with family. Obviously, emergencies will occasionally come up. But for the most part, when I am at home, I am fully at home.

Rule 2: Communicate When You Are Needed

There are going to be times when you’re needed outside the normal work hours. It might be a special event or even a crisis. Some of these are scheduled and should be noted in the family calendar, while others will pop up out of nowhere. Communication is the key to navigating these extra demands. You need to clearly communicate with family what your role and obligations are to the church. It’s not always going to be easy, but we can prevent major issues if we communicate with those we love.

Rule 3: Social Media Is About My Job, Not My Family

I try to keep my family out of the social media spotlight. Those of you who follow me on Twitter or read my blog know that I’ll make comments from time to time about my family, but that’s rare. And if I do it, it’s done with permission. It’s not that my family has anything to hide. It’s just that the line between transparency and “TMI” can be grey when it comes to family. I try to protect it as much as possible.

Do I live these rules out perfectly? No. Do I try? Yes. Will you agree with my rules? No. But, I would suggest you sit down with your family and talk about the tension between family life and your church responsibilities. 

Even if you’ve been in ministry for years, take some time to sit down with your spouse and even your kids and decide:

1.  What days (and time) are sacred to family?

2.  What time do you need to be home to help out your spouse or child?

3.  What seasons are most busy at work?

Those are my rules, and I need to abide by them, yet be flexible at the same time. It’s an interesting balance, but it’s working. And my efforts are building trust at home, as well as at work.

What are the rules that you abide by to protect the sanctity of your family?

This article originally appeared here.

Please update your blog!

I have heard several remarks lately that some people miss my blog postings.  For this reason, I am considering beginning to begin posting again. I now spend time on my Facebook page and the church Facebook page. 

Trustworthy Sayings plans to return within the next 30 days. 

Are YOU ready to get wet?

The two pictures I posted today on the Facebook page of First Wesleyan Church in Gastonia NC: Sunday May 21st  will be a historic day at our church as we plan to baptize 7 people. 

The forecast calls for rain - which we will interpret as "Showers of blessings". Bring your umbrella and gather in the courtyard for the worship which begins at 11:00am with the baptism taking place near the beginning of our time together.

Remember - "Shall we gather at the river?" Tomorrow we gather in the courtyard to celebrate the work of God in our midst. Don't miss this Spirit filled time together!

Eight Signs Your Church May Be Closing Soon

I'm Back!   After an extended time away - I have decided to renew my passion to extend trustworthy words by re-establishing my blog.   I am still deciding on the frequency and the format - but I am back.  

Please let me know if you find this helpful with a simple comment on my page...  Thanks.

Eight Signs Your Church May Be Closing Soon

  By Thom Rainer

We call it the death spiral.

I know. It’s not a pleasant term. I can understand if it causes you to cringe.

By the time I am contacted about a serious problem in a church, it is often too late. The problems are deeply rooted, but the remaining members have been blind to them, or they chose to ignore them.

There are eight clear signs evident in many churches on the precipice of closing. If a church has four or more of these signs present, it is likely in deep trouble. Indeed, it could be closing sooner than almost anyone in the church would anticipate.

1. There has been a numerical decline for four or more years. Worship attendance is in a steady decline. Offerings may decline more slowly as the “remnant” gives more to keep the church going. There are few or no conversions. Decline is clear and pervasive.
2. The church does not look like the community in which it is located. The community has changed its ethnic, racial, or socioeconomic makeup, but the church has not. Many members are driving from other places to come to the church. The community likely knows little or nothing about the church. And the church likely knows little or nothing about the community.
3. The congregation is mostly comprised of senior adults. It is just a few years of funerals away from having no one left in the church.
4. The focus is on the past, not the future. Most conversations are about “the good old days.” Those good old days may have been 25 or more years in the past. Often a hero pastor of the past is held as the model to emulate.
5. The members are intensely preference-driven. They are more concerned about their music style, their programs, their schedules, and their facilities than reaching people with the gospel. Their definition of discipleship is “others taking care of my needs.”
6. The budget is severely inwardly focused. Most of the funds are expended to keep the lights on and/or to meet the preferences of the members. There are few dollars for ministry and missions. And any dollars for missions rarely include the involvement of the members in actually sharing the gospel themselves.
7. There are sacred cow facilities. It might be a parlor or a pulpit. It could be pews instead of chairs. It might be the entirety of the worship center or the sanctuary. Members insist on holding tightly to those things God wants us to hold loosely.
8. Any type of change is met with fierce resistance. The members are confronted with the choice to change or die. And though few would articulate it, their choice by their actions or lack of actions is the choice to die.

Churches with four or more of these signs have three choices. They can embark on a process of change and revitalization. Or they can close the doors for a season and re-open with a new name, a new vision, and some new people.

Of course, the third choice is to do nothing. That is the choice to die.

Thousands of churches will unfortunately do just that the next twelve months.