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First Thoughts Blog

Author: Nancy Spiller, Creative Arts Director

Did You Know? A Special Thanks

Dear Beloved Session and Church, 
 
On June 26, I had the opportunity to experience Europe for the first time in my life traveling to Salzburg, Austria. I was invited by my good friends from college, David and Gayle Galasso, of St. Peter’s Methodist Church in Katy, TX, to join a mass choir of 145 singers from all around the USA. My two good friends, college roommate Claire Wilson, and Tracy Munson, who sang as well, traveled with me. We participated in the “Jubilate” Mozart Festival, which is held every summer to celebrate the music of Amadeus Mozart. Salzburg is the city where Mozart was born and lived. We sang in the Salzburg Dom (the most beautiful cathedral I have ever seen). Tracy and I worked hard learning the most beautiful and inspiring music (an hour and 15 minutes worth) singing with a professional orchestra and soloists. The soloists were standing in the balcony beside one of the six organs in the church! We sang under the direction of two accomplished conductors, and met many other incredibly talented people. 
 
I wanted you to know that the Lord worked it out for me to go. The session decided to give this trip to me as a gift to celebrate my 25th year anniversary working here at First Presbyterian. Not only did I see beautiful Salzburg and Vienna, Austria, but the Lord let me experience it while singing praises to him! I knew this was his doing and his blessing on me. He was loving me through my church. 
I could not have had anything better given to me! I can’t even talk about it without getting emotional, so I wanted to write to all of you and thank you for the gift of a lifetime, and, a lifetime of leading worship for the most amazing church family. 
 
God bless you all,
 
Nancy Spiller
Creative Arts Director
 
 
 
 
 

Words

I don’t know about you, but the older I  get, the more I seem to cry. I feel things deeper than I used to. You would think I would be getting my “act” together at my age! As a singer and a musician, I have always been moved to tears by moving melodies and beautiful harmonies. That is why I still love what I am doing at FPC. It’s part of my job to listen to beautiful music that lifts up the name of Jesus, and to find songs that can help us do that. We want to articulate our love back to him. 
 
I know you've noticed that Gerrit is a “word” guy. He has us thinking about God’s Word all the time, and he stretches us to think so hard my brain aches. I think it has caused me to think more of the lyrics we sing, as well as the words that come out of my mouth when I speak. So, now I cry every Sunday during worship. It’s true! When I stop singing, it is not because I am too emotional, it is because I am thinking too much! I see very deeply how much God loves us and cares for us and I just can’t help it. But I am not alone. There are plenty of grown men out there doing the same thing. And you always want to let me know for some reason. I love that! The Holy Spirit is moving us to tears!  
 
And another thing, the same thing happens to me when I hear a testimony of what God is doing in people’s lives, whether through your joy or pain. It is amazing to me. So let’s not ever stop singing and speaking “words” of what God has done, words of what he is doing in our lives presently through the Holy Spirit, and words of the glorious future we will have in heaven because of the resurrection of Jesus!
 
“Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in  your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5: 15-16, 19)