Last Sunday at both morning services, a rite of installation was held to welcome Miguel Felipe as the Director of Music and Liturgy. That means that after the sermon, there was a short series of questions asked of the candidate, similar to other rites (such as baptism or confirmation): Our Lord Jesus, who came among us as a servant, calls us to faith and a life of loving service to our neighbor. You come among us as one invited to render a particular service, a gift from God to inspire us to love and good works.
Miguel, in the presence of this assembly, will you commit yourself to this new trust and responsibility to the confidence that it comes from God?
I will, and I ask God to help me.
Will you carry out this ministry in accordance with the holy scriptures and with the confessions of the Lutheran church?
I will, and I ask God to help me.
Will you be diligent in your study of the holy scriptures and faithful in your use of the means of grace and in prayer?
I will, and I ask God to help me.
Trusting in Gods care, will you seek to grow in love for those you serve, strive for excellence in your skills, and adorn the gospel of Jesus Christ with a godly life?
I will, and I ask God to help me.
The congregation was in turn asked to receive and support Miguel in this ministry, and to respond: We will, and we ask God to help us.
Quite honestly, I don’t ever remember such a rite like this ever conducted for me as organist, or for Carl either! But thats quite okay. In those prehistoric times, I think that was before the Church furnished rituals for these occasions.
We ended with this prayer: O God of majesty, whom saints and angels delight to worship: Strengthen and bless your servant Miguel, who, through your gift of music, seeks to enliven our praises and proclaim your word with power. Through this ministry give us new awareness of your beauty and grace, and join our voices with all the choirs of heaven; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Right after this liturgy at the 10:30 service, the choir sang the exquisite Il cantico del Sole by Forrest Pierce, and they sang it very well (except for one teeny, tiny note in the soprano part — only a few knew it wasn’t as the composer wrote it.)
A reception was held in the courtyard after both morning services so that parishioners could have a chance to congratulate and welcome Miguel to the LCH ohana (family).
