Caught between the choir director and priest...

[james]

Whit,

You are looking at things in the right way. Continue your playing for the glory of God. I did that when young, but am now fast becoming a cranky old man. I messed up by accepting a post on the church board or session as many churches call it. I knew far too much then for my own good.

[Clarion]

but am now fast becoming a cranky old man. I messed up by accepting a post on the church board or session as many churches call it. I knew far too much then for my own good.

Yup! You are becoming a cranky old man. Years ago, someone did dirt to you because allowed them to do dirt to you. No one can do this to you unless you co-operate with your full consent. And you are still allowing this very same person(s) to continue to do dirt to you, because you continue to bow to their control, and consent to their interference in your life on a daily basis. I think that's what the aggravating "forgive your enemies" thing is all about: freedom for you.

Am I very familiar with the bad stuff that goes on in the church? Yup! I know a whole lot of bad things that happen at the top, that I would prefer to not know about. I tend to view the organization of the church like a pond; the scum always rises to the top.

Do you figure that the church is there to merely augment and strengthen your faith?? Has your experience with the church done that?? Obviously not! But perhaps you are looking in the wrong places for that to occur. Don't know about you, but my decades experience with the church have taught me that me that, if anything, the church is there to TEST my faith. Faith is never tested nor strengthened during good times; but during adversity and bad times; and the church offers that test of faith for you. The closer you are to the top, the more you realize what kind of creepy people are actually running things.

Are you going to continue to allow these creeps to continue to control your quality of life on a daily basis? Or are you going to rise above the scum?

[james]

They do NOT control me now. However, I don't mind giving advice to someone younger and interested in playing for a church. I will also say the ones who did me some great harm later came to find themselves "weighed in the balances and found wanting big time." Therefore that is why I told the younger gentleman to "Take it to the Lord in Prayer" as well as He will make the crooked straight. I have forgiven them easily enough, but my mind is not programed to forget. The deal is that I don't have to recall it like a site on a PC. If my experieces can help anyone I am willing to share since I have been a teacher.

So at least I learned the hard way that all is not good in a church. I have risen from the scum Ok, and stay away from them period. The last one to lose me did themselves in, and since I was not paid a cent I thought it best to let them have their fun, and I can play my collection of organs anytime.

[Clarion]

They do NOT control me now.

Not true! Even if you experience bad thoughts from the past, if you embrace those thoughts for more than 5 seconds without being able to dismiss such thoughts, they still control you!

I have forgiven them easily enough, but my mind is not programed to forget.

Notwithstanding that your mind is not programmed to forget. YOU must program your mind to IGNORE. For sure, I've had a whole lot of bad things happen to me over the past 70 years; but the way I've learned to deal with bad stuff, is to reject the temptation to dwell upon, and stew about something that happened decades ago. The moment I start to think about one of those bad thoughts from my past, I immediately and consciously re-direct my thoughts to a whole lot more interesting subject. I've learned from experience, that stewing about something that happened fifty years ago, isn't going to do anything for my day, other than making me feel miserable.

I've learned to extinguish such thoughts from inception.

So at least I learned the hard way that all is not good in a church. I have risen from the scum Ok, and stay away from them period.

Staying away, merely plays into the hands of the scum, allowing them to control and do anything they wish, unimpeded!! If the scum has been defacto conferred free reign, merely because no one has the interest, guts nor inclination to oppose them, then your disenchantment with the church must be compared against what YOU have done to fix a bad situation. If you allow the bad guys to continue unopposed, then you might very well be part of the problem.

From reading your posts, it is apparent that you hardly lack the ability nor propensity to do a whole lot of bitching. The only problem is, that your bitching is totally misdirected. Bitching on the Organ Forum is going to accomplish what???!! NOTHING!

Try directing your disenchantment at the problem, for a change!!

[james]

We see things differently and I still remain firm on what I said. Anymore comments will have no effect on me. I have more sense than to let the control of so called preachers rule me with their practice of outright witchcraft. My health played into the last situation, and I didn't need that mess facing me ever Sunday anyhow. You seem more upset about this matter than I do, so enjoy it or get over it, and move on.

My so called bitching might open the eyes of that young man, and then it will have accomplished the desired result. Maybe I can assist him from falling into the clutches of the old devil. Religious people are some of the most evil people I have ever known.

Even the Lord mentioned, "shake the dust off your feet and move on."

[Clarion]

Even the Lord mentioned, "shake the dust off your feet and move on."

But you obviously haven't been able to do that.

Your enemy still torments you night and day, year after year; and that's because you have chosen to allow him to do that.

[james]

Clarion,

As you mentioned yourself, why don't you stop worrying your mind, and direct your own thoughts elsewhere instead of me? Then you might feel better, or go blow your clarion elsewhere. Oh yes, I will play the II Baldwins at home, and I know God is pleased.

I hope Whit has seen how matters can be. Sometimes many in the congregation will tell you how the organ should be played, and they couldn't even find the on/off switch.

There are many reasons why churches have organs, but no organists. A lady in town played for a church for years. Then here comes a young interim so called minister in, and it ends up that she is without a position. The preacher acquires a college student who has to drive 90 miles one way to play for choir practice on Wed PM and for the Sunday AM service. Well, the college student accepted the pay, and then later asked for milage for making the trip. Well, that went over like a lead balloon, and the student is out of the picture plus the church is without an organist. Now the interim minister is no longer there. Meanwhile the former organist who is an outstanding has found a position in a town not too far distant.

So, Whit, and others, the music dept. in churches is the devil's playground. Religious people are mean! They thrive doing the devil's work to each other, and their religion is like a dope junkie who needs his fix. They can not mind their own business without pointing fingers at others, and realize their own fingers pointing back at them. I point them to Jesus, and I hope Whit and others can with their music for God.

Organs are fast going out of style in many churches even very mainlined ones with the advent of the wonderful Praise Bands such as a night club might have.

My Baldwin church organ which works perfectly came from a church who were just going to move it to a back room or in time out to the dumpster.

[Hamman]

Where two or more people are gathered........there are problems....Its called the human factor (sin) and we will never see perfection of wills till His will is 100% in place...which I believe will be soon! Not one church in the world has a gleaming example of what it should be like! Oh yeah sometimes there are "moments" when the peoples will become in one accord to His will but then the human factor(sin) comes creeping back in. Man will never be able to make it right but Christ has and will know that when we are together with Him...Soon!! So cheer up sunshine boys its not about you in the first place! Its ministry until others and allowing Him to work through us. I feel I go to a pretty good church but if I want to stop and think about it I could always let comments made about my playing upset me and quit! But since the talent is from the Lord himself why then I just assume those complaints are directed at Him and they will have to explain to Him later. Spray some teflon (word of God ) on ya and start marching forward.

[james]

Hamman,

A very nice post. I did take all kinds of negative comments for many years. All things come to an end, and your time not to play in church will too someday.

I have made all the comments I intend to make about religion and churches on this thread, and those who wish to continue can do so. I have done my best to encourage all young people what to expect playing the organ in church, and they sure need to remember the devil can come as an "angel of light."

[Whit]

Thanks for the advice, Baldwin. I played at a funeral this morning and afterward a 93-year-old lady asked me if I was the organist. I told her yes, and she put her hand on my shoulder and whispered, "I knew it had to be someone new because the organ sounded so much better than normal."