Carole Weatherby, Director of Music and Organist (1982-2009)

"Words from the Director of Music!" 

(Note: shared by Carole at her last service as Gloria Dei's Director of Music on Sunday, July 26, 2009)

I must confess that words that I have said to you many times before, and which I am going to say yet again, today, are those of Danish philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard.  He asks the question, "What is Worship?" And, some people reply, that's easy!  "Worship is like a drama. The Pastors, and Assisting Ministers and Choir - - they are the actors. God is the prompter, and, we are the audience."  "No," says Kierkegaard, you've got it backwards. 

"Words from the Director of Music"

"The Pastors, and Choirs and Assisting Ministers --- they are the prompters. We are the actors and God is the audience."

Bearing that thought in mind as we leave each worship service it might be right to ask, not, what did I get out of it, but, how did I do? 

The personal thoughts that I would like to share with you today lie within the texts of the hymns and anthems that will be sung.  Always remember that all of the music we do in worship has a message - - - even prelude music.  We are so extravagantly blessed here in this congregation to have so many fine vocal and instrumental musicians, who regularly

....at the organ

offer their music to God in worship. The power and brilliance of the organ speak of the majesty of God and the quietness of God's peace.  Hymns are not merely fillers in the service to give us a break between the spoken elements of the service, but, each hymn is carefully chosen every single week for the message it contains for you and for its relevance in the worship service. Indeed, our hymnals are vast treasuries of religious poetry to which nothing in the world can compare.  And, the hymnals can be used along with your Bibles for devotional purposes. If you don't have one of your own, you have only to mark the card in the pew rack, or, e-mail

The Gloria Dei Chancel Choir

me or call me. I'm still on the staff until Friday and so I would be glad to order for you.  I think they are $20.00 dollars for the pew edition.  And surely we should be teaching our children the hymns.

Just a note of explanation about three of the things that will happen in today's service…

The Psalm refrain that we're going to sing is one we've done before and one that many of you have told me was very touching to you - - - and there is a story behind it.  When my daughter, Rachel, was gravely injured in a car accident, and was in a coma, the doctors said, "if she wakes up she will not be the same and you've got to be prepared

...the congregation sings the Departure Hymn, "When In Our Music God Is Glorified."

for that."  And so as I frequently do, I immerse myself in the Psalms for inspiration and solace.  When she woke up and gradually returned to her beautiful self the last two verses of the Psalm that we use today were my song of thanksgiving. They are taped to the organ where I can see them as a reminder that the music that I play will be for thanksgiving to God, always!  When Dr. Busarow was here doing a hymn festival with us I told him what those verses were for.  And, some time later he sent me, in the mail, the unpublished antiphon which we'll sing today, because he knew that it would have special meaning for me.

At the offering

Pastor M. Susan Peterson recognizes Carole for her many years of faithful service to the church...

today we invite you to join with the choir in the singing of the refrain for the choral piece, "Not Unto Us."  In this piece we all acknowledge together that all of the wonderful things we have been equipped to do here at Gloria Dei - - - all of those things are done Soli Deo Gloria - - - to God alone the Glory.  And, interestingly, the name of our church, Gloria Dei, is Latin for Glory of God.

Finally, the postlude will be a dramatic change from the typical postlude that we usually play at the end of services. It was written by my dear friend and mentor of many, many years, Paul Manz. He has been an inspiration to me, and, to a whole

Dr. Paul Manz and Carole Weatherby

generation of church musicians.  He is a man who is on fire with the Holy Spirit. He is known throughout the world for his hymn improvisations on our hymn tunes and his hymn festivals.  And, his playing was absolutely electrifying; inspiring congregations everywhere to the most glorious hymn singing that could be heard this side of heaven. I love you my friend!

And, I love all of you, dear people. My friends in the congregation, the choir, my colleagues - - - you've been my family.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the joy that making music with you has been for me.

God bless you all.