{you're invited}

Three in my family are singing this year - me, Jen and Dad.

You don't want to miss the Deo Cantamus Concert!

Saturday, March 23 at 7pm

at Fourth Baptist Church

Bring the whole family!

Here's a song we sang at a previous concert with the kid's of Let the Children Praise choir:

More videos on
Deo Cantamus website
Deo Cantamus YouTube


See you Saturday!

{Deo Cantamus} In Awesome Wonder Concert

Just wanted to share a little bit of the recent Deo Cantamus concert with you my faithful readers. Below is my playlist from YouTube with the 6 songs I had the privilege to be a part of.

Enjoy!



There are a also more songs on the Deo Cantamus Youtube Channel that the "Let the Children Praise" choir sang at our concert.

Can you guess what my favorite song is? (Hint: If you saw the post on fb, you already know!)

What's your favorite?!

{deo cantamus concert} - Saturday, April 2nd @ 7pm

Two weeks until the concert!

You can find pictures from past events here. You can listen to past events here.

Invite your friends - I'll see you there!

From “Masterworks of Choral Music” to “Great Hymns of the Faith,” the Deo Cantamus chorale and Let the Children Praise honor choir come together to present a program that is worshipful, inspirational and edifying.

The program will focus on the unconditional love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The audience will hear music that glorifies our great God and draw our hearts to the message of the cross, including the world premier of “God Be In My Head” by Joshua Bauder.

The concert begins at 7:00 p.m. and will be held in the auditorium at Fourth Baptist Church in Plymouth, MN. There is no charge for admission, but a free-will offering will be taken.

busy month

Yeah! it's finally November!! (November 2nd, to be exact. Did you vote?!!!) October was such a busy month with an event or two or three every weekend!

Oct 2 - Sunday dinner at new friends from church

Oct 9/10 - Client event for work at Chanhassen Dinner Theater (missed a Deo Cantamus Rehearsal); attended my nephew's last Sunday afternoon soccer game

Oct 15/16 - attended (free) play @ PAC in Burnsville with Lindsay; Deo Cantamus Rehearsal

Oct 22/23/24 - two Deo Cantamus Rehearsals and the Concert; work reception desk at church during SS and help in nursery for pm service

You can listen to 6 songs from our concert here: http://www.youtube.com/user/DeoCantamus. The world premier of Josh Bauder's Psalm 149 was especially well received.

Oct 29/30/31 - entertained my niece overnight - watch movies, clean out my car and did some shopping; celebrated my sister's 37th birthday; attended (free) play @ Theater in the Round with Lindsay, again!

...and that was just the weekends!

Oh, yes, work has been super busy too! It seems like in the fall (right after Labor Day to be precise) everyone decides to do the business that was recommended to them over the past 6+ months. Which means lots of processing or form re-generating because the original paperwork is outdated...

One thing I was looking forward to at work was the tour of our new building! We aren't moving until Fall 2011, but we got to tour the new facilities a few weeks ago. Here's a link to the buildings' website: http://701executivesuites.com/facilities.html and a collage of views from pics I took on the 15th floor:

I've been wanting to make my plans for Thanksgiving, but just wanted to get through October! Now that I've written it out here and review the pics from this month, it doesn't seem like that much, then again, maybe it does.

So, what are your Thanksgiving plans?!

kid's choirs

Wednesday nights I help with Jr Choir. Jen usually leads the group, but she took the past few months off main director because of their big move, etc. Jonathan Shevy stepped in as director and did a great job.

The kids also got to do handchimes this year (led by Christie Gotzman) and I got to help them with that too.

Here's video from the Cherib choir practicing right after our group for this coming Sunday evening's service. Pics are from a little bouncy-ball game time that Jonathan does with music. Clay decided to show off his juggling skills, with permission, of course - see video#2.

dead sea scrolls, singing, and sweet rides

Two weekends ago Anna was here for a long weekend. She drove up in her sweet new ride: Nissan Maxima. It was an especially big deal since she's only been driving department issued vehicles for almost a year.

It was a busy weekend for me since I had 5ish hours of practice for Deo Cantamus and a 2 hour concert to fit in on Friday night and Saturday. I've included a video clip below.

In between my practices, we enjoyed several meals at Jen & Eric's as well as a many rounds of Wii that Anna brought with her. I'm thinking I want to add a Wii to my wish list. We had a lot of fun, and Ethan even got into the action!

I took a half day off work on Monday and after lunch at Brit's, Anna & I visited the exhibit of the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Science Museum of MN. After the exhibit we strolled the area near the museum in downtown St. Paul. Enjoyed hanging out with my lil-cop sis!

you're invited

Come hear me sing with my choir!

Saturday, December 19, 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 20, 6:00 p.m.

Fourth Baptist Church choir, orchestra, handbells and other musicians combine to present a meaningful and unique program of music with a relevant message from God's Word in celebration of Christ's birth.

Please accept my invitation to attend this year's Christmas Musicale.

And for more listening pleasure here is a videow that I forgot to blog about, but is certainly worth watching: Deo Cantamus Clips from Performance on 10/24/2009. Enjoy!

thanKful

"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
I Thessalonians 5:18

Singing with Thankfulness

This morning as I left for work, I was reminded to be thankful. Yes, I know we already had Thanksgiving, but my reminder to be thankful often comes when I get into my car. A friend of mine used to make up songs to sing for her K4/K5 classes and one of them was "Thank you, Lord for my _______" -- you fill in the blank. The song basically repeats several times and ends with "right where you are!" Anyway, this little song comes to mind regularly when I'm driving, so the first thing I usually fill in the blank with, is my car. And now you know :0)

Thank You, Lord for...

• My salvation -- Psalm 103
• My family --

• My church -- http://www.fourthbaptist.org/

"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching." Hebrews 10:25

• My friends far & near -- www.facebook.com/bekahflaming

A friend loves at all times...Proverbs 17:17a

• My job #1 -- TheJob
• My job #2 -- www.partylite.biz/bekahflaming
• My home & neighbors -- Yeah, Virginia Ave N Girls!!
• My extended family & my extended family twice removed -- yes, even my sister's crazy sister-in-laws in Cali--love their running commentary ;o)
• My co-workers and fellow PL team members
• Road trips when your brother-in-law drives all the way (except for 1 hour that your sister drove!)
• Statuses
• Thanksgiving dinners your sister cooks (and you "supervise")!
• Big & little blessings each day
• Water
• Sprint to Sprint
• Presents to give (and to get!)
• Others who are "tankpull"
• Second (& third, fourth, etc. ) chances
• My birthday!
• The letter "K"
• Valentines

This is a great starter as a prayer list! I'm so needing to remember to pray for and thank God for those people and things He has put in my life!

What would you add?

Counting My Blessings Tonight

1. Blender broke this morning, but after noting it on facebook, a friend offered to give me one they're not using.
2. Since I moved in back in May I have had only two comfy chairs but no couch in my living room. My sister and her family are downsizing and offered to loan to me a lovely, leather love seat.
3. A friend volunteered her time and truck to help get the said couch to my apartment from "canada". ("Why do you have a big tchwuck, Whiz?" :-D)
4. Another sister and her dear husband volunteered to help unload the said love seat from the said truck.
5. I had food in my house and was able to make a delicious meal for the friend with the truck and before mentioned sister and brother-in-law, albeit a little late for a weeknight supper...yeah, 8 o'clock....but it was yummy!
6. With the moving of the couch, meal preparations and cleanup, I thought I wouldn't have time tonight to type songs lyrics for an upcoming ladies retreat at which I was deemed song leader. The ladies working on the program need the songs ASAP, but I wasn't sure if I would be able to get them all typed tonight. As I sat down to see how many I could pound out, I remembered to check online for the lyrics! I found almost all of them!! Yay!!
   

Just a few blessings reasons to praise the Lord tonight!

"I will sing unto the Lord because he hath dealt bountifully with me." -- Psalm 13:6

G'night! Sweet dreams!

this & that...time to catch up, continued again

Seems like I'm always trying to catch up on my blogging...

Here are some pics from our church's recent Patriotic Musical presented each year on the weekend prior to the 4th of July. Note our lovely scarves...hmhmmm... They tell me I should be thankful because we don't have to wear the sequins anymore...



Here are some random pics from July:

concert and a surprise

You may remember that I invited you to a recent Deo Cantamus concert. The concert was a success by my standards especially considering I didn't make any noticeable blunders in my German or Latin. Yes, I said "noticeable"...

My sister Jess surprised me after the concert with these beautiful flowers. I didn't even know she was at the concert!

Jess, thanks for coming to support your favorite sis! ;)

I loved the flowers!

Next season's concerts are already on the books for October - GiVe We tHaNkS & March - aGaPE. The kids' choir will be featured in January - mAkE a JoYfUl NoIsE and will include a new addition of a youth choir.

We Sing for God!

you're invited

Deo Cantamus Choral* presents...

From "Masterworks of Choral Music" to "Great Hymns of the Faith," the Deo Cantamus** chorale and Let the Children Praise honor choir come together to present a program that is worshipful, inspirational and edifying.

Admission cost is $6.00 and tickets will be available at the door. The concert will be held in the auditorium of Fourth Baptist Church.

Fourth Baptist Church
Plymouth, MN

March 28, 2009
7:00 p.m.

*I'm singing in the chorale!

**My sister Jen is on the Deo Cantamus board of directors.

deo cantamus concert

You may recall that previously I claimed to "know latin", but let me confirm that once again I have proven not to be a linquist. I was able to demonstrate this skill last night at my third Deo Cantamus concert. Overall the concert was a success, as God was honored through the music we sang and our guest pianist played. It was personnally successful as I only messed up a few times in the Magnificat...hopefully very quietly...I just can't seem to get the latin syllables out in time with the notes! Thankfully we ended the concert with several sacred songs with words that I could pronounce.

Part One-Deo Cantamus Choral
Magnificat.....Giovanni Battista Pergolesi(1710-1736)
I. Magnificat (My Soul Doth Magnify God)
II. Et Misericordia(And His Mercy Is Upon Them)......Kristin Jorgenson, soprano and Jan Beacham, contralto
III. Deposuit Potentes (He Hath Put Down the Mighty)
IV. Suscepit Israel(He Hath Helped Israel)......John Weigel, tenor and Jeff Erickson, baritone
V. Sicut Locutus Est (As It Was Promised)
VI. Sicut Erat In Principio (As It Was in the Beginning)

Part Two-Nathan Burggraff, Pianist
Be Still, My Soul
Eight Fantasias on Two Themes by Sibelius.....Arr. by George Yurick
I. Prologue: Birth
II. Lullaby: Childhood
III. Fantasia: Youth
IV. Aria: Love
V. Waltz: Dance of Life
VI. Ballade: Reflections
VII. Chorale: Death and Transfiguration
VIII. Epilogue

Part Three-Deo Cantamus Choral; Nathan Burggraff, Pianist; Joanna Yi, Violinist
Jesus Paid It All.....Arr. by Robert Sterling
A Mighty Fortress.....Arr. by Nathan Burggraff
Be Thou My Vision.....Arr. by Dan Forrest
The Thrill of Knowing Jesus.....Arr. by Joanna Yi
Great Is Thy Faithfulness.....William M. Runyan
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.....Arr. by Mack Wilberg

Deo Cantamus Theme Song
Do Not I Love Thee, O My Lord?.....Craig Curry

Enjoy the pics from our warm-up and a couple from the actual concert:

love never fails

This weekend I had the privilege of attending and participating in a beautiful restoration ceremony for my friends, Danna & Paul in Atlanta, Georgia.

I landed in Atlanta during rush hour on Friday evening. Paul picked me up from the airport and I realized quickly we were going to have an adventurous ride (especially as I became close friends with several bumpers...apparently Paul is known for his tickets in the mail :) I did arrive safe and sound at Danna's house and entered into the ever-delightful Henkelman Zoo.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner and caught up on the happenings of each other midst the din of four energetic children, two (maybe three) curious cats, and six chatty adults (Danna's parents and sister, Kelley, were also there).

Next on the agenda was getting everyone over to the chapel where the ceremony was to be held for a little set up/rehearsal. The kids loved practicing and using the mic to recite their verse (or in Karis's (age 4) case, "wadies and gintilminnnn!"). Kelli (age 7 almost 8) had memorized verses in I Cor 13 and Ryan (age 2) assisted at the very end. They practiced this many times and always at the end Ryan would say his part and then leap from the stage. So cute, and so many times. We had no doubt he would jump off the stage on Saturday too!

After the rehearsal it was off to Target for a few candles for decoration and then home to assist with the bedtime rituals. Danna, Kelley, Paul and I enjoyed more catching up after everyone else was in bed.

Saturday morning started off later than I thought it would, and that was a good thing! :) We spent the morning getting the house and ourselves ready and then we headed out the door for the ceremony...on time, which surprised us all!

The ceremony began with a welcome from Paul & Danna's counselor and then a word from Paul. After Paul spoke, I sang Grace by Carolyn Hamlin. Kelli & Ryan then recited a scripture passage and Ryan did NOT jump off the stage! He said his part very well: "Wuv nebur fails!" and then calmly walked off the stage.

We then heard a message from Paul & Danna's Sunday School teacher and that was followed by a powerful video presentation of Third Day's "Love Song". Danna and Paul exchanged vows and then Kelley sang an emotional "Come to Jesus". Then those in attendance were asked to participate by promising to love, encourage, and pray for the family.

After the ceremony a small reception was hosted at Paul & Danna's where the members of their Sunday School class provided food. Also a couple who Danna & Paul had never met until that day but had been praying for them during the past several months, drove from Tennessee, I think, to attend the ceremony and bring punch to serve. They also took a few pics of Selah as he is a photographer.

Another friend from childhood, Dana, was able to join in the festivities. She arrived from Tennessee as well just in time to jump in the van and head to the church with us. We had a great time playing/hanging out with Danna's kids. The day ended with us (Danna, Kelley, Paul, Dana & I) entertaining each other with stories of the good ol' days and then later some very funny YouTube videos: Brian Regan, Tim Hawkins, Terry Fator, etc.

Sunday morning we went to Danna & Paul's church and heard a great sermon on Psalm 119. From the comments made after church everyone came away with something special from the service.

I was very glad to be a part of this special time for my dear friend Danna. Love you guys!



I Cor 13:4-8a

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

i know latin...

...well, I sang Latin, anyway.

I'm part of a group called Deo Cantamus. We've had two concerts since I joined the group last fall. Our first concert was a collection of sacred songs--not all that well known to me, but gave me a good challenge, something to work on.

Let me tell you, singing Latin was a lot easier than I thought it would be. We had three 3 1/2 hour practices and one 2 hour practice, and wah-la, a concert. Pretty amazing, if you ask me. After the first two practices, I was very skeptical of my foreign language abilities, especially while singing. But after the 2nd to last practice, it seemed to gel. I felt a lot better about getting up in front of 100+ strangers and singing like a "professional". :)

This is the rehearsal recording we used for practicing on our own; it's not actually us singing. I'm not sure if I'll be able to figure out how to post that: