Brenda L. Greenwald's Page
Profile Information
- What is the name of your congregation / organization?
- Bethany Lutheran Church
- What is your role in your congregation / organization?
- Member and musician, lector and learner
- What is most challenging about engaging in Scripture?
- Most challenging? Not understanding the whole picture. I read one part of the text, and that sets me off on a journey to find other connections!
- Share a Bible passage that is especially meaningful to you.
- Comfort - Romans 12:12: Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Perseverance - Psalm 31:24: Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord.
Grace and Faith - Ephesians 2:8: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.
Strength - Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
JUST when I'm beginning to think I'm all that, I am reminded that I could not have accomplished ANYTHING without the strength, inspiration, and encouragement from God. Some great verses to help keep me humble!
Latest Activity
"Dear God, Bless these hands and the work they do for Jesus. Amen."
On Sunday @ BLC we were given the blessing of the hands. After parishioners received the bread and the wine, they had the opportunity to have their hands anointed and the following prayer said, "Dear God, Bless these hands and the work they do for J…
Brenda L. Greenwald's Photos
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Gracious Father, we pray for your holy catholic church. Fill it with all truth and peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss, reform it; where it is right, strength...en it; where it is in need, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
As our Disciple I Bible Study draws to a close, I’ve been pondering what it really means to be a disciple in the world around me.
Acting as a steward of God's gift of music takes on many forms for me. One of the most powerful ways to realize this is as a Cantor. The amazing synergy of liturgically connecting with YOU, the congregation, is both an honor and a privilege!
The text of a song is another area in which I hope to see myself as a disciple. When asked to sing during worship, I try to match the text of the readings/gospel to a familiar hymn. If there isn't a passage that jumps out at me, well, I'll write it! I've scripted many of the hymns you've heard me sing over the last year, changing the words to fully realize the message. I really do “love to tell the story!”
This kind of musical personalization lets me verbally express my faith, and gives me a great conversation piece when I return to work on Monday. Accepting Pastor Ruth Ann's challenge to try a "Faith Talk" with friends, I launched this idea with my daily ‘lunch bunch’. (I figured fully disclosing what I was up to was much easier than cleverly inserting a random faith-based question into our conversations!) These chats have offered me some fascinating insight on how others worship, what faith looks/sounds like to my colleagues, and have allowed me to articulate my own beliefs. God really did meet me in my quest with love and grace!
Within the realm of these respectful exchanges, we've had some real heart-to-heart talks about the Sacraments (what they mean, who can partake) and what constitutes worship (everything from content to choir robes). These Faith Talks have already transformed my relationship with these people!
The children I teach range in age from 5 to 12, and one never knows what might pour out of their hearts (or mouths!). Case in point:
Me: Great necklace, Joe! (a fancy cross)
Joe: Thanks! It's a Jesus necklace.
Me: Pretty cool.
Joe: Wait...you know Jesus, too!? That's awesome, Ms. G!
I do know Jesus! I also know that I'm only 30 years into this life-long journey of walking as a disciple, and the more we share that walk with each other, the stronger our faith will be!
Ready to join you on the journey,
Brenda Greenwald
More of Martin Luther's thoughts on MUSIC: http://bit.ly/Clodhop
Set to the tune of "Lift Every Voice and Sing"
Click here to read the story behind the story and hear the recording!
Lift every voice and sing,
Jesus be following.
Giving my all to sustain the Holy Word,
Voice of authority,
"Take up your cross for me"
Waken my ear to hear the Sovereign Lord.
Lift every voice and sing,
Only our faith we bring,
For to be saved we must agree to lose our life,
We must ourselves deny,
For us, He suffered and died,
We are disciples who reveal the Christ.
Lift my voice,
Let me declare that my faith is unshaken.
Lift my voice,
Trusting by faith that I'm never forsaken.
"Take up your cross for me"
Our sacrifice for thee,
Only through Christ will we find liberty!
Set to the tune of "In Remembrance"
As the children prepare to learn of God,
As they gather in circles to hear,
As their journey begins, Pray for the time
When God's own will be done.
Let the Spirit be part of fellowship,
Let the leaders inspire as they guide,
Let the stories of old nourish their souls,
And form deep their faith inside, their faith inside.
Come, learn what the Bible tells,
Hear, as the Word comes alive.
That this is message from God above, sent for you, sent for you.
Bless the students of faith, young and old.
Pray the worship will strengthen their soul,
That the wonder of God fills them with joy,
And lets their light shine to God,
For this we pray.
Bless them on their journey of faith!
http://bit.ly/LiftVoice - Tomorrow's New Text!
http://bit.ly/HelmetofSalv - The Writing Process
rtg
Here is the sign that Pastor Ron posted for this week at Bethany Lutheran Church, Cherry Hills Village, CO.
"God bless these hands and the work they do for Jesus."After Communion on Sunday, we were invited to have our hands anointed and blessed.
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