Dear Friends

At Choir this season, we (Bristol Choral Society) are rehearsing ‘Elijah’.** This is a work which is full of dramatic and passionate music, much of which is very loud and fast! The ‘contest’ between Elijah and the Prophets of Baal provided Mendelssohn with ample scope to write huge choruses as the desperate, drought-stricken people beg Baal to send down fire to accept their offering and to demonstrate who is the Lord God.

In contrast Elijah simply sends a quiet, reflective prayer to God, and ‘the fire descends from heaven’.

Having dealt with the next section, where God sends rain to relieve the long drought, Mendelssohn’s music then has a highly dramatic chorus called ‘Behold, God the Lord passed by!’ where we have music written to represent mighty winds, earthquakes, mountains split in two, raging seas and great fires. God, however, was found in a still, small voice, not in any of the preceding great forces, and ‘his glory filleth all the earth’.

It is all too easy in our busy, noisy, daily lives to shut God out. We need to give ourselves quiet time and space in which we both pray to God and open our hearts and minds to listen to what he has to say to us. God has a vision for our lives and helps us to get there. We need to be patient and actively seek God's guidance.

I came across this quote from an unknown source:

In Jesus’ society there is a new way to live:

You show wisdom by trusting people,

You handle leadership by serving,

You handle offenders by forgiving,

You handle money by sharing,

You handle enemies by loving,

And you handle violence by suffering.

Yours in Christ

Elaine

** ‘Elijah’ : performed by Bristol Choral Society and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at the Colston Hall 7pm Saturday 21^st November 2009.