Founded in 1912, the St. Olaf Choir has a 75 voice choir that is a standard in choral excellence. A few reasons for their success starts in their selection process. Each member is not just chosen on how they sound alone, but also on how they sound within the group. They are also asked to commit to a very rigorous rehearsal schedule that must be their number one priority.
But what intrigues me the most is what happens during their rehearsals. Whenever a member of the chorus makes a mistake, they raise their hand. In stead of trying to hide their blunder, they call attention to it. This allows the conductor to help each singer learn the difficult part.
I think this is the very kind of community that Jesus was establishing in John 3:17, when he told Nicodemus that God sent His only Son into the world to save it, not to condemn it.
Remember when Jesus encountered the Samaritan woman at the public well in John 4. He made it easy for her to admit failure by promising her a better way of life where she could enjoy forgiveness.
As a member of Christ’s body on earth, we should not fear admitting our wrongs but rather welcome it as an opportunity to together, experience and rejoice in the forgiveness of God.
Remember, we can’t put our sins behind us until we are ready to face them.
For more on the St. Olaf Choir go to http://wp.stolaf.edu/stolaf-choir/
Sharing His Spirit…tRP
the Rear Pew 