Music has been a part of my life ever since, at age seven, I started singing at Webster Groves Presbyterian Church.
When I was an Air Force cadet training during World War II, I was a frequent soloist in the chapel services that were conducted there. The chaplain I sang under was in charge of chaplain programs for the entire Southeast training command. During my training I experienced stomach cramps that were diagnosed to be double hernia. I spent several months under hospital care, including four weeks of hospitalization prior to surgery. Because of that I worried that I would be washed out of cadet training. I asked the chaplain if he could help me if I was no longer allowed to finish. He wrote some numbers on a card and handed it to me saying, "This is my personal telephone number. Call me anytime day or night if you need help. If you wash out, I'll make you a chaplain's assistant." Fortunately, I never needed t make that phone call.
When I left the service in 1945, I continued singing. I was a baritone soloist and choir member until 1988, when problems with my hearing aids caused me to lose the ability to sing a solo on key. From then until 1990 I was a choir member, but not a soloist. Then a combination of hearing and health problems caused me to drop out of choir all together Now at age 86, I am a choir member in spirit, and think of myself as a choir person emeritus because of all the blessed associations I have with my friends there.A church without music is a church without a key Christian stimulus. Hymns, choir and organ music direct us to Christ. When we sing in choir we are singing to our savior, Jesus Christ. Praise be to the Lord for the inspiration given to us through music.
Hap M. "choir person emeritus"
written for the St. Mark Presbyterian 2006 Lenten book Twenty Days to Easter
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