The Four Major Groups Children’s Choir held a Thanksgiving Concert in December. For this, every Thursday night around 10:00 p.m., parents from the Meizhu and Shili Choirs who were free at that time would come online to pray for the concert and fellowship about various preparation matters. Since it was a Thanksgiving Concert, everyone thought that hymns should be exhibited, and each family should share about the grace they received this year. Therefore, the Meizhu and Shili Choirs mobilized all their members to exhibit one hymn each, accompanied by the saints in the choir, young and old, playing their good at instruments. In addition to these two group programs, the overall coordinator consulted with the children and teenagers in the choir to exhibit their instruments on stage, and also invited sisters from the Seven Major Groups to help with the program. The sisters from the Seven Major Groups offered their gifts, encouraged and urged the children, and also guided the performances. In the process of inviting gospel children to perform, a gospel parent expressed that he fully agreed with having the children learn to be thankful at the end of the year, and at the same time have the opportunity to perform on stage. He even offered to help with the preparation work. These words greatly strengthened our confidence in holding this gospel concert.
We are very grateful for the Lord’s arrangement and leading, as well as the support from the brothers and sisters of the various choirs and major groups. The concert was held on Saturday afternoon at the Jiaotong University Student Center. There were 7 solo items and 4 ensemble items. Among the 22 performers, 17 were gospel children. A total of 5 instruments were used (including wind instruments, string instruments, and percussion instruments). The repertoire included pieces from beginner to advanced levels, which were both varied and not too long. The total length of the program was controlled to around 60-75 minutes to prevent the audience, young and old, from losing patience and leaving early. After the meeting, refreshments were prepared, and each choir performer was also given a lunch box, hoping to give the children a happy memory and also to enhance the opportunity for comminicate between the participants.
The overall coordination of the concert was the responsibility of a sister who is an elementary school music teacher. She listed the various work items and asked the Body to freely claim them. Two student brothers from Yangming Jiaotong University and one student brother from Zhudong High School were also invited to coordinate. In addition to hosting, the brother from Zhudong High School also assisted with the piano accompaniment for the Meizhu Choir’s hymn exhibition.
The meeting combined the introduction of the children’s choir, the explanation of the music, and the gospel testimony message, interspersed with several rounds of prize-winning quizzes, to interact with the children present. During the introduction of the children’s choir, a hosting brother was also invited to share his testimony of receiving grace when he participated in the children’s choir when he was young; and another hosting brother also shared his testimony of thanksgiving this year. It was about how a few months ago he had originally planned to go to Israel as an exchange student at a university, but encountered a war. He shared how, under the supply of the Body of Christ, he went to many places he had not originally planned to go, received warm hospitality, and witnessed the richness of the Body of Christ and God’s keeping.
In addition, the refreshments and venue decoration on the day of the meeting were all due to the offering of the brothers and sisters, showing the beauty of the Body’s coordination, as well as the families of saints, young and old, coming together as an audience. The singing and testimonies of the two choirs were also touching. Each family very sincerely shared the points of special grace they received this year with the nearly 30 gospel friends present.
In the feedback after the meeting, a parent said that the hosts were very composed and the time was well controlled. If there was another time, the other child in the family would also participate. He also asked if we had any other activities. Several audience members said that the concert was very good and they enjoyed it very much; several gospel parents and children said that they were very happy to come to this concert performance, and they were very happy! A sister shared that some audience members felt that our thanksgiving was very special.
This concert allowed us to once again experience the Lord’s leading and the richness of His grace. Although the overall coordinator was only a temporary substitute teacher, and at the same time had to adapt to the many responsibilities of her new job, was busy moving, and Guide club competitions, etc., she still earnestly and all out offered herself for the gospel, carefully and thoughtfully planned this concert, invited students, made program sheets, ordered meals, wrote manuscripts, and made PPTs, so that the program flowed smoothly and the gospel content was integrated into the concert. The sweet coordination of the two choirs, praying and preparing together, was also very enjoyable. Although the children of several families were older, they still spent money, effort, and time to support this gospel month’s activity. Their example of loving the Lord deeply touched us. The college students and teenagers came to our aid; the saints of all ages in the Four Major Groups coordinated and supported each other; the parents and children of the Seven Major Groups came to support; the professional guidance of the music teacher sisters enriched the content of the concert. The saints who were in full-time service offered their spirits for the service, and the faith of the same soul and the gospel worked together; coupled with the fact that the Lord continually added faith to us through prayer during the process; this allowed us to enjoy this feeling of spreading the gospel. May the faithful Lord remember the offering of each brother and sister, and keep the gospel friends who participated in this concert until each one is gained by the Lord!(Translated from Google Gemini)
四大组儿童排在12月举行感恩音乐会，为此每周四晚上10点左右，梅竹排和十里排在时间上释放的家长，会一起上线为音乐会祷告，再交通各项筹备事务。既然是感恩音乐会，大家认为应该展览诗歌，再让各家发表对今年的蒙恩。因此，梅竹排和十里排全员出动，各展览一首诗歌，伴随着排内大小神人演奏自己擅长的乐器。除了这两个团体性的节目，总策画的姊妹征询排内的儿童们和青少年上台展览他们会的乐器，亦邀请七大组的姊妹们协助出节目。七大组的姊妹们摆出她们的恩赐，鼓励督促孩子也指导演出。在邀请福音小朋友来演出的过程中，有位福音家长表示，十分认同让孩子们在岁末学习感恩，同时又可有上台表演的机会，甚至提出愿意来帮忙准备工作，这些话语大大增强我们举办此福音音乐会的信心。
非常感谢主的安排带领，以及各排各大组弟兄姊妹各方的支持，音乐会订在周六下午于交大学生中心举办。有7个独奏项目，加上4个合奏项目，22位表演者中，有17位福音小朋友，合计使用了5种乐器（含管乐器、弦乐器和敲击乐器），曲目含括初学到进阶等级，既多样又不冗长。节目总长控制在60~75分钟左右，避免大小观众失去耐性而提早离开。会后准备点心，各排的表演者也发给餐盒一份，希望给小朋友一个开心的回忆，也藉此增进与会者彼此的交流机会。
音乐会的总策画由身为小学音乐老师的姊妹负责，列出各工作项目，交由身体配搭自由认领。也邀请阳明交大两位学生弟兄，以及竹中的一位学生弟兄一起配搭，竹中的弟兄除了主持，更协助司琴，为梅竹排的诗歌展览伴奏。
聚会结合儿童排的介绍、乐曲的解说，与福音见证信息，穿插几次有奖征答，与现场的小朋友互动。其中在介绍儿童排时，亦请一位主持弟兄分享小时候参加儿童排的蒙恩见证；而另一位主持弟兄也分享今年的感恩见证，是关于几个月前原本预定去以色列的大学作交换生，却遇到战争，他如何在基督身体的供应之下，去了许多原本不打算去的地方，受到温暖的接待，见证基督身体的丰富与神的保守。
另外，聚会当天点心、和场地布置，都因着弟兄姊妹的摆上，看见身体配搭的荣美，以及全家老少一起来当观众的神人家庭。两个排歌唱与见证也令人感动，各家很真诚地将今年特别蒙恩的点，与在场近30多位的福音朋友们分享。
在会后的回响中，有家长说，主持群的台风很好，时间也控制得很好，若有下次，家里另一位小朋友也要参加。还问我们有没有别的活动。几位观众表示，音乐会很不错，让他们很享受；几位福音家长和小朋友表示，很高兴能来这场音乐会表演，他们很开心！一位姊妹分享，有观众觉得我们的感恩很特别。
这次的音乐会，使我们再次经历主的带领与恩典的丰富；总策画的姊妹虽只是短暂的代理老师，同时要适应新工作的许多责任，忙搬家，又指导社团比赛等各项事宜，仍迫切、全力为福音摆上，细心用心规划这场音乐会、邀约学生、制作节目单、订餐、撰写文稿并制作PPT，让节目衔接流畅，也把福音内容揉合到音乐会中。两个排甜美的配搭，一起祷告共同预备，也非常享受。有几个家虽然孩子大了，仍费财、费力、费时地扶持这个福音月的活动，爱主的榜样深深摸着我们。大专生与青少年的拔刀相助；四大组各年龄圣徒的配搭扶持；七大组家长儿童来扶持；音乐老师姊妹们专业指导，让音乐会内容更丰富。在职圣徒们为服事摆上的灵，同魂与福音的信仰一起努力；加上过程中主借着祷告不断加给我们信心；使我们很享受这种传福音的感觉。愿信实的主记念每位弟兄姊妹的摆上，保守参与这音乐会的福音朋友，直到个个被主得着！
（四大组联合儿童排）
