Ken

I don't think I have ever done two posts in one day before so I guess this is a first. I was planning to do this one before the incident this noon related in my earlier blog today, so while the story of this post is fresh in my mind I'll do it anyway.

Ken Rodgers has become my friend in the last three years or so. At that time he directed our church choir for our annual Christmas program and morning worship service. Ken was quite informal and just made the rehearsals a lot of fun. The choir always ended up doing a very good job of singing the songs.

In the ensuing years since then I have been fortunate enough to develop this friendship a bit more. Ken attends our church now whenever his schedule will allow. He has been on the Hesston College faculty since 1988 teaching piano, organ and courses in music history and the humanities, and he conducts the College Chorale. He has also been overseas a number of times accompanying Tony Brown as they did programs with the general theme of "peace." I have one of Tony's CD's and count him as a friend as well.

I'm doing this post because of an organ concert Ken did in our church sanctuary last evening (Sunday). Now I have not attended many organ concerts, but for me this concert was exceptional. The works Ken did last evening were on the theme, "Music of Healing and Hope," not an easy theme to plan an organ concert around. It was done as a part of our Centennial Celebration Series for our church, which we are celebrating this year.

Several of the works done are actually in our hymn book, "Hymnal, A Worship Book." Some were songs I had no idea were in the hymnal, such as "At evening, when the sun had set," and "Silence! Frenzied, unclean spirit." A number of other works were done which were all done exceptionally well.

I truly like to watch, and listen, as Ken plays our new pipe organ. One can tell by his playing that he likes what he is doing and that he "gets into" the music in a way that makes him a joy to watch. I know that he spent much time in researching some of these pieces, and that certainly added to his presentation.

I wish Ken the best and God's richest blessings as he continues to inspire many along the way with the gifts God has given him and which he has developed richly.

Pilgrim on the way