Singing Melody to the Lord
Bob VerBurg
Music and singing are essential parts of worship - so essential that God requires them in our worship service. During our recent series on Chronicles, as David was making plans for the new temple, we read the names of hundreds of musicians that were to lead the worship music (I Chronicles 25). I also note the musicians were divided into worship teams; like the members of Hillside’s musicians who bring God’s blessing every Sunday.
Music awakens the mind and readies our brain to receive the message of the spoken word. As humans, our brains become fully engaged in music and singing. You don’t have to be a musician to listen for and find joy in harmony, melody, and musical beat.
Our new worship leader is Morné Marais. He and his family come to us from South Africa. His wife is Louise and their daughters are Emma and Alanah. Growing up, Morné expected to go into engineering and eventually take over his father’s tool and die business. But he always felt drawn to Christian ministry. So his studies eventually gave way to music and graphic design and a prayer that God would lead him into a more fulfilling ministry.
In 2001, Morné and Louise were married. Louise shared Morné’s passion for Christian service in ministry.
So how did they end up in West Michigan? Morné and Louise met a couple from Sparta in 2014 who were in South Africa on mission work. This couple told the Marais’ about West Michigan and Morné visited their American friends in 2019. The beauty of West Michigan made an impression on him. The changing of the seasons was an appeal. (Personally, when I think of South Africa, I think of…well…Africa. In other words, warm and pleasant all the time; sort of like a Michigander retiring to Arizona. And along the southern coast, South Africa does fall right into that pleasant 60s to 80s degrees range all year.)
In January, 2021, Morné’s friends told him about an opening for a worship leader at Hillside. That appealed to Morné and Louise, but, think of having to move from the southern/eastern hemisphere to the northern/western hemisphere. And of course, Covid-19 was disrupting the whole world, not just the U.S.
But God had planted that seed and when God plants a seed, it germinates despite our unsureness. Ten months later, in October 2021, the subject came up again so Morné and Louise thought what’s the harm in looking into it?
So after a visit to West Michigan and meeting with Hillside staff and a lot of prayer, the Marais’ decided to apply for the job and leave the problems of immigrating to the U.S. to God. And in record time (for U.S. immigration) Morné, Louise, Emma, and Alanah found themselves selling everything they owned, except for the basics, and moving to West Michigan. Their move has been a test of their faith and God’s faithfulness. Morné is in the U.S. on a religious work visa and Louise isn’t allowed to work in the U.S. Instead, Louise still is employed in South Africa, but works from Byron Center! The wonder of modern technology, huh?
So what are two cultural challenges that stand out? First is the metric system or lack of the metric system. I told Morné it’s not for lack of trying. I remember when President Carter made a real go of getting Americans to switch over to the rest of the world. But I recall the American sentiment was, if we’re going to be like the rest of the world, then the rest of the world should be like America and warm up to the American Imperial System.
And the second cultural shock: snow! Personally, I am choosing to believe God buried us in snow before Thanksgiving simply as a generous gift to Emma and Alanah so they could know the joy of having a snow day. And if they think the Michigan winter is beautiful, then just wait until spring comes around. That silence they hear in the morning at the bus stop will give way to the air being filled with songbirds and the sound of new life awakening from a long nap and filling in the wonder of the Michigan change in seasons and God’s blessing of His faithfulness.
“..addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
- Ephesians 5:19-21
We offer this story as a salute to all the men and women at Hillside who have served and are serving in the United States Military.