October 4, 2024
Welcoming Sum Yet Lee
This past spring, our church began a process of searching for a new Director of Music at First Covenant Church. A Search Committee was formed including James Haagenson as chair, Tom LaPaze, Elsie Nelson Brown, Barbara Rhoe, Pastor Lauren, and myself as an ex officio member. We had a good deal of interest to our job posting, resulting in a number of fine candidates for us to consider. In the end I believe the committee chose the person who was best for us both musically and spiritually, and would mesh with not only our worship life but our broader congregational life.
We are glad to welcome Sum Yee Lee. Sum Yee, beyond her B.M. in Biology from the University of Washington, has music degrees from Western Washington University and most recently Bowling Green University. (Curiously, that was where the Eastern version of UNITE was held this summer.) This last Master's degree was in Music Composition. Sum Yee has served as both an Accompanist and Church Music Director. She describes her role in both as facilitating the congregation’s experience of God’s presence in worship through music. For Sum Yee, being a Church Music Director is a passion, believing that music plays a crucial role in worship and one’s experience of God. Sum Yee is eager to do that here at our church, using music to welcome people into worship and into God’s presence. She looks forward to working with musicians of all types in our congregation, helping people use their gifts and talents to glorify God and to enliven our worship. When not serving our congregation, Sum Yee will most likely be found outdoors, especially hiking and snowboarding.
Sum Yee has begun her work at our church this week. Her first weeks will be spent getting to know the church and its staff, as well as our music library. Pastor Lauren and I will soon meet with her to being planning November through January’s worship services and its music. Paul Hoffman will conclude his residence with us on Sunday, October 13. We are grateful for Paul's gifts of music and his presence with us these past few months.
Sum Yee will be away on October 20 to hear one of her pieces performed by a vocal ensemble at the University of Minnesota, Duluth; and again on October 27 to hear her chamber orchestra piece performed by the Pacific Chamber Orchestra in Livermore, California. Her first Sunday leading music in worship for us will be All Saints Sunday, November 3.
Sum Yee looks forward to getting to know more of our church family in the coming weeks and months. Might we all offer her an enthusiastic welcome. And let us also offer a robust “thank you” to our Search Committee for a job well done.
With news like this, as the hymn asks, “How Can I Keep From Singing?” May it be so for all of us.
With thanks and a song in my heart,
~ Pastor Todd