The Chowchilla News Pastor’s Commentary by John Parker for Jan= uary 10, 2007

STEPS TO SUCCESS

The Chowchilla News Pastor’s Commentary by John Parker for February 14, 2007

The rapid drum beats and clear cl= icking cadence of tap-shod marching shoes are the sounds I remember and love about= the University of California Marching Band of my you= th. My two brothers Marty, 10 years ol= der, and David, 6 years older than me, were members of that great band. I was a sixth grader who was proud-= as-punch to get to trot alongside of their band as it marched up to Memorial Stadium= for the PAC-10 football game on those clear, crisp, fall Saturdays.<= /span>

Even then, as a kid, I realized h= ow much more powerful and sophisticated the unity and focus of their college b= and was when considered alongside my brothers’ excellent high school band. No comparison! If I’d had the expression bac= k then I would have shouted at the top of my lungs, “The Cal Band Rocks!R= 21;

At half time I loved watching the= drum major, Marty’s friend, Lloyd Amborn, come blasting through the wedge formati= on of the band as it was announced over the loud speakers! Lloyd was high kicking his legs and leaning so far back I wondered how he kept from falling over.

Marty told me Lloyd went to drum = major school to learn how to do all that! Drum major school? Imagine that! It bog= gled my young mind!

The Cal Band kept-in-step with ea= ch other by positioning two or three extra conductors up on step-ladders at tw= o or three places around the field. They waved their smaller conductor batons in cadence with Drum Major Lloyd’s big brass and white baton. The band members could then get a = visual on the baton beat from every direction they faced as they marched and turned during their half-time shows.

They were a blast to watch. After the game, which the Cal football tea= m almost always lost, Mom would cheerfully declare, “Well, at least the band w= on!” And we’d leave the stad= ium with that true dignity.

I thought of the Cal Band last Su= nday, in church, as we considered the Bible verse, “Since we live by the Spiri= t, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25)

“Let us keep in step”= is plural and speaks to the group more than the individual and has to do with maintaining unity in keeping with the will of the Holy Spirit. The next verse reinforces a group e= thic saying, “Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying = one another.”

“Keep in step,” is on= e word in the original Greek of the Bible. It is a military term meaning “to line up and step forward while keeping in rank.” It calls us “to be in harmony, agreement with, and in concert<= span style=3D'mso-bidi-font-style:italic'> with one another.” =

Jesus proclaimed, “By this = all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) = Again he prayed, “…may they become perfectly one, so that the world m= ay know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” (John 17:22-23)

The Cal Band that marches in my m= emory worked hard, practiced often, and committed deeply to their musical passion= . Today, as I work in and with groups= of people I can still feel the rhythms and inspiration of the band when I see folks working hard, practicing often, and committing deeply to “keep = in step with the Spirit” toward love and cooperation with one another. Whose drumbeat are you marching to= ?

The Reverend John Parker facilita= tes Christ’s abundant living at ChristChurch of Chowchilla located at 260 N. Sixth Street (at Riverside Avenue). Sunday Celebrations are at 10 AM.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Email Pastor John at: johnparker@christchur= chchowchilla.com or phone 209.726.0119