This weekend I had the privilege of attending a reunion for my youth choir, “Priority”. It was a celebration of the choir & its director & youth leaders, since its inception 20 years ago. 20 years of former & current members were represented as we all met for lunch & practice Saturday, May 23rd. I was in choir (as far as my memory serves me) from ’92-’97 when I was booted out because that was the year I married Ricky (& you were not allowed to be married & tour around the west coast with a youth choir)!
So I have about 6 years of singing & touring with Priority, that kind of blur into one sweet memory. Thanks to Michele (Smith) Swee who invited me to join in, and to Ron Cochran who directed this bunch of kids (about 50-100 per year), I was exposed to what fruitful ministry & doing what God created you to do…was all about. At first it was just for fun. But then I unexpectedly started learning stuff! Like…
What Alto vs. Soprano vs. Tenor was & how they sounded so great together. How music & lyrics can change your mood, even your week. How important discipline & practice & structure is. How friends 
you continually meet with year-round & then live with for 10 days in June can dramatically impact your sense of belonging. All the tour stories had me in joyful tears this weekend! …And how God can use you (more than you think) to make a difference for his name’s sake, if you lean into & develop the gifts he’s given you.
Ron was (& is) a really, really great teacher of music. I have so much respect for this man. I think when he let me try out for Amy Grant’s “Where Do I Go?” in ’92, it was my first real solo opportunity. To this day (& even Sunday morning when I sang it again) I get a case of the butterflies until I’m about a quarter though a song. But I haven’t put down the mic since.
If either Angel or Braylon have the desire to sing, I have no doubt I’ll be leading them in the same direction I went: to get involved in a choir ministry like Portland Christian Center’s Priority ~ with opportunity to grow in friendships & in the Lord, share silly stories, have fun & work hard, all for the glory & kingdom of a Great & Worthy God!
Chelan 