MUSIC MINISTRY

"Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." Eph. 5:19

For the twenty years the Lord has established the assembly of His people in the Chapel of Redemption. His grace has been evidently manifesting especially in the Music Ministry of the Chapel. The music ministry has been growing steadily and developing, serving to stimulate the congregation to render quality worship to the Lord. What has been happening could be seen as a reflection.

THE MOTHER

In the Chapel of Redemption, the main singing groups at inception were known as Chapel Choir and Chapel Band, where God had raised many elderly singers to be a part of the Chapel Choir, the Chapel Band consisted of the younger ones. The chorus of the first special number sung at the first service on 7th September 1997 affirmed: "It really is amazing what Christ the Lord can do. In storm or sun, He'll guide you safe through. Just listen to His voice, He'll make your soul rejoice- 'Tis amazing what the Savior can do"

At the beginning (1997), it was only the Chapel Choir and the Chapel Band (now Altar Door Choir) that led the congregation in worship and ministered through special renditions. Twenty years later, by the grace of God, many more groups have emerged, giving opportunities to people of varied ages and interests who are gifted to express and utilize their gifts in the service of the Master. Hence, in addition to the Chapel Choir (nicknamed 'the mother of all choirs'), and the Altar Door Choir, there exists the Redemption Quartet, Sunbeam Choir, Children Choir, and the Gospellers as well as other members of the Chapel who minister through music from time to time for the edification of worshippers and to glorify God.

PRAISE HIM WITH STRINGS AND PIPE

As part of the chapel’s growth in stimulating quality congregational worship, the Chapel, through the grace of God, acquired a Magnus Virtual Organ which has greatly added value to hymns singing. In order to further enrich the music ministry, music lessons have been introduced to teach interested members of the congregation, especially the youths, the use of various musical instruments such as guitar, violin, keyboard, drums etc. Members of the Altar Door Choir have also received grace not only to adapt songs written by others but to write and compose their own songs for the edification of Chapel members and the Christian body as a whole. To mark the 10th Anniversary of the Chapel, the Chapel Choir recorded a collection of hymns produced on CD in 2007.

YET WILL I PRAISE HIM

Still in pursuit of the desire to stimulate quality worship through hymns, a new hymn book, Sacred Songs and Solos(SS&S) has just been introduced for congregational worship. The new hymn book is to complement the existing Redemption Hymnal. Whereas the Redemption Hymnal contains 800 hymns, the SS&S contains 1200 inspiring songs and hymns.

Already, to the glory of God, there have been testimonies of the miraculous touch and blessings of God on worshippers through the Music Ministry of the Chapel in many of our gatherings. The ultimate desire and prayer of the congregation is that this will be a common and permanent experience in the days of old.