Singing His Praises
What a bittersweet week we have had celebrating PJ’s retirement and her time here at Pine Valley United Methodist Church as our Music Director for Children and Youth! This next year both of PJ’s young adult children, Logan and Haley, will be living away from Wilmington. At this time in her life, she will have the freedom to visit them on the weekends and spend more Sundays with her husband, Bill.
PJ and Bill visited PVUMC in 1995, and PJ began singing in the adult choir. She used her theater background as she helped produce the adult musical, “Two From Galilee.” Having been a special-education teacher, PJ had a heart for children, so she began volunteering with the children’s choirs. Psalm 95:1, “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.” She volunteered for eight years while teaching middle school and being a mom to Logan and Haley. She was blessed to direct her children from Wee Cherubs all the way through their senior years in high school.
In 2006 PJ had fifteen 5th graders graduating from the choir but wanting to continue. She felt God calling her to start a youth choir. She wanted the kids to worship, to learn to lead worship, and to reach others for Christ through their talents. Psalm 105:2, “Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.” She also wanted kids to get used to being on stage and help build their confidence. PJ was hired in 2006, and our youth worship arts group became IGNITE (In God, Nothing is Too Extreme)! Hoping to get 15 faithful youth to join, time was spent praying, picking music, and learning more about youth choirs. That first night she was nervous, but instead of 15 youth, God sent her 51! A few years later, PJ started GLOW (God Lights Our World), a unique black light hand mime group that has performed for thousands of people in different venues. Psalm 98:1, “Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.” The programs have continued to grow to over 80 children in the three choirs and 100 middle and high school students in IGNITE.
Having read that choir tours are an essential factor for a successful youth choir, PJ decided to try to reach people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Over the past 13 years, she has taken the youth and adult chaperones on an annual Music in Missions trip to various cities. They have done volunteer work and presented concerts at soup kitchens, food banks, nursing homes, children’s homes, homeless shelters, and prisons all up and down the east coast. Three of the most memorable concerts for PJ were presenting the musical Godspell to a home for troubled youth in Atlanta, singing on a street corner in Harlem, and receiving a standing ovation from a gymnasium full of prisoners in Virginia. I was blessed to be there and watch God use our youth for His glory! Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
On Tuesday night, the youth and parents had a drive-by parade to show their appreciation to PJ. Vehicles came by holding posters and presenting PJ with cards, posters, flowers, baked goods, balloons, and lots of love. Wednesday morning PJ was the mystery guest on the Pastors Coffee Hour getting to see videos of days gone by! She shared her favorite times, including directing 350 kids during Vacation Bible School and their impromptu concert in Harlem. Psalm 71:23, “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you—I whom you have delivered.” This year's fundraiser raised $7000 to help pay for their trip to Orlando. Due to the pandemic, they were not able to go to Orlando, but they blessed those places they had planned to visit with donations.
PJ says, “I have grown as a musician and a Christian in my years directing thousands of children and youth, and have developed some wonderful relationships that have blessed and enriched my life…It has been an amazing journey, and I am forever grateful to this staff and congregation for embracing and supporting my ministries.” We appreciate PJ’s contribution to PVUMC! All that she has done in her ministry has connected hearts to Christ and one another. Thanks, PJ, for all the hearts and lives that have been touched by your music ministry! Blessings to you, PJ, and “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6. May we all continue singing His praises!