Encouraging saints around the world since 1991 !!

Dear Ralph,  Thank you for the files you sent 11/22. I waited to write so I could tell you about the final result. The children loved singing "He Shall Be Called". We have a gifted pianist whose sight reading is so good I thought she had practiced for hours the first time she played it for us. In order to help the children learn the song, I wrote out each phrase ("Wonderful Counselor", "Almighty God", etc.) in a different color on a large piece of paper. Then I laid the papers in front of them on the floor and pointed to them as we sang. After the first week, they could tell me the order of the signs. We also did an art project in which I typed smaller signs (about 3"x5") in the same colors as the large signs and each in a different font. Each child glued a set of the signs in order on a ribbon and put a pipe cleaner loop on top for a hanger. They decorated the signs and ribbons with stickers. If you send me your address, I will be happy to send you one via "snail mail". For the program, the teenage helpers made poster board signs for the children to hold up at the appropriate times during the song. (The purpose for different colors and fonts was for the children to picture them better in their minds, associating the colors and fonts with the words. I am a teacher of young children and always thinking of these things...we also had limited time in which to learn the song.)

My goal for our Christmas program was to demonstrate a variety of ways children could perform songs, and to introduce new songs for our Sunday School children. We had a reading from the Bible followed by a song. "He Shall Be Called" was used after Gabriel's visit to Mary. We used a combination of traditional Christmas carols, everyday Sunday School songs ("Praise Him in the Morning" and "He Shall Be Called"), and modern popular Christian music ("Awesome God"). We used American Sign Language for some, bells for one, and signs held up by individual children at the appropriate times. We worked on a round but gave it up in the end. Because our group was small, attendance was not regular at our practices, we used a lot of songs, and I wanted the children to have lots of confidence so they would sing loudly, I typed and enlarged the lyrics to most of the songs (not "He Shall Be Called", they knew that one too well). I sat on the floor for the performance with the lyrics on a small chair beside me. Then I could flip to the next song and they could sing with confidence. The entire performance was wonderful, the congregation was impressed, and a music teacher in the congregation could not believe they learned so much music in six 30-minute practices. 
I expect you'll hear from me next year about more of your music. 
Or maybe sooner--I would love to start a children's choir. 

I am a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Melbourne Beach, Florida. I also sent your site to a friend who directs a children's choir in her church (don't know what denomination). I haven't told her yet how much the children loved singing your music and how well their performance went. 
Again, thank you for your help, and for writing music that is easy to learn 
and appeals to all generations.

(Cindy,  from Florida)

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