President’s Blog: Thanksgiving 2014

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)

“In all created things discern the providence and wisdom of God,
and in all things give Him thanks.”

St. Teresa of Avila

Habakkuk“Though the fig tree should not blossom,
fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
GOD, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places.”

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (ESV)

The prophet Habakkuk writes of rejoicing in the salvation and strength of the Sovereign LORD even in the midst of utter desolation, loss, destruction, poverty, famine and even death. Giving thanks, rejoicing in the face of evils that rage about us, is a discipline rooted in the goodness and providence of our gracious and loving God. All of us experience in differing degrees the kind of loss, devastation and abandonment referred to by Habakkuk. In those times we are summoned thankfully to rejoice that God makes our feet sure. He ultimately gives us the ability, as St. Teresa wrote, “to discern the providence and wisdom of God” in the entire created order and all circumstances, and to stand in the strength and sure hope of the God who is love.

Let us gratefully rejoice that God supports, encourages and loves all of us, whether we are in want or in plenty, and he faithfully calls us to tread on high places of hope, courage and loving kindness. Thanks be to God, our salvation, our strength and our comfort!

hart-letter

Annual Report Now Available

We at IWS are so thankful for the Lord’s bountiful blessings during this past year, and for your support of our crucial mission of worship renewal. Please take a moment to read our 2014 Annual Report. I think you will find it to be an enjoyable and interesting read. Join us in thanking all who have made this year an unprecedented success! Please forward this link to interested friends and potential students.

Thank You

Your prayerful and sacrificial generosity toward the Lord’s work through the ongoing ministry of IWS is absolutely vital to the mission of worship renewal. We not only appreciate your participation, we depend on it! Thank you for your partnership with IWS.

Checks can be made out to IWS, noted “IWS Fund” and/or “Scholarship Fund” and sent to IWS, 151 Kingsley Ave., Orange Park, FL 32073. Your gift should be postmarked by December 31 to be counted in this calendar year. Donations may also be made online. Gifts may be designated in memory or honor of a loved one, and/or may be anonymous. All gifts are tax-deductible.

 
About the author

Dr. James R. Hart served as President of the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies from 2007-2024. Dr. Hart was a member of the first IWS doctoral class, the Alpha class, and served as Dean of Students during his matriculation. After graduating from IWS, Dr. Webber appointed him as the Dean of Administration, and then Provost in 2006. In June of 2007, he was inaugurated as the second president of IWS. Dr. Hart holds a B.M. in Sacred Music from Oral Roberts University, an M.M. in Trumpet Performance from the University of Tulsa, and a D.W.S. from the Institute for Worship Studies. He was critical to the formation of IWS in Florida and has held administrative responsibilities since its inception in 1999. He is a professional trumpeter, choral director, and worship leader, and a published composer/arranger, songwriter, and author. He has been involved in worship leadership in various contexts around the globe for over 40 years and has taught in the areas of worship, theology, and music in various conferences, colleges, and seminaries. Dr. Hart and his wife, Carol, have three daughters and three grandchildren.

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