With loving thoughts of my dear friend, Mike Persson, who has left this world today to be with his Lord and Savior. A remarkable man, and a dear friend, he will be missed greatly by all who knew and loved him.
Always ready to do His bidding
Nancy Gerst, 2009
Ps. 91:11
MIKE AND HIS MUSIC
Mike loved classical and sacred music! To know Mike and rub elbows with him was to be welcomed into his world of music via shared concerts, chats about music in the church, pipe organs, organists, and all things related. He left a huge legacy on the music programs at several churches, including Resurrection Lutheran Church, where he was responsible for the procurement and installation of the beautiful Schantz pipe organ, the acoustical renovation in the sanctuary recently, the recording ministry, and so much more. Mike was the chair of the search committee that hired me to serve at Resurrection as Music Director in 2000.
Here are several of the many repertoire selections Mike enjoyed:
An Organ Concert of all Bach Organ Works from Bach's Church in Leipzig - Mike loved Bach, and had visited this church. Mike used to say to me with a grin, every organ recital should include something by Bach, if nothing else the Toccata in D Minor, heard here at the beginning of the program.
Reformation Symphony (Mendelssohn) - with the chorale "A Mighty Fortress" in the Allegro movement.
Abide with Me
E'en So, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come
update: Another blogpost as I reflect on Mike's life can be found here.
Vigil of Angels
 |
| The Annunciation Angel by TITIAN |
Always ready to do His bidding
The mighty, patient one stands alongside,
With watchful, tender, gleaming eye
Knowing how to trust and judging
Not by labored breath or pain etched face
But keenly watching the soul prepare for the journey;
Growing steadily more beautiful in grace,
Fingers of earth loosening their grasp
And the hands of the trusting spirit lifting toward
God and His Remarkable Kingdom.
Wings at the ready,
Caring hands laying unseen
Upon the shoulder
Ready to gather up and fly away
When the Moment arrives
Even as other Escorts from Beyond
Gather to sing their Flight Songs
In music of mysterious strength,
Spirit-fueled, strangely-gentle,
Other-worldly calm.
At the bedside
Earth-born loved ones mix pondering thoughts—
How Death greets all with coldness
And seeming randomness
Even as baptized brows sense
The presence of winged Goodness from Beyond
And grow stronger in their earthly shells of grace
While tears mingle grief and faith
Unshed or flowing freely over
One so loved.
O Christ, Bearer of our all.
At the hour of our departing the need is great.
Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison.
Nancy Gerst, 2009
For He shall give His angels
charge over you,
charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
Ps. 91:11
MIKE AND HIS MUSIC
Mike loved classical and sacred music! To know Mike and rub elbows with him was to be welcomed into his world of music via shared concerts, chats about music in the church, pipe organs, organists, and all things related. He left a huge legacy on the music programs at several churches, including Resurrection Lutheran Church, where he was responsible for the procurement and installation of the beautiful Schantz pipe organ, the acoustical renovation in the sanctuary recently, the recording ministry, and so much more. Mike was the chair of the search committee that hired me to serve at Resurrection as Music Director in 2000.
Here are several of the many repertoire selections Mike enjoyed:
An Organ Concert of all Bach Organ Works from Bach's Church in Leipzig - Mike loved Bach, and had visited this church. Mike used to say to me with a grin, every organ recital should include something by Bach, if nothing else the Toccata in D Minor, heard here at the beginning of the program.
Reformation Symphony (Mendelssohn) - with the chorale "A Mighty Fortress" in the Allegro movement.
Abide with Me
E'en So, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come
update: Another blogpost as I reflect on Mike's life can be found here.
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