As We Remember--Spoken Word Delivered by Lloyd D. Newell

As We Remember

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

Now, as in times past, turmoil and conflict rage across the earth. We long for peace, for harmony among nations and individuals, for serenity to still the commotion around us. As part of this earnest longing for peace, we pause to give thanks and remember a day that must not be forgotten. More than 70 years ago the United States Congress passed a bill that each November 11th should be “dedicated to the cause of world peace and . . . celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day.’” The name was later changed to Veterans Day by an act of Congress to honor the sacrifices of all veterans of America’s wars. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, himself a veteran of two world wars, called on citizens to rededicate themselves on Veterans Day “to the task of promoting an enduring peace.”1 If turmoil and conflict have any worth, it may be that they can help us value and remember those who have sacrificed for peace. Decades ago, Richard L. Evans, longtime announcer and writer for this broadcast, wrote of peace and the people who protect it: “Peace is a positive and not merely a passive thing. It is more than the absence of war. It is a way of life, an attitude, and an inner condition. . . . As we remember one Armistice and hope and pray for another, we are thankful for the brave men [and women] who stand ‘between their loved homes and the war’s desolation.’ May those of the past be honored, and those of the present be protected. And may the loved ones of those who have lost their lives have the heaviness of their hearts lifted and have sweet assurance of an eternal renewal of association with those they love.”2 As we approach this day “dedicated to the cause of world peace,” may we also dedicate ourselves to this cause, in memory of those whose dedication has included not only their way of life but even, in some cases, life itself. 1. In United States Department of Veterans Affairs, “History of Veterans Day,” http://www1.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp. 2. Tonic for Our Times, (1952), 211–12. Program #4182 Musical Selection: 1. This Is My Country 2. The Thunderer 3. America the Beautiful 4. The Spoken Word 5. Hymn to the Fallen 6. Salute to the Armed Forces 7. Let There Be Peace on Earth

What Else Are We Missing? --Spoken Word Delivered by Lloyd D. Newell

What Else Are We Missing?

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

It was a busy workday as commuters rushed headlong toward their busy schedules. But on this day in Washington, D.C., something different happened: a 39-year-old man dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, and a baseball cap took out an old violin and began to play. Few people noticed. Most kept their eyes on the ground or looked straight ahead. A few, talking on cell phones, raised their voices in order to be heard over the music. These were, after all, busy people. They had work to do and appointments to keep. And so they did not stop. And they did not listen. And what they missed was a rare performance by one of the greatest violinists in the world playing his Stradivarius violin, worth more than three million dollars. He chose to play some of the most technically demanding, elegant music ever written for his instrument, and he played with all the passion and perfection that he had become known for throughout the world. His metro-station concert was part of an experiment proposed by a writer for the Washington Post. The question was “How many people would recognize beauty in a place where it wasn’t expected?” During the 43-minute concert, nearly 1,100 people passed by. Of those, only 7 stopped to listen even for a moment. The writer, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his article about the unheard violinist, summarized the experience with these words: “If we can’t take the time out of our lives to stay a moment and listen to one of the best musicians on Earth play some of the best music ever written; if the surge of modern life so overpowers us that we are deaf and blind to something like that—then what else are we missing?”1 Indeed, the world offers us daily moments of beauty that can enrich our lives—if we open our eyes and open our hearts. 1 Gene Weingarten, “Pearls before Breakfast,” Washington Post, Apr. 8, 2007, W10, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html. Program #4181 Musical Selection: 1. Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven 2. Savior, Again to Thy Dear Name 3. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (Organ solo) 4. Rock of Ages 5. The Spoken Word 6. Beautiful Zion, Built Above 7. Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand

Carve Your Name on Hearts--Spoken Word Delivered by Lloyd D. Newell

Carve Your Name on Hearts

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

Not long ago, a funeral was held for a man who lived a long and productive life. The flowers and music were beautiful; the remarks about his good life were inspiring. But some who attended were struck by something unusual: there was no mention, either in his obituary or in tributes to his name, about what he did for a living. The eulogies in his honor spoke essentially of two things: his great love for his family and the selfless service he rendered throughout his life. His life was a testimonial of love and service: more than 65 years ago he served his country overseas defending freedom; he served his beloved wife, children, and many grandchildren with selflessness over many decades; he was a loyal friend; he generously volunteered his time in his community and church. Yes, he worked hard professionally throughout his life; he had accomplished much in his chosen career. But when his time had come, what his family and friends remembered most about him—what they really cared about—were his love and service. The rest, in a certain sense, is forgotten in the end. Ultimately, the same is true for all of us. We are most likely to be remembered not for plaques on the wall but for warm memories in the heart. What will be cherished is the difference we’ve made in others’ lives. What will be valued is the love and service we’ve offered. As Charles Spurgeon said: “A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you, and were helped by you, will remember you when forget-me-nots are withered. Carve your name on hearts, and not on marble.”1 1 John Ploughman’s Talk, or Plain Advice for Plain People (1896), 214. Program #4180 Musical Selection: 1. When in Our Music God Is Glorified 2. Lord, Speak to Me 3. Gabriel's Oboe, from the Mission (Organ solo) 4. Love Is Spoken Here 5. The Spoken Word 6. Each Life That Touches Ours for Good 7. The Battle of Jericho 8. O Clap Your Hands

The Art of Making It Happen--Spoken Word Delivered by Lloyd D. Newell

The Art of Making It Happen

Delivered By: Lloyd D. Newell

In November 1899, Wilbur Wright queried the United States Weather Bureau to find a rural area with high wind conditions so he and his brother Orville could test a glider. The answer came back, “Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.” History was in the making. For the next four years, Orville and Wilbur experimented with flight, as did renowned scientists from Germany, France, and Brazil. But these two intrepid owners of a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio, were the first to fly. The date was December 17, 1903. What distinguished them from their illustrious rivals? Perhaps it was their sheer doggedness. When they weren’t out testing a glider on the sand dunes, they were reconstructing it in the living room of their father’s home. These self-taught engineers figured out how to fly by breaking down the task into pieces and attacking one at a time. They made hundreds of glides, slowly increasing their distances from 300 to 400 to 500 feet in the battering Atlantic winds. The flights were not spectacular, but with each one they drew closer to their goal. Wilbur wrote, “Skill comes by the constant repetition of familiar feats rather than by a few overbold attempts at feats for which the performer is yet poorly prepared.”1 The lesson is a good one for us all. Most problems that seem big and unsolvable are really made up of several small, manageable problems that we must face patiently. Orville and Wilbur watched many a glider nosedive into the dunes, but they never lost hope. To some, the task of conquering flight may have seemed too big for these two unlikely innovators and aviators. But Orville and Wilbur Wright, through hard work, optimism, and resilience, had perfected an art we can all master—the art of making it happen. 1 In James Tobin, “To Fly!” Smithsonian, Apr. 2003, http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/fly.html?c=y&page=5. Program #4179 Musical Selection: 1. The Heavens Are Telling, from The Creation 2. Lead, Kindly Light 3. God of Grace, and God of Glory (Organ solo) 4. The Spoken Word 5. For I Am Called by Thy Name 6. Sunrise, Sunset, from Fiddler on the Roof 7. O Come, Ye Nations of the Earth