New theme song is a Ministers' Spouses,

Widows and Widowers' Department first

The CME Ministers' Spouses, Widows and Widowers' Department, founded in 1995, has been blessed with its own theme song. During the administration of Rev. Maggie Banks, who served as president of this department from 2005 to 2009, it was brought to the Executive Board's attention that Dr. Edith Farrar, of the 3rd Episcopal District, had written a song that would serve as a theme song for this department.

Dr. Farrar, born in Durham, NC, has been a minister's spouse for over 40 years and has been a minister's widow for nearly five years. She is the mother of four children, three daughters and one son; six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. She graduated from Aspen Christian College and Seminary in Lackland, CO, with a PhD in Music. She is a member of St. Paul CME Church in Mexico, MO, where her pastor is her daughter, Rev. Dr. Rinalda Farrar.

Dr. Edith Farrar shares that the inspiration for this song came to her one day while she sat in her husband's truck. Her husband, Rev. Dr. Joe Louis Farrar, who pastored Israel CME Church in Gary, IN at the time, had gotten out of the truck to go into a store. While sitting in his truck she was inspired to write the lyrics to the "Minister's Wives" song. She later showed it to their organist, Ms. Louise Lee. As Dr. Farrar was being inspired with the words, she did not have anything to write with or write on. She looked in the glove compartment of the truck and found an envelope and pencil and began to write the words. She knew that this inspiration came from God. The words came as an overwhelming flood resulting in her writing as quickly as possible. When her husband returned, she told him what had taken place and showed him what she had written. Every word was given to her, even the music. The first tune given was "O' Rapturous Scenes." However, when the song was presented during the 2008 National Meeting of the Ministers' Spouses, Widows and Widowers' held during the 22nd CME Convocation in Knoxville, TN, we were advised by our, then, Patron Bishop Ronald Cunningham that it would not be appropriate to use the music of "O Rapturous Scenes" because of the legacy of our late Bishop Lucius H. Holsey who wrote the words to this great hymn of the CME Church and the sacredness attached to this hymn. Also, the word "Wives" had to be changed to "Spouses" because of the many male spouses that are present within the CME church.

It was during that 2008 meeting that President Maggie Banks instructed the worship leader at the time, Mrs. Debora C. Gant, of the 1st Episcopal District, to develop another tune that would be appropriate for our theme song and make this presentation at our next connectional meeting that was to be held in St. Louis, MO. In order to be inclusive and involve all the spouses that would be present, Mrs. Gant wrote three different tunes. She prepared ballots indicating the three different instrumentations and made the individual musical presentations at the MSWW's connectional meeting held during the 23rd Convocation in St. Louis, MO. Assisting Mrs. Gant in making this presentation was Mrs. Janice Mitchell, current vice president of the MSWW's Department, representing the 2nd Episcopal District; and Mrs. Gail Anders of the 4th Episcopal District. They joined Mrs. Gant in singing the three different tunes, at various tempos. The body voted and the majority decided which tune would accompany the words that Dr. Farrar had given as a gift to this department. Bishop Cunningham humorously stated that he liked "all three versions" but he knew we were to decide on only one.

Under the new administration of President Linda Whitlock, 3rd Episcopal District, a CD with words and instrumentation was presented to the Bishops' spouses and the Executive Board of the Connectional Ministers' Spouses' Department, at the recent connectional meeting that was held during the 24th Convocation in Louisville, KY. Each Executive Board member, which is also the representative for their episcopal districts, will be responsible for sharing the CD with their Region presidents who will in turn, share it with the district presidents within their regions. It is the hope that eventually the song will permeate the entire CME Church for all ministers' spouses, widows and widowers to use during their various programs and events and during the connectional meetings by the current worship leader, Mrs. Linda Wilson of the 4th Episcopal District, and those who follow.

Mrs. Debora C. Gant is currently the Financial Secretary serving on the Executive Board of the Minister's Spouses' Widows and Widowers' Department. She is a member of the 1st Episcopal District, where she resides with her husband, Rev. William C. Gant in the Arkansas Region in Searcy, AR at St. Mary CME Church.

We thank God for Dr. Farrar's gift to this department.

Ministers' Spouses' Theme Song

(Adopted September 2009)

Words: Mrs. Edith J. Farrar, PhD,

3rd Episcopal District

Tune: Mrs. Debora C. Gant, 1st Episcopal District

1. We are Ministers' Spouses of the CME Church

We are striving to do our best.

With God on our side, we shall run this race,

To enter the Golden Gate.

2. We are Ministers' Spouses of the CME Church

We long to make Heaven our home.

Through many hard trials, we must overcome,

With Jesus our Lord by our side.

3. We are Minister's Spouses of the CME Church

With the love of God in our hearts.

We work so patiently day after day,

With spouses whom God has supplied.

Chorus:

The CME Church, the CME Church

May God ever be by our side.

The CME Church, the CME Church

May God ever be by our side.

Mrs. Debora Gant is the former worship leader for the Connectional Spouses. Photo above shows Patron Bishop Godwin Umoette with Spouses at their departmental meeting at the 24th CME Convocation in Louisville, KY.