Singing In The Joy Of Service
On this occasion, I want to share an extraordinary experience I had a few months ago, which was the Saint Mary’s Way activity. This activity is an annual program organized by our school, SMP Santa Maria Bandung. In this event, I had the opportunity to contribute as a member of the choir at the Catholic Church. I didn’t carry out this task alone, but together with eight other friends who were also part of the school choir. Together, we carried out our service to God and the school with enthusiasm, cooperation, and sincere hearts.
This choir activity took place on September 28, 2025, and October 5, 2025. On those two dates, my friends and I served at two different churches, namely Kemuning Church and Melania Church. We were assigned to assist the school choir in providing liturgical services and support the Mass by singing praise songs. In addition to serving with joy, this activity also became one of the requirements to complete the Saint Mary’s Way program, which we had to undergo as part of our school learning assignments.At that time, the Mass was led by Pastor Hadi. Before the Mass began, at 6:30 AM we had already arrived at the church and started practicing singing in the Kemuning Church hall. The practice continued until around 7:15 AM. While walking towards the church hall, I saw so many people who had already arrived. The sight made me feel a little scared and nervous thinking about the many eyes that would watch our performance. However, I tried to calm myself and reassure my heart that everything would go smoothly.When the mass began, we started singing the opening song titled “Brother, All of Mary.” The atmosphere in the church felt solemn and calm. After that, we continued by singing the mass ordinary songs. During the offering, we sang the song “Accept It in Your Heart.” Then, the mass concluded with the closing song titled “What You Have Done for My Brother.” While singing, the nervousness that had appeared gradually disappeared. I heard melodious voices from my friends that made the atmosphere beautiful and peaceful. Hearing the harmony of those voices made me feel calmer and confident that I could carry out this task well.After finishing our duties at Kemuning Church and Melania Church, my friends and I continued with our next task, which was making a presentation using Canva. This presentation contained our experiences while participating in the Saint Mary’s Way activities, from preparation, practice, the implementation process, to our impressions and messages. What made this activity even more interesting was that we had to present the Canva to the parents who attended the Saint Mary’s Way event. Honestly, this part became one of the biggest challenges for me. I felt scared speaking in front of a crowd, especially having to explain our experiences clearly and confidently. Nervousness crept in again, but I tried to stay calm and do my best.Although I was initially scared, in the end, I am grateful because I was able to go through the entire process well. Participating in the Saint Mary’s Way activities taught me many important lessons. I felt very happy and proud to be able to participate in the choir of the Holy Cross Church Kemuning and Melania Church. It truly felt joyful to sing together with friends to praise God and to serve with a sincere heart. Every rehearsal, every song we sang, and every moment of togetherness made me feel closer to God. Moreover, this activity also strengthened the bond between me and my friends. We learned to support each other, encourage each other, and work together to give our best.The Saint Mary’s Way activity was a valuable experience full of joy and meaning. I feel very blessed to have been given the opportunity to serve while also learning new things. I am confident that this experience will always be remembered as one of the memorable moments in my life. Through this activity, I learned that service is not just about singing, but about giving your best from the heart, sharing happiness, and strengthening the values of togetherness, humility, and voluntarism. I hope that one day I can participate in activities like this again and continue to serve with love and sincerity.

















