Hickey Theology

I joined the Sam Rayburn High School Choir my junior year for the wrong reason. There was a girl, same reason I started going to church, that I was interested in dating. The only problem was she ended up in the girl’s chorus, and I was put in Concert Choir. The choirs DID NOT meet at the same class period.

So, on top of not being in the same class, I had failed to try out for choir. This mistake was not missed by Mr. Witt. It was during roll call that Mr. Witt brought this to my attention. Mr. Witt then instructed Mr. Sligar, his assistance, was asked to take me in one of the rehearsal rooms to learn ‘Drink to Me only With Thine Eyes”. After I practiced the song, I was asked to come out and sing it to the choir that was my tryout! Mr. Witt let me in the choir!

Once I was in choir it proved to be a defining moment in my life. I was a part of something so very special. I learned music that was so beautiful that it touched my soul and as the choir sang these pieces of beautiful music you could see the joy that it brought to all those who heard.

Mr. Witt gave me the gift of music, and because of him I was forever changed in how I viewed my life and everything around me. Mr. Witt not only taught me to sing it, but to also feel, to let it penetrate my soul and revive my spirit.

Through the year I was lucky to be promoted to Acapella Choir, Choral Choir and eventually I was elected Vice-President of the Madrigal Choir. It was an absolutely fantastic year. There was one trip that we took to Colorado Springs to sing in the Air Force Academy Chapel.

It was breathe taking to hear Liz play the huge pipe organ and hear the choir singing Vivaldi’s Gloria. It still gives me chills to just think about how beautiful and powerful the music sounded in that magnificent sanctuary. It was April ,1971 and many of us experienced snow for the first time. We had finished singing in the chapel and I stood alone in the chapel crying. It was at that moment I realized that God truly loved me.

I had never felt something this wonderful and took a moment to thank God for allowing to be in this place with all my classmates, to be a part of something so powerful. I was so moved that I began to sing Amazing Grace. We left the chapel and drove downtown on our buses. We got out a started to have a snowball fight in our tuxedos and gowns. I believe someone took a picture and we were on the front page of their newspaper.

God gave me a moment and without realizing it my life would never be the same. It was some years later when I recognized God’s hand in me joining choir. I didn’t get to date the girl, but I found something even more wonderful, my wife. We just celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary.

It was God putting Mr. Witt in my path in order to teach me the beauty of music that open my eyes to so many other things of beauty that I seemed to be ignoring. I still to this day sing, with my wife, in the church choir.

When we returned to First Christian Church in Pasadena, Texas I went to church the following Sunday and when the invitation hymn, Amazing Grace, started to play I went forward and rededicated my life to Christ. Mr. Witt, my experience in choir, the music we sing and the people I bonded with all guided me to a moment that I never dreamed would ever happen, and probably others would agree.

On June 3, 2001, I was ordained Reverend Michael Shane Hickey into the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) after 9-1/2 years of seminary. As I look back there were a lot of moments that God gave to me and because I chose to take them, even though I did not recognize them as a God moment, my life was forever changed and certainly blessed.

It is so important to be watchful of those moments and recognize them as gifts from God, because if you do your life can and will be changed forever. Thank you, Mr. Witt, I owe you a debt I can never repay, but I hope by carrying on, by sharing the music in some way I honor you!

Until Next time Grace and Peace