After more than 20 years leading the contemporary worship service at First Lutheran Church, Ninepatch has retired.

Ninepatch was formed during the Lenten season of 1991. A beautiful nine-patch quilt had been on display in the Fellowship Hall (see adjoining article) and it was decided that it could be an appropriate name for our group of nine or so musicians. In September, our original leader, Ann Schrooten, shared her vision for this group by gathering us together again to rehearse weekly and help lead the music for the 11:15 a.m. contemporary worship service.

God began a good work in this ministry, and as we blended our voices and instruments together in song, our bonds of friendship with one another were also forming. Most of us had very young children at the time and a supervised nursery was a wonderful convenience. As time passed, we were able to watch all of our children grow and eventually graduate from high school about the same time.

Throughout its 20-year history, Ninepatch has been a constant presence through the administrations of three senior pastors and interim staff. Besides regularly providing worship music, we have played for a variety of settings and occasions including weddings, funerals, WELCA meetings, and worship services at McKennan, Terrace, and Tuthill parks and in our church parking lot. We've also shared our music with congregations in Dell Rapids, East and West Nidaros, and Winner, S.D.

And so now as we mark 20 years of faithful service together, we celebrate the completion of the handiwork of God's design-that from a single connecting thread, he has sown us together to share his love in song. How else could the remnants of a welder, a cytologist, a secretary, two teachers, and a doctor be woven into a patchwork of musical leadership? Only through our glorious designer!