One person’s lyrics can resonate with many, and through the internet can have a long reach. That’s what Sharon Sampson recently found out. She is interviewed here by Witness editorial assistant Shelley Davis.

Please tell us how this song got started.

I wrote this song to share at the Presbytery of the Alleghenies annual Laurelville Family Conference in July. The conference has an annual Thursday evening talent show, so I figured I should participate. I will admit that when I arrived on Monday and looked around at all the people I didn’t know, I did question my decision, but I felt more comfortable after sharing it with a few friends.

What has surprised you about the response?

Sharing the song was a great way to meet folks from other congregations, as they came to talk to me after I shared it. It was really remarkable to see how so many people related to the song. Lots of folks have had similar experiences in coming to the RP church—from those who left the same denomination as my family did to those who have played instruments in worship and have sung in choirs. There are other folks like me who don’t know the people and history or don’t know where all the churches are located. I really thought Manhattan RPC was in New York! I learned this wasn’t the case at the Calvin conference in July 2008. At that point, I had been in the RP Church for a year. I was introduced to someone from that congregation and I enthusiastically declared that my daughter had just been in Manhattan. They asked what had taken her to Kansas! That’s when I began to realize I had a lot to learn. 

How long has the song been on YouTube?

At Laurelville, someone suggested that it would be great to put the song on YouTube. It seemed like a fun idea, so I set up my home video camera and made the recording. I love working with movie-making software, so I did the editing and added the text and visuals so folks could follow along. I provided additional information that wasn’t in the song (e.g., I talk about not using my guitar in worship anymore, so the added text mentions the regulative principle for folks who might see the video and wonder why I wouldn’t play in worship). After the final editing, I posted the video on Aug. 11. I really didn’t tell many folks that it was there, so it’s been fun to see others share it.

What kind of response have you had to the video?

The response has been very positive, especially the recent exposure through Facebook. The video has been viewed over 900 times, mostly in the U.S. and Canada, but also in the U.K., Australia, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, France, Germany and Asia!

How long have you played guitar?

I have played guitar for almost 30 years, although I never had formal training. I started as a teenager. My mother had taken a few lessons and had a guitar just sitting around. I found those handy charts that tell you where to put your fingers for various chords, and that was my training. Around the time I began to play guitar, I had a wonderful high school music teacher. After our opening performance of Oklahoma in my senior year, she came up to me and said my performance was wonderful. I was puzzled and reminded her that I was only in the chorus. Hardly the lead role! She told me that everyone is needed to put together a musical, not just the stars. I have carried that comment with me throughout my life. It sure speaks to me of 1 Corinthians 12 concerning all the parts of the body, as well as 1 Peter 4:10 where it says that each one should use whatever gifts he has received to serve others.

Tell us about your family.

My family members were featured in my song. Mark, my husband of 25 years, is a graduate of Geneva College. After spending 18 years with Taco Bell, he became the RP Seminary’s director of development in August of this year. Our daughter Kirby will turn 21 in November and is a junior at Grove City College, pursuing a double major in communication studies and English literature.

What other songs have you written?

Most of what I’ve done over the years has been putting Scripture to music for my teaching of children and youth. I do love parody, though, and a number of years ago I wrote one for children to the Disney “Under the Sea” theme song. It was called “Under the Cross” and was shared at a family conference at my former church. I already have an idea for Laurelville next year that will again be uniquely RP! 

What other hobbies and work occupy your time?

For a number of years I was a homeschool mom, and I continue to teach other homeschooled children at a two-day-per-week study center. For almost 9 years I have taught Latin and English grammar at the center, and I have recently started doing private Latin tutoring. I teach elementary Sabbath school at our church and love preparing our church photo directory to help folks know each other. This fall I am also taking both Greek and biblical counseling at RPTS. Mark and I both love Bible study and teaching; these activities have been a huge part of our married life together.

I enjoy scrapbooking and making photo DVD movies, along with cake decorating and an occasional quilting project.    How did you find the RP Church?

I found the RP Church through the study center where I teach. There I met Pastor Martin Blocki, who was teaching a Shorter Catechism class, as well as a number of families who are part of the North Hills RP congregation.

What is your favorite thing about being RP?

Although folks join churches for many reasons, our desire was to be somewhere with solid, biblical views and teaching. I didn’t know how small the denomination was until I attended the Calvin conference in 2008 and realized that our whole denomination was like a PCUSA megachurch! Our smaller size really does allow us to know each other. This is a blessing and a challenge. I oftentimes don’t know all the names and places that many people think I already know, but I’m learning. I love that we’re so connected and care about each other and not just those in our own congregations. I also love singing the Psalms. It’s God’s Word—need I say more? As to musical instruments in worship, well that’s certainly my church background, but I saw the difficulties that come when we decide for ourselves what we want from church worship. That was also part of the process in bringing me to the RP church. I’m happy using my guitar in other places—like on YouTube!

You can find the video on YouTube by searching for “Yesterday An RP Parody.”