Barbara Moulton
12th April 2006, 04:22 PM (16:22)
In the light of the "music" discussion, I thought you all might like to hear of my experience today.
I led an ecumenical Lenten service at the Presbyterian Church. For hymns I chose The Old Rugged Cross, When I Survey and Shout to the North.
The hymns were sung with a traditional organ accompaniment. Shout to the North I used the guitar.
As I looked around the congregation of about 100, I saw people from ages 17-97, all singing with enthusiasm for all the hymns. Some did not know Shout to the North, because they come from a different worship tradition. Some knew it well. But all entered into the singing of this worship song. I saw some older people from the Baptist church who even had their hands up in the air as we sang it. Not something you see when the Lenten service is led by the Anglican or United Church. I was so glad they felt free to do so and was thrilled to see the way it was accepted.
When we got to the last hymn, When I Survey, I asked the organist to withold the accompaniment during the third verse and then join in again for the last. The sound of the different voices, all singing this beloved old hymn, in glorious harmony, filled this older, traditional church. Then the triumphant joining in of the organ for the last verse..."Were the whole realm of nature mine....". I got goosebumps.
There must have been at least 20 denominations represented in the service. The spirit of unity was tremendous. And at the luncheon afterwards, there was nothing but enthusiasm. From my Roman Catholic friends who said they found the singing awesome, to my Anglican friends who appreciated the way the service flowed, to my Pentecostal friends who said it was great to have Shout to the North included.
It seems to me that how we use music, traditional and new, in a worship service, does not need to degenerate into an "us" and "them" mentality. I am so grateful for the worship experience I have at my church and in services like this today.
Eye haven't seen and ears haven't heard what heaven will be like. But surely the unity I saw today as we worshipped was a "foretaste of glory divine".
I led an ecumenical Lenten service at the Presbyterian Church. For hymns I chose The Old Rugged Cross, When I Survey and Shout to the North.
The hymns were sung with a traditional organ accompaniment. Shout to the North I used the guitar.
As I looked around the congregation of about 100, I saw people from ages 17-97, all singing with enthusiasm for all the hymns. Some did not know Shout to the North, because they come from a different worship tradition. Some knew it well. But all entered into the singing of this worship song. I saw some older people from the Baptist church who even had their hands up in the air as we sang it. Not something you see when the Lenten service is led by the Anglican or United Church. I was so glad they felt free to do so and was thrilled to see the way it was accepted.
When we got to the last hymn, When I Survey, I asked the organist to withold the accompaniment during the third verse and then join in again for the last. The sound of the different voices, all singing this beloved old hymn, in glorious harmony, filled this older, traditional church. Then the triumphant joining in of the organ for the last verse..."Were the whole realm of nature mine....". I got goosebumps.
There must have been at least 20 denominations represented in the service. The spirit of unity was tremendous. And at the luncheon afterwards, there was nothing but enthusiasm. From my Roman Catholic friends who said they found the singing awesome, to my Anglican friends who appreciated the way the service flowed, to my Pentecostal friends who said it was great to have Shout to the North included.
It seems to me that how we use music, traditional and new, in a worship service, does not need to degenerate into an "us" and "them" mentality. I am so grateful for the worship experience I have at my church and in services like this today.
Eye haven't seen and ears haven't heard what heaven will be like. But surely the unity I saw today as we worshipped was a "foretaste of glory divine".