God’s people have always been singing, so the hymn goes. Reflecting on the last year, it is interesting the differences there are between us over the place of singing in worship – it seems that we are not all reacting the same way.
I have always loved hymns and the pleasure of singing in a congregation. For several years I have been a member of The Hymn Society and relish the insights it gives me into the art of hymn writing. I have been surprised, however, that over the last year it has not bothered me unduly to have to remain silent and read the words while we worship. Others, understandably, would rather worship at home and be able to sing alone or in a family than be in Church with only hearing and reading to go on.
I have come to the conclusion that, for me, the words of the hymn are many times more important than the tune, for all my love of music and singing. Hymn words are a part of faith’s expression and that is why I almost never chose a hymn for worship because of the tune, though I may put a good tune to the words I want. There is a difference, as I am figuring out.
That brings me to my next realisation that, I suppose, I have always known but suppressed, that I am more bothered by the lack of fellowship in public worship, being with like minded people as we approach God, that the last year has forced, than I am about the other difficulties we are living with.
None of us is right or wrong about this – we need to accept difference though. For a year we have been able to be exposed to hymns we do not know because ‘sing-ability’ is not critical to the way worship works as an entity. I think I may miss the variety when we get back to the old routine of the ‘didn’t know the hymn’ comment at the door – which means, ‘don’t do that again’…but then again, I ache for those missing handshakes and quick, ‘how are you’ conversations.
A prayer
Loving God, when we sing our praises, do you mind the tune? Does the language matter? Show us how to come back together and as we eventually begin to sing again the songs of the people of God, to do so with renewed sensitivity about what means what to whom. Give us grace, we pray.
Amen.