Sing Alleluia!

When in our music God is glorified,
And adoration leaves no room for pride,
It is as though the whole creation cried:
Alleluia!

~Fred Pratt Green




My mother is a music therapist, and from her I've learned that when people lose their memories to diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia, they may not be able to remember the names of their loved ones, but often they can remember the words and tunes to songs they learned as children. It seems that music gets lodged inside our minds -- and our hearts -- in a fundamentally different way from tuneless words and memories. Music can decrease anxiety before, during, or after a medical procedure and can improve the outcomes of surgery and childbirth. It has the ability to soothe and calm us.

Perhaps we should not be surprised that among his many gifts, David was also a talented musician. When King Saul was tormented by an evil spirit (today we might say "going crazy" or "losing his mind") the only thing that made him feel better was when David played the lyre. David's ability to make beautiful music soothed and calmed the king (read the story in 1 Samuel 16:14-23).

In worship, music might serve to soothe and calm us, but its primary role is to glorify God. Some of my most meaningful worship experiences have involved music of many different kinds. I am often grateful when music expresses what words cannot.

This Sunday in worship we are going to worship God by singing some favorite hymns. Join us at 10a.m. for a hymn sing; we will sing hymns requested by members of our congregation, many of which will be familiar. We will also worship God with prayers and a brief reflection on the next installment of the David story, but mostly, this service is about the music. So come and express your faith by listening to and singing music that glorifies God.