Dear Friends,

I have written more than once about the ways in which our worship is made possible each Sunday by the contributions of so many persons. At the 8 am service, early arrivers are always helping to prepare our space for worship, (now returning indoors after a glorious season of summer Sundays in the Garden). And long before 10 am, the choir, the Altar Guild, the ushers, the Coffee Hour Hosts, and our teachers in the Godly Play rooms are preparing the way for all of us to worship God.

Now there is another way that we can be preparing ourselves. Any of us who can are invited to join Douglas Witte, our Director of Music, and the choir at 9:30 am  to go over the hymns and the psalm we will be singing that morning.  Even a brief introduction to the words and tune of each song can lead to more confident singing. If chanting the psalm each week feels like a challenge, this time on Sunday morning will give you the opportunity to practice surrounded by the choir, whose voices will lead us in worship as well. After about 15 minutes of singing, you will then have time to sit and prepare heart, mind, and spirit for the worship service, as others gather in the church.

I know arriving up to a half hour earlier may not always seem possible or practical. But consider those times when it just might be possible,  and  do come. You might be surprised by how much it enhances your worship of God, and the community’s offering of praise.

Fred Pratt Green, the author of our final hymn this Sunday, puts it well in his concluding stanza:

Let every instrument be tuned for praise!
Let all rejoice who have a voice to raise!
And may God give us faith to sing always –
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Peace,
Tom

PS – And don’t forget the Sunday Forum this week, where we will have a chance to sing some more and talk about music in church.