Mystery man and the Gospel according to Scarlett O'Hara

I thought the new liturgy went pretty well this morning.  It's always a bumpy road at first, but I know it'll be only a few weeks before we're all confidently singing the new tunes.

Speaking of singing, I want to compliment the (as yet) anonymous male singer at first service, who sounded great belting out "How Great Thou Art."  I made a few inquiries after the service - partly in selfish hopes of recruiting a new choir member, but also just to say thanks for singing with such gusto.  As I predicted, that hymn was a popular choice; we all love to sing an old favorite now and then.  It's one of the things that makes church music so great.  At any rate, if you can identify the mystery man, email me or let me know at church next week!

Also, in honor of tonight's Oscar ceremony, I wanted to point out that one of Scarlett O'Hara's famous philosophical proclamations might be drawn from Matthew 6:34.  "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own."  (These are the things that you start to notice and think about when you're reading or hearing the same Gospel lesson for the third or fourth time in the same week!)  It's a particularly beautiful passage, though, and it has inspired so many artists and musicians that reading it is like a conversation with an old friend.

And a couple of random musical thoughts for the night, if you'll indulge me for a moment: Alan Menken was robbed by Randy Newman tonight; the songs as a whole were uninspiring, but Zarchary Levi and Anne Hathaway both surprised me with strong vocals; and hearing Lena Horne sing a few measures of "Stormy Weather" was a perfect tribute to a trailblazer and great talent.

What a sound!

I know that the summer schedule has its defenders and detractors, but after yesterday's service I want to add my voice to the list of strong supporters! It was so great to be home to a full church and such a great sound on this morning's hymns. I know the church was full in part because of graduation, but it really created hopes for me that we can continue to have full pews of congregants with their voices raised in song together.

It also helped that we sang some old favorite hymns, of course. "Jesus Shall Reign" has been echoing and replaying in my own mind since the service. It was an inspiring way to end the service. I hope the rest of the summer goes as well!

Spring, Easter, and a brief harangue

Easter continues! Who doesn't love the season of spring? My drive to church gets greener every day, and the sun is up when I leave home now. Plus, we get to sing Easter hymns week after week, and those are some of the greatest and most popular hymns.

But why don't we sing them at the top of our lungs? Why, in particular, do congregations always sound so timid about the high E-flat at the end of "Christ is Risen! Alleluia!"? The title has two exclamation points in it, and it was our closing hymn. On a sunny morning, it should have been a chance to sing loud and proud.

Musicians often face the question of quantity versus quality. I grew up singing Boy Scout camp songs, and I sided with quality, asking people to do their best to carry the tune properly. I still do love good music, but I've come to think of quality as people singing their personal best. In so many settings, and especially for a congregational hymn, the blending of voices creates its own beauty and quality that transcends the individual voices.

Besides, we sing an E-flat every week at the high point of the liturgy (the sanctus or "Holy, Holy, Holy"). When we sing "The Star Spangled Banner" we typically hold an even higher note for an even longer time for the text "...land of the free-ee-ee."

Is it a Lutheran trait? A mid-western trait? Or perhaps a Cleveland self-effacing attitude? Maybe we've all heard the lesson about not praying too loudly in church one too many times. Instead, let's focus on not hiding our light under a barrel. Let's sing joyfully, loudly, to the best of our ability. Don't be afraid of the hymns, but embrace our congregational sound - especially during the season of Easter!

We, like sheep

Last Sunday, we had a guest pastor, which is always a harrowing experience for all concerned. Every church, like every family, has its idiosyncratic practices. When those are violated, it can create a brief moment of discomfort, but it can also call us to greater participation and leadership, refreshing our worship experience.

I'm thinking of one specific moment during the service, following the offering, when we are used to a certain way of presenting the offering on the altar and a particular offering prayer. Pastor then turns to face the congregation and makes eye contact with me at the organ so that I know we can being the Great Thanksgiving. Without our usual practices, the acolytes didn't know what to do with the offering plates, I didn't know when to begin the music, and the service faltered for just a brief moment. Of course, it was a minor issue, and the service continued.

From a musical perspective, it made me think of two things. First, the rhythm and melody of the liturgy and the hymns can truly unite a congregation, even if the prayers are offered with a slightly different verbal stress or the service is not one hundred percent aligned with our past experience. When I travel and attend services, there is a sense of being an observer, until the music begins. When a congregation is singing, we are all together in one endeavor.

Second, we (like sheep) do go astray when we don't have strong leadership. Once, a choir director of mine asked the group who was the leader of our music. Most people said the director, some said the accompanist, some pointed to section leaders or particularly strong singers in the group. But the director said all those answers were wrong. Every single member of the choir needed to be a leader for it to work. If you wait for the person next to you to sing, then you are already late, of course. The best choirs have a confidence and shared trust among themselves because they are all leaders.

Perhaps the experience of having a guest pastor can shake us up a bit and encourage us all to step up and take responsibility and leadership. A congregation is a community, and it thrives on participation, in its ministries and its music.

The Eeyore problem

I was talking to a friend the other day who is also a Cleveland transplant (me from Minnesota and her from Buffalo), and we commented that hometown pride seems less common than in our previous homes. Then I read Connie Schultz's article from this past Sunday's Plain Dealer. She said of the citizens of Cleveland: "We're not just modest, we're mopey. Too many Eeyores, not enough Tiggers."

I've never believed that attitude is innate; I belong more to the Viktor Frankl school of thought: the one thing that you can always choose or control is your attitude. It's why I loved running a scrappy theatre company, why I love playing church organ, and even why I adore the tv show "Glee." My optimism that we can accomplish great things is based on the institutions of the public library, schools, and churches. And I find that optimism best expressed in great hymns of faith (as well as great musical theatre).

We all face challenges, and the "rust belt" has had suffered more than its fair share in a struggling economy. But that's no reason not to maintain a positive attitude and to work hard for a brighter future. Churches are one place that optimism, the "Good News," should be a bright light of hope for our community and the world.

Article in "The Lutheran"

Yesterday, I read in the church council minutes that Bethany will be ordering fewer copies of The Lutheran in the future because there isn't enough demand in the congregation to justify our current order size. I found the timing ironic because the latest issue includes an article on how to reach people through a "multichannel church." (You can read the whole article here.) Reading about and staying current with issues in the broader ELCA community represents one of those multiple channels through which the church can touch our lives.

The overall thrust of the article is that Sunday-centric churches will continue to struggle in the future. Churches need to reach out in as many ways as possible, and encourage participation through multiple channels. Of course, music is one way that you can be a part of the church service - that means choir rehearsal on Wednesday night or playing an instrument as well as just confidently joining in during the hymns on Sunday morning.

Bethany has plenty of other ways to participate as well - Bethel Bible study is just one high profile example this year. Of course, I also think this blog and the web in general are important ways that the church can increase its profile and participation. Sunday is actually the day with the lowest web traffic here, so I know it's a way for some people to stay involved outside the traditional service.

This issue and the discussion about it are so important for the ongoing health of any congregation and the church as a whole. The website for The Lutheran has plenty of discussion forums on this and many other topics. (Among the issues I saw discussed there - how are pastors and staff supposed to keep up with even more interactions and forums for participation? Certainly that is just one question we need to explore.) Any thoughts or experiences you have on how to increase participation?

John Wesley's Directions for Singing Hymns

John Wesley (1703 - 1791) is known to us as the founder of Methodism, but he exerted influence on all Christians through his hymn collections. He was not a prolific composer himself, and his brother Charles is more well known for writing original texts. Nonetheless, he helped shape congregational singing through his hymn translations and by editing and publishing of a number of hymnals.

His activities helped promote congregational singing as a vital part of a worship service. His old hymnals are fantastic to flip through for the variety and specificity of the hymns. Rather than headings like Easter, Lent, or Christmas, his hymnals have general sections titled Rejoicing, Praying, Watching, Suffering, and Working. There are also specific items, though, as "Graces before and after Meat," "Laying the Foundations of a Chapel," and "Exhorting Sinners to Return to God." Finally, there are century-specific headings like "For the King" and "Going on Shipboard." There's a hymn for every occasion and purpose, and families and congregations were expected to know and sing them!

This month's back page of The American Organist (published by the American Guild of Organists) included some of his singing directions for a congregation. I want to share three of his points, because they're still relevant advice for us today:

1. Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a single degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a blessing.

2. Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half-dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength.

3. Above all, sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing.

So Mr. Wesley tell us to sing everything, sing it strong, and sing it spiritually. Let's hear that advice in practice on Pentecost!