It has been a busy week. It's amazing how one deadline and one night out can quickly send the week into a tailspin. I also seem to be just on the verge of picking up the virus that is making its rounds at work. Throw in a coming snowstorm, a pile of laundry, and all I want to do is get to a keyboard and make some music!
Music in general is a personal sanctuary for me. Time spent at the piano can be as good as a nap or a jog to recharge my day. My hope is always that church music provides the same effect. After all, stress relief is one of the scientifically measured benefits of church attendance.
This week my prelude and postlude come from a book titled "From Purcell to Handel." Purcell is an English composer of the late 17th century, while Handel is a German who spent a great deal of his professional career in England in the early 18th century. So for a musical compilation to have that title is a bit like saying from Herman's Hermits to the Beatles. This will be an opportunity to hear several pieces from the same era. The choir will be singing a Bach chorale, who lived during the same period, of course. After last week's plethora of modern music, this week will balance it out with a classical sound. I hope it inspires and refreshes you, so that we can all have a fresh start to the new week.
The research on prayer, meditation, and church attendance on over-all health is quite fascinating. What ever one does, whether it is play music, exercise, go fishing, as long as it produces time when we can relax, it is beneficial. Combining music and church is probably good. Combining fishing with contemplation? Who knows?
ReplyDeleteMaybe we should combine fishing and church? After all Jesus did call fishers to be his first disciples as we will hear in this Sunday's Gospel lesson.
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