Everywhere we go anymore it seems that we are inundated with music. Even out taking a quiet walk we hear the heavy thud of music coming from cars driving by us. The ubiquitous music is in all the stores, elevators, the phone while we are waiting for a call to be picked up. And then there is the fact that the human race seems to have sprouted buds and wires from their ears that are connected to the Ipod loaded with one’s favorites. When we came back from picking up Alison from college she programmed her Ipod to play a long list of music that she knew we all would like and played it through our cars stereo system.

But music isn’t just about what we like, it is also very powerful in terms of our minds and our body. I recall a retreat I led with the senior highs a number of years ago where we talked about and experienced how music affects us. In one example I played several very different types of music and sounds while they were quiet and had their eyes closed. Afterwards we talked about the effect of the various offerings on their bodies. One of the pieces was from a CD of Tibetan bells, and one person said it set her teeth on edge and made her heart start to race. We’ve all heard that music soothes the savage beast in us, I suppose it can also raise the savage beast in us as well depending on the words and sounds of the song.

In worship music has a power all its own. It takes us where words cannot go, to experience as well as understanding. Yet when people have to sing a new song in worship it is very disconcerting, because we cannot experience it like we can the old familiar hymns and songs. People tend to be very jealous of their known and favorite hymns. Why do you think we instituted the third Sunday hymn-sing a number of years ago? It helps all of us to be able to sing our “favorites” every so often.

We are celebrating music and the hymns and songs that are our favorites on Sunday, June 22nd. We will have more music during the service, but this year we are also adding something else. We are asking you to fill out a form that asks you what your favorite hymn, spiritual song, or secular song that is spiritual for you, and why. Then, on that day we will have an insert to the bulletin that will list all of these so we can see how music, and what music has strengthened the lives of our community of faith.

So please fill out one of the slips on Sunday morning, or you can even send it to me by email (favorite hymn or song, why, and your name), and come join us on the 22nd!

See you in Church!

Tom