A new song...

Miz Vivian was sitting in her car, the early bird as usual, waiting for the rest of us to get to Wednesday night supper. She opened her door and called me over to sit and wait with her. “Just listen”, she said. A black gospel choir began to sing “Soon and Very Soon” with gusto. “My favorite song”, said Miz Vivian. As we sat and waited for the rest to show up, she played one song after another, all her favorites.
Ashley, a cute sixth grader and an accomplished dancer, sat with me in the sanctuary listening to possible music for her dance on Women’s Day at our church. Diane and I had chosen a variety of sacred music... folk, reggae, hymns, sacred harp and one song I happened to pick up on my way to church “I Believe I Can Fly” sung by an African American woman gospel singer. When she heard that song, Ashley’s face lit up and we were soon watching her leap and pirouette around the sanctuary, believing and flying.
We have two hymnals in our church... the traditional blue Presbyterian hymnal and a gospel hymnal with African American gospel and spirituals. We sing from both every Sunday and that is one of the reasons I love this gathering of Christians. There is a balance between proper “Presbyterianism” which is the history of this 109 year old congregation, and the cut loose and let it fly gospel spirit which is also a part of the church’s story.
Miss Winnie, our eighty seven year old pianist, fell recently and as so often happens, began a gentle descent towards death. The first Sunday she was absent, Pastor Pat asked me to accompany the congregation on the piano. Our community is small and we all have to pitch in whatever our gifts may be. I was the only in house option. It is the first time I have played the piano regularly for worship since college. Not only are my fingers slower than they used to be but I am having to learn new rhythms, new songs, new ways of singing old standards. Each congregation has its own musical history, its own tempo and its own versions of songs.
My southern religious musical upbringing has much in common with black gospel but there are some major differences. The first Sunday I played “Soon and Very Soon” I got lost in the repeats and codas. Afterward, one older man said “We sang more of ‘Soon and Very Soon’ than we have ever sung before!” We laughed, hugged and I resolved to practice more. Maybe that is why Miz Vivian wanted me to hear her favorite song sung right.
Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous!...Sing to him a new song, play skillfully on the strings with loud shouts. The Psalmist reminds me that I am a part of a musical tradition that stretches back thousands of years. My search for connection to the One who gave me a song to sing has led me through many different ways of singing and playing new music. I am equally at home with Just a Little Talk With Jesus, The Messiah, Soon and Very Soon, Just As I Am, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God and Amazing Grace. I love it all and do not worry overmuch about the theological implications of when we meet our King.
We do the best we can to put words to our beliefs but even the most learned among us can only present a partial and flawed word picture of God. Music with words transforms the imperfect word pictures and creates a place where the Spirit can sing with us a new song that praises and prays, perfect harmony. Our past, our present and our future as Christians can be found in our music.
On Women’s Sunday our girl’s and women’s chorus sang a hymn arrangement new to the congregation, The Hymn of Promise, one of my favorites, written in 1985 by Natalie Sleeth. It was dedicated to her husband Ronald who died after she wrote it. The second verse is my prayer for today. “ There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody; there’s a dawn for every darkness, bringing hope to you and me. From the past will come a future; what it holds a mystery, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.”