Perhaps you noticed the absolute houseful of visitors that we had for our Cantata on December 18. The phone was ringing off the hook from folks asking where the church is, double checking the time of worship, etc. The funniest moment that day, however, was when one of the choir folks came in from the parking lot. She saw a visitor come in to check on what the service was about, and then went running out to the car to say, “George, guess what! It’s all music, and there is NO SERMON!!!” We had a good laugh in the choir room, but our visitor was wrong. There was a sermon, spoken in the music, and it hit home to all of us, no less me. There is nothing quite so humbling as having the opportunity to lead a congregation through the Christmas season, and I never felt that more sincerely than during the Christmas Cantata with your choir and the Phoenix Symphony. A key member of the Symphony talked about how much they love coming to this church, and how warmly they are received—and further, that he had never heard his own orchestra sound as wonderful as it did as they performed. Music is such a vital part of our ministry at the United Church of Sun City. It is easy to take it for granted, week after week, when we are treated to such excellence. But I can tell you the experience here is so far beyond “good” that all of us have been spoiled rotten! But then again, the music isn’t really about us, is it? It is about our worship of God. We talked on Christmas Eve about how the angels were doing what they were called to do—worshipping God and delivering a message. Our Choir delivers that message and worships God every week. Angels, all of them. They invite us into the privilege of that worship by leading us in an experience that opens our hearts to God. I suspect that’s a reason that many of us (even our choir!) have a love-hate relationship with applause in church. The choir isn’t performing for us—the choir is performing for God, and inviting us to join in honoring the God who moves in our hearts. And, when the glory of the angels shone around them, the shepherds knew well enough that they were not worshipping them—they were worshipping the God who sent them. Now, before you think I am a Grinch, let’s understand something. I think God applauds wildly! And I believe that there are moments when we just HAVE to applaud. It occurred to me on the day of the Cantata that, in those moments when we are brought to tears and are drawn to our feet, perhaps it makes most sense to understand it as applauding God’s spirit moving within us. Awe does that to us. And then, like it did for the shepherds, it invites us to share the message we have heard. With you on the journey, Curt |
