As a boy, I learned to sing from a hymnal with stiff covers and a loose spine. As a teen, I learned to enjoy a well-written and theologically-sound praise and worship chorus (too many miss on one or both counts). As I neared twenty, I sung in the Mason County High School Choir. Our concerts included sacred choral music. How could they not? For centuries, choral music has been one of the great ministry works of the church.
Music education is rarer than it once was. My alma mater, Georgetown College, cut its music degree program about a decade ago. Many other colleges and universities have, too. Public education has been deemphasizing music education for years. Once a fixture in homes, many living room pianos now serve as sideboards in Sunday School classrooms or are grasping their slowly slipping strings behind the Christmas decorations stuffed in stained-glass closets.
It could be that the people who say, “young people” (every church-goer’s favorite
fixation) want “upbeat, modern music” (whatever that means) are right. But I’m not so sure. Something about a pipe organ billowing a fugue makes me feel small in the presence of God. Two hundred voices singing a 200-year-old hymn helps me believe that “On heaven’s blissful shore, his goodness we’ll adore, singing forevermore.” And few things in my life make me want to stand up and yell “Alleluia! Amen!” like a soprano’s Ave Maria or a quartet immersing my soul in the currents and eddies of “Shall We Gather at the River.” I’m getting to know about a dozen “young people” who’ve been attending FAB regularly. Not one of them has said they wished for more “upbeat, modern music.” They’re coming because they like FAB.
Traditions like ours don’t just fall out of heaven into the choir loft. They’ve been
nurtured by the church for centuries. In this century, with music education on the
endangered species list, the church must nurture this one even more. We’re working on that here at FAB.
This summer, Dr. Alex Lee will be offering “How to Read Music: A Beginner’s
Introduction.” When he says beginner, he means it. I’m going, and I can’t tell an A Flat from a flat tire.
Come with me. Kind of like we do with the Bible on Wednesday evenings, we can learn together.
Details: Anyone first grade and older. Join for some or all of the six 45-minute
sessions. Grab a bite to eat in the Parlor after Sunday worship. Meet in the Chapel from 12:15 to 1PM. Six summer Sunday meeting dates: June 14, and 28, July 19, August 2, 9, and 16.
~ Rev. Zach Bay
