News from the Worship and Music Department
I have this belief that most people like to sing. No matter whether they have trained for the operatic or theater stage or never sung in a choir or a musical ensemble, given the right place or situation, people will naturally want to sing. Maybe it’s because I’ve seen people singing in their car at a stop light or hear someone mouthing the words to a song they’re listening to as I jog past them at the park, or perhaps like me, they like to sing in the shower. No matter, I believe God has created us with an internal desire to sing, and singing is part of what makes us human. (If you doubt me, just look at the Books of Psalms and see how many times it mentions singing as a way to praise and worship God!)
What kind of a singer are you? A shower or bathtub singer? A car singer? Do you prefer to sing alone, or do you like to sing with others? Do you love songs like “We Will Rock You” or “We Are the Champions” with the crowds in a baseball or football stadium? How about singing songs or lullabies to your grandchildren as you rock them to sleep? Do you love to sing hymns at church or our national anthem at a patriotic event? There are so many opportunities to sing, and I can’t help but think God is pleased when we do it out of joy and gratitude for the blessings we receive.
Have you ever considered giving our Chancel Choir a try? Before you answer, let me share part of a news article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette entitled “1 in 6 Americans sings in a choir – and they’re healthier for it.”
It’s no secret that America’s social fabric is unraveling. Participation in churches and religious institutions is down. Fraternal organizations are shrinking. Marriage rates continue to decline. Voting is up, but volunteering is down. The differences dividing us seem greater than the similarities.
Yet group singing is gaining popularity…more than 17% of adults in the U.S. participate in a choir of some sort, up from 14% in 2008. That’s about 1 in 6 adults, according to a recent study by the service organization Chorus America.
The study identifies numerous reasons: Singing in groups has been linked to better mental and physical health, a sense of belonging and feeling connected to others, better social skills, increased civic engagement and volunteering, developing leadership skills and much more.
Jeremy Reynolds, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – Feb. 3, 2020
Wow! The news article certainly outlines a lot of reasons to join a choir. But I’d like to add one more! I believe singing in a choir is a great way to grow spiritually. How? I believe singing in a church choir gives you:
- An opportunity to minister to people who have come to church to be renewed, encouraged, and supported through the ups and downs or life. Serving others matures and grows us in Christ’s love.
- A way to learn scripture and Bible truths through song which you can then meditate and internalize throughout your week.
Simply put, I believe joining the Chancel Choir can be a good spiritual acceleration tool for God to use to help us grow in our relationship with him.
I would love to speak with you more on the subject. If you have any desire to give our church choir a try, please email me at: music@mylcor.org or call me at (763) 498-2553.
Blessings on the rest of your summer!
Singing God’s love,
Mark
