I attended the Association of Lutheran Church Musician's Conference and the ELCA Worship Jubilee last week - titled "Called To Be A Living Voice"
We spoke of many things, and we worshiped well! Evening Prayer, Morning Prayer, Eucharist - we did it all. We used many styles of music and different venues, instruments, languages and more. It was a wonderful experience to be with God and so many sisters and brothers in Christ worshiping in so many different kinds of art and musical experiences. My thanks to all who served to make that happen!
The theme "Called To Be A Living Voice" had much to offer. But I want to talk about one aspect: "Excellence in Worship" Why bring our best? How do we (as musicians) define that in each and every context or church? Is it the same everywhere, and if not - what does that mean?
The discussion and events of this last week have me thinking. I want to share those thoughts here:
As Christian Musicians, we lead the peoples' song. Our local church community has a relationship with God, and that is the context in which we lead the peoples' song. In using the word relationship, I don't mean each person's own personal relationship. I think we will do well to remember that our place is to lead music and musicians who are part of our local corporate worshiping community in relationship with God Almighty. That is no little thing! Living in that, we open ourselves up and are authentic in who we are. If we are Christian musicians, we participate in worship, in confession and forgiveness, in prayer, receiving God's Word in scripture and sacrament, and sing the church's song as best we can in our context. Know this - Christian or not - we musicians are part of the "corporate" relationship our community has with God. This relationship is deep and abiding. This is not merely some ritual - historic or contemporary - but a living relationship with God and God's people. That is why we yearn for music and arts in worship. Our deeper experiences cry out for expression from our artists! That is why we sing. This is a deep, abiding and lasting loving relationship that has a history and a future! And we are part of that.
So being a church music leader is not just about the ability to conduct a choir, read music or play a keyboard. Its not only about how good a musician you are. Each of us is unique and we bring our "self" to our situation every week at church. We know who we are, we know our abilities, we continue to hone them, to be open to learning and to do our very best as musicians.
But each of us is in a different place. We each have a different skill-set: conductor, keyboard player, composer, singer, etc... We are not the same. When we bring our very best, (at whatever level we inhabit) others see that we are part of a community that accepts the Good News of Jesus Christ down into our very being so deeply, that we respond with all that we have, with all that we are. In that, they can see how Christ is transforming us. God uses us in our vocation to bear witness to God's grace in the communities in which we serve!
For some of us, that means making it through the hymns on Sunday without playing pedals at the organ, being thankful we got most of the notes! For others, it means spending the time working with that chorister who needs our help staying on pitch. For some, it means working more diligently on our planning. For others, it means more hours on the organ console, practicing! We all, in some fashion, spend time in rehearsal - individual and otherwise.
In all that we do, in all that we are - I believe we should remember who and whose we are. And in that, we respond to God's great gift of grace - through the incarnation, life, suffering, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, who died for us. Knowing that, how can we give less than our best? And when you are giving your best, do NOT compare it to someone else's best. Give YOUR best that day, and God will receive it, and bless it and accept it as an offering. That offering is worthy not because of our work, but because of God's grace! Give it and let go of it, for it is in God's hands.
Soli Deo Gloria! (Glory to God Alone - signed by J. S. Bach on his church compositions)
