Dear Pastor: Are you singing?

Note: I'm sick as all get out, I have too many things about which I am agitated and which *demand* that I write about them, and I got into an online conversation yesterday that messed with my head. So, this, and maybe the beginning of a new sporadic thing...


Dear Pastor:

Congratulations on getting through another Sunday. We both know that's never as easy as it might seem, although it's possible your Sunday is longer and more stressful than mine.

Now I know that in my small church down here in Florida, I probably don't have quite the variety of concerns to wade through in any given Sunday or service as you do. You might be preaching two or even three services, for example, and who knows how many meetings or consultations as well. For myself, I have got to get over this stupid flu before I can function anything much like normal.

Nonethless I have a question for you. I'm still a relative newbie at this pastor thing, and maybe I can learn something from you about how to go about all of this. So, here is something I'd like to know:

What do you do when your congregation is singing?

I mean, I presume you're in the sanctuary, not "waiting in the wings" for some strange grand entrance thing, right? So you're there in worship, presumably on the platform or stage if there is one, right out front where the congregation can see you. So what are you doing when the congregation is singing?

Are you still mentally riffing through your sermon notes? Scanning the congregation to check attendance? Looking dignified?

Or are you in fact singing?

I hope that last is the answer.

I'm sure you have seen all the indicators that of all the stuff that happens in a worship service of whatever sort, the main thing that most congregants are likely to take home with them is something that was sung in the service, most likely something the congregation sang itself. We'll try to be expansive here; those might be good ol' traditional hymns, gospel songs, choruses of some ilk, possibly global song, Lots of possibilities for what the congregation might sing during the service--whether at the beginning, right before or after your sermon, or at the very end. Whatever those songs may be, are you singing them as well, with the congregation?

Of course, I'm presuming here. I suppose it's possible that the congregation of your church doesn't really sing. That would be terribly sad, but I suppose it's possible. So what music is taking place? Is it a praise band or whatever those are being called these days (I have trouble keeping up)? Or do you have a highly professional choir and orchestra carrying the musical load? Either way, that's really sad.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of choirs. But that's not meant to be all there is. Otherwise you're having a concert with a speech instead of a worship service, aren't you?

But anyway, whatever singing is going on, what are you doing when it's going on? Here's the thing: I'm pretty sure you'd go ballistic if you found out the choir, for example, was pretty visibly not paying attention to your sermon, wouldn't you? Heads would roll. Hopefully you, in turn, manage to at least give the impression that you are paying attention to what they're doing when the anthem is sung.

And naturally, of course, you will want to give proper respect to the congregation as they, the people, do the work of the people -- as they do liturgy.

After all, you wouldn't want to give off the impression that the music in the service is just filler, would you? You wouldn't want the congregation to believe that their participation in the service is just tap dancing until the Main Event (your sermon, naturally) comes? You wouldn't want to do that, would you? Certainly you don't actually believe that, do you?

So, pastor, when the congregation, whether "lustily" as John Wesley might put it or more tentatively, launches into their sung participation in worship, what are you doing?

I hope you're singing.

You better be singing.



(to be continued...)