Pastor Melinda Giese, Minister of Discipleship & Pastoral Care
As I listened to the choir sing “Hymn of Promise” so beautifully in worship this week, I was reminded of how much I miss congregational singing. That particular hymn is one of my favorites, and I find great joy in singing a beloved hymn together with the congregation. However, I’m not a great singer. In fact, I doubt I’m even a good singer. But there is no question that I love singing! In congregational singing, all the good and great singers in the church make it possible for me to join in and stay (more or less) in the right key.
While I have no particular musical abilities, singing has been one of the most natural and easiest places for me to connect with God. When I think back over my childhood experiences of God, it’s the singing that stands out. Singing in the outdoor chapel at Twinlow Camp in eastern Idaho early in the morning. Singing at the Carols by Candlelight evening Christmas service in my childhood church. Singing together with the congregation on Sunday mornings. Before I could form beliefs, I experienced the mystery of God’s presence through singing.
Just like many of you, I feel profoundly sad that in order to protect one another from COVID-19, we must give up congregational singing for a time. In all honesty, it’s hard for me to imagine worship without hymns. In Psalm 101, the psalmist begins by saying, “Oh, let me sing about faithful love and justice! I want to sing my praises to you, Lord!” Singing is one of the primary ways we reach out and respond to God, similar to prayer. I also find that singing taps into my emotions more than spoken words and brings a different kind of peace.
Understanding that we cannot sing as a congregation in order to protect our community’s health, I have been wondering how I can incorporate music into my spiritual life outside of church. In difficult times in the past, I have closed my eyes and prayed along with the sung words of a hymn. Especially when I feel at a loss for words, I appreciate being able to rest in words others have written and pray along with them.
This week, I tried quietly singing along with a hymn with the help of youtube. I chose “How Can I Keep from Singing,” which is another favorite hymn and particularly appropriate for this pandemic. The goal wasn’t the quality of my singing - it was to give voice to my faith and connect to God’s presence. I noticed that singing through the hymn once out loud was enough for the words to stay with me. As the melody line repeated in my head at various times throughout the day, I’d remember the words we’ve sung together in worship: “No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that Rock I’m clinging…” I only sang the hymn once, but the melody and words continued to give me a sense of peace.
Singing is a powerful spiritual practice and a practice of hope. In difficult times, singing hymns soothes our fears and worries and helps ground us in our faith. While we can’t sing together right now, we can continue to sing in our cars and in our homes. For even in a pandemic, and even when we can’t sing together, how can we keep from singing?