Dear Magdalene,
Today we showed up late for church. Since it was the Sunday before Christmas, showing up late meant there were no empty seats, except for the front corner pew. We made it in time to sit before the sacrament hymn ended, and all six of us squished in the small space.
The meeting was beautiful, as it always is for Christmas. But I must report that my favorite part was the last two songs. The full choir was in front of us. There were two of the best piano players sitting at the piano (meaning two men with big, strong hands), an organist at the organ, three violinists and one bass violinist, all with instruments ready to go. Sister Mecham (my fav) warned the congregation that once the song starts, "Get ready cause it's really gonna move." The pianists began the introduction to the song, and then it began. The large choir, the two pianists, one organist, three violinists, one bass violinist, and one large, packed congregation began singing Angels We Have Heard On High. And it moved.
The we switched into Hark The Herald Angels Sing. And it moved.
I don't think I've sat in a sacrament meeting so powerful. Maybe I have, but it's been a very long time since such power has been sustained. I think Daddy was moved from the get go, as was I. I don't know how anybody sang, but it seemed everyone was.
Because we were in the front corner pew, we had the best seats in the house. We got the fullness of sound from the strings, the bulk of volume from the choir, and the rest of the congregation coming from behind. This is praise! This is faith. This is inspiration. This is what a heavenly host might begin to sound like. I envisioned that Christ could have appeared in the space between me and the choir on the podium, and none of us would have been surprised.
If that's what heavenly choirs sound like, I think I should much like to participate. Definitely something worth sitting in the front left few for the rest of my time at church, if that's what it sounds like there.
Moving, indeed.
~Mom<3
Today we showed up late for church. Since it was the Sunday before Christmas, showing up late meant there were no empty seats, except for the front corner pew. We made it in time to sit before the sacrament hymn ended, and all six of us squished in the small space.
The meeting was beautiful, as it always is for Christmas. But I must report that my favorite part was the last two songs. The full choir was in front of us. There were two of the best piano players sitting at the piano (meaning two men with big, strong hands), an organist at the organ, three violinists and one bass violinist, all with instruments ready to go. Sister Mecham (my fav) warned the congregation that once the song starts, "Get ready cause it's really gonna move." The pianists began the introduction to the song, and then it began. The large choir, the two pianists, one organist, three violinists, one bass violinist, and one large, packed congregation began singing Angels We Have Heard On High. And it moved.
The we switched into Hark The Herald Angels Sing. And it moved.
I don't think I've sat in a sacrament meeting so powerful. Maybe I have, but it's been a very long time since such power has been sustained. I think Daddy was moved from the get go, as was I. I don't know how anybody sang, but it seemed everyone was.
Because we were in the front corner pew, we had the best seats in the house. We got the fullness of sound from the strings, the bulk of volume from the choir, and the rest of the congregation coming from behind. This is praise! This is faith. This is inspiration. This is what a heavenly host might begin to sound like. I envisioned that Christ could have appeared in the space between me and the choir on the podium, and none of us would have been surprised.
If that's what heavenly choirs sound like, I think I should much like to participate. Definitely something worth sitting in the front left few for the rest of my time at church, if that's what it sounds like there.
Moving, indeed.
~Mom<3
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