December 2023
Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
– Colossians 3:16
Along with streets lined with Christmas lights, trees in living room windows, and mugs of hot cocoa, one of the most beautiful parts of this season is the music. There is a reason we love these Christmas hymns and carols so much: they stir up sweet memories from ages ago, and remind us how connected we all are through the years. The same songs we sing today are the songs our grandparents, great-grandparents, and their grandparents also sang.
Silent Night, which we sing every year on Christmas Eve, was first sung in 1818. The day before Christmas that year, in a small Alpine village, the church’s organ broke down. The priest, Joseph Mohr, wrote a poem and gave it to the organist, Franz Gruber, who then set the poem to music. He played it on his guitar that Christmas Eve as the congregation sang along with him. Now, over 200 years later, we are still singing that beautiful tune.
Music not only connects us with our ancestors, but connects us to God. Throughout scripture, we hear stories of people honoring and praising God through song. After God leads the Hebrew people out of slavery, through the Red Sea, Moses’ sister Miriam picks up a tambourine and leads the people in dancing and singing. King David danced before God around the altar. Many of the Psalms were actually hymns people sang in worship together, and even Christ himself encourages us to worship God through music and dance.
This season, I encourage you to tune your hearts to music even more. Turn it on while you’re decorating, wrapping gifts, or cooking. Dance around your kitchen in your socks. Sing as loud as you can (Even if you “can’t sing.” God said, “Make a joyful noise” - it doesn’t have to be a good one!). And, be sure to raise your voices up in church as well as we sing some of our favorite hymns.
We are incredibly blessed at our two churches to have incredible musicians who grace us with their talent so that we can celebrate and worship God with our hearts and voices. At the beginning of each worship service, Amy and Sharon play a prelude. I invite you - not just during the Advent season, but all year round - to arrive early so you can sit in the sanctuary and listen. Once they begin playing, let your shoulders relax a little and quiet your heart and mind. This is such a busy season, and this time before worship is the perfect time to slow down, pray, and reconnect to God, our savior and redeemer.
With love and and a thankful heart,
Pastor Kelsey
