Or maybe we’re the bourgeoisie. Or the upper crust. (I’m just using those terms for the anyhow, OK?)
I just want to say that in my home congregation, we all sing. Even the men. Maybe it’s because we are a conservative Mennonite church. We sing four-part a cappella (you know, with no musical instruments).
In fact, once a quarter we have a Sunday afternoon men’s singing time, using Hymns We Love #3. And then in the evening we have a singing service for everybody. With fingerfood snacks in between.
I thought of that several days ago when I read this article:
Reformers gave worship back to the people in the form of congregational singing. They composed simple tunes that were easy to sing, and mated them with theologically rich lyrics. Since most people were illiterate in the 16th century, singing became an effective form of catechism. Congregants learned about God as they sang about God.
But that began to change about ten years ago.
In short order we went from 250 songs everyone knows to 250,000+ songs nobody knows.
And so the church has returned to the 14th century. Worshippers stand mute as professional-caliber musicians play complex instruments, sung in an obscure language. Martin Luther is turning over in his grave.
The men have not stopped singing. Not at Hopewell Mennonite Church. I am so grateful to belong to a singing church!
We use Church Hymnal and Life Songs #2. Once in a while, we’ll use Zion’s Praises or Life Songs #1 or Songs That Live during one of our monthly hymn sings.
Oh, and our young folks put on a singing program the evening of (almost) every fifth Sunday (of those months that have that many Sundays, of course). For a sample of their singing: YouTube videos of the Hopewell Mennonite Youth Group singing.
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