I’ve heard people say that they cannot “carry a tune in a bucket.” I became curious about the origin of the phrase. Turns out, in the 19th century, the word “carry”, which means to “transport”, became associated with sound. Someone’s voice, it was said, “carried with the wind.” I guess it makes some sense that the phones we “carry” around give us access to thousands of songs. Speaking more humanly, we each carry songs in our minds and hearts that we learned in church, at school, or on our various media. But what if music also carries us?
This past May, I went to England and Ireland with my children, Courtney and Jeremy. On Sunday morning in London, as my son took off to watch a soccer match, my daughter and I attended worship at Westminster Abbey. The line to get in would be long, we were told, so we got there early. Upon entering, we realized we were not going to be able to choose our own seats. Instead, we were guided by hosts to the place where we would be sitting. As it turned out, we were directed to seats in the nave, which were directly behind a row of adult male singers in the choir. There was a great deal of singing in the liturgy, some by the choir only, and some sung by everyone. While I can carry an easy tune in a bucket, I certainly do not have a trained voice. That day, however, when we sang with that choir, it felt like we were singing with great power. In those moments, it felt like the music was carrying us.
This is one of the reasons we sing. Our music can fortify us, allowing us to connect with others and with the deep themes of love, justice and mercy at the heart of our faith. That is uniquely true during the Advent and Christmas season. This Sunday, our service will be filled with wonderful music. At points in the service, the choir will sing “In Dulci Jubilo”, “Magnificat”, and “Glory to God in the Highest”. Our Bell Choir will ring “All Bells in Paradise,” and will do so in memory of Barbee Benbow. The sermon, which flows from Mary’s Magnificat, as recorded in Luke 1: 39-45, is titled “Advent Singing: Waiting for one’s Truest Music to Emerge.” We’ll sing together, pray together, and have a moment for children. We would love for you to join us.
If this will be your first time at St. Mark’s, you are especially welcome. Join us in the sanctuary at 10:30, or join online at that time by visiting www.smumc.church, and clicking on the Livestream banner.