In one of my previous posts, I mentioned the Avery United Methodist Church.
This is the church my late mother grew up in. We averaged maybe 19 people a week when we regularly attended in my childhood. Mom taught Sunday School at the church for many years, including many as a child herself, teaching those younger than she was.
The Avery church has never really left my mind. I had another reminder of it come across me at work last week.
The church, like many others, had a revolving door of ministers. It was often a training ground for young ministers and a pasture on the way to retirement for others. One of the young pastors I'd known and formed a bond with came to my workplace the other day. Not to see me, but seeking a service my work provides.
I have begun to realize that, while life can throw these blasts from the past at you, it's nothing compared to the impact the music can have.
In addition to the sermon, each week at the Avery church, someone would choose the songs we would sing during the service. Though we had a rotation of leaders, and three hymnals to choose from, we most often would choose music from the same one. Quite often, we would choose songs that we all knew best.
Not every week, but I would say at least once a month, our small congregation would sing "Amazing Grace", "In the Garden", and "The Old Rugged Cross."
We never really followed recommendations from the United Methodist Church organization or any other outside leadership group. We chose songs that we knew, songs that we enjoyed and songs that we, even as small as our congregation was, could truly harmonize on and feel we were truly praising the Lord as best we could.
Of course, any joyful noise made to glorify God pleases Him, but there was always just something about singing songs we knew that made it that much better. To me, anyway.
As I grew older and learned how to play the trumpet, I was never really interested in playing the songs they taught us at school. I wanted to learn how to play these hymns that I'd been singing for years. There was a time I could play some of them pretty well.
Time marched on, and even though I left the Avery church, it and its music, has never left me. I can still sing every verse, word for word, of "In the Garden" and "Amazing Grace." I'm glad I can, because, much like my congregation of old, I believe these songs truly capture the message God wants us to remember. He's there for us, and it is only through His grace that we will be saved. I really don't know if we need three hymnals' worth of songs to get that message across.
My church today, when I am able to attend, often has songs predetermined by the United Methodist calendar. It makes me sad, to be honest, because I miss the songs I know and love. That, and I just don't know the lyrics and melodies of most of them. We don't sing any of them often enough for me to get to know them.
I am reassured each time I sing in the shower, or sing my wife to sleep, that there are things that are always going to be with me. God's grace and mercy will be, as will those tunes that remind me of that, as well as my old home.
Take care of yourself and thank you for reading.
