Praying Twice

Last night I greeted the Adult Choir at the Parish of the Epiphany. It was their first Thursday evening rehearsal of the “program year” and a reminder, as I looked into their faces, of all the commitment and love they give to our parish’s common life. 

This morning I did some writing for the Sunday leaflet about a hymn (Crown him with many crowns) and it led me into all sorts of directions and source material about 19th century hymnody. Which led me to think about my clergy group, a group of eight other priests who lovingly tease me about my nerd-like interest in hymns. So I said, “thank you, God, for those guys.” 

The Grenell Island Chapel

Last Sunday I visited a summer chapel on Grenell Island, a small hamlet of 50 or so cottages in the middle of the St. Lawrence River. It was a pan-protestant service led by a retired American Baptist denominational executive. The liturgical elements would have been familiar to most Christians; it was indeed a hybrid, necessary I’m sure, for the ecumenical crowd who live on that island. The singing was so-so, until we got to the “doxology.” This refrain, which is sung in so many churches at the offertory procession, but is often castigated, even spit on, in more liturgical traditions, revealed a community of worship who can sing! At that point the little chapel’s walls were almost reverberating...everybody was singing, not with their hymnals, but from their hearts. The Holy Ghost had shown up and we were having church.

There’s a whole story about how I came to faith, why I love hymns, and what they do for me...for my prayer life, and for my preaching. It’s a story to tell for another day. Today, I’m grateful for the music at the Parish of the Epiphany, for our interest in singing, and for  the way it helps us to pray not once, but twice.