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Our Worship Committee meets every month to discuss certain matters: communion schedules, banners, candles, and a number of other topics. Recently we began to study the Presbyterian Book of Order, most specifically its section on Worship. In coming to paragraphs discussing prayer, some were taken aback to read that “Prayer is at the heart of worship” (W-2.1001). Not the sermon, not the scripture, not the offertory anthem (not the offertory anthem?) We discussed, in particular, one sentence which stated that all music is considered prayer. This was something I learned in college and others knew about, but some of the members were surprised. Hymns, choral introits, anthems, piano solos, organ improvisations? Could all this music be considered prayer?
I used to think that I wasn’t praying unless I was on my knees, hands folded, head down, eyes shut (no peeking) and I was either asking for God to do something for me, or to forgive me…please, PLEASE forgive me! As I began to grow up I thought that I could talk to God without performing all these physical acts. My first time in a church that used the Lord’s Prayer as well as other common prayers was quite a strange experience. The idea of praying words that weren’t my own was perplexing. Could those words truly be sincere; did they mean anything to me, to God?
When I was in high school, a popular song at the time was ‘Unanswered Prayers’, in which the singer sings ‘Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers.’ The pastor at the Church of Christ where I was attending talked about the fact that God answers all prayers, just sometimes answers them with a resounding ‘No’. I began to think that maybe some of the things I was asking for over and over again were things to which God was saying ‘No’. I look back on those times, thinking, was I really praying? Was asking God to cause some girl to like me, or to get a toy for Christmas, or for me to pass a test even though I had not studied really praying, or was I just complaining about my life?
In my role as Director of Music at Covenant, I am in charge of leading people in music every Sunday morning, rehearsing on Wednesday nights, planning music for special services and concerts. But what am I really doing; leading people in times and experiences of prayer? What are we doing when we sing in church; congregation, choir, soloists, Mira on the organ or piano, myself on the trumpet, guest musicians? Are we all praying?
It tells us in the Book of Order that “Song is a response which engages the whole self in prayer” (W-2.1003). Maybe that word ‘is’ should be changed to ‘really should be’: Song ‘really should be’ a response which engages the whole self in prayer. It should be a time to come together as a family, as a congregation and praise God, a time to contemplate the words we sing, to revel in the beauty of music and all its intricacies. It should be a time of preparation, thanksgiving, adoration, exaltation, even illumination. It should be a time when we use the words of poets, ministers and other writers from before our time to converse with God, to make their words our own and to join with Christians around the world in the present as well as the past to pray these hymns to God. The question is are we making that a reality?
Bryan Page
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