Music and Worship

Music. For me, music and worship go hand in hand. I started to say, “Music and church go hand in hand”. But for me, music takes the step of going to church truly into the realm of worship. And it can be at “church,” or it can be a campfire, or simply sitting and playing piano at home. It was someone from church who first suggested, when I was 8 years old, that I should take piano lessons, and offered to let me practice at her home since we couldn’t afford a piano. And I said yes.

At age 12 I was asked to start playing regularly for church, and I said yes. Somewhat reluctantly at that time, but yes. Because I didn’t like practicing a whole lot, I learned to sight-read. It was also because of the church I learned to sing harmony. That was because I couldn’t sing high enough to sing the melody. But I enjoyed singing with friends and family for special services as I was growing up as well as in the weekly services. The special services combined two denominations and alternated between the two churches over the years.

Those were people I loved, admired, and respected. Singing seemed to be a special bond with family and friends. After moving to California in the early 1970s, playing piano for, or singing in, the choir provided additional musical ways to worship.

Each step along the way provided areas for growing, for learning, for a part of me being an offering to God. When sitting at the piano or keyboard at church I frequently feel like I move into a different space, one where the Spirit sits with me, guides me, and ministers through the gift of music he’s given me.

I don’t get the notes right 100% of the time, but I’ve learned I don’t have to be perfect, I just have to do the best I can at the time. And I’ve learned that the Spirit can add to our gifts. There have been times when people have commented that they’ve heard an added voice to a choir presentation, something beyond what we fully understand. The Spirit adds to our gifts.

As Christ’s disciples, we don’t have to be perfect. But we do need to take the step of saying “yes” in order to grow, in order to more fully become what we’re called to be. I don’t know why the lady from church initially told me I needed to learn to play piano, but I’ll always be grateful to her for that nudge. I’ll always be grateful to the Lord for using me in service, in music and in all the other ways in my life.