I Got the Music in Me

I am a bit frustrated. For the first time ever, a pastor has sent me the entire fall lineup of Scripture/sermon topics and focus. I should be setting aside time to prayerfully and thoughtfully select musical repertoire and approaches that will work well with the excellent plan in my hand.

But every time I schedule time to select the music, something comes up to prevent me from being able to focus on the topic or even put my hand to it. Finally, today, after weeks of no progress, I set aside a day to immerse myself in the repertoire. If I had my druthers, I would spend most of my time planning and organizing worship, rehearsing, learning, seeing how things fit together, finding a flow that affords people the opportunity to enter into the presence of God.

Today I find it difficult to match a preexisting set of anthems with the liturgical themes for this year. I find anthems with the right text, but the music is too ugly or too out-of-range for my singers or requires a larger ensemble than I have. Or it has a solo instrument we do not have easy access to. Or is so outdated in style as to be unacceptable to today's listeners.

I follow clues and read through multiple songs and track down memories of past performances. Each piece that I settle on feels like a major accomplishment. I get stuck here and there on a particular Sunday where nothing seems to fit. I dig down deep inside myself and listen to what music from my own past brings me to the sermon topic. Sometimes I light on a piece I have conducted elsewhere that would be perfect. I end up ordering 2 new octavos for this choir that I know they will enjoy and that will work well not just this year but in years to come.

Won't it be grand in heaven when the music just flows with no need for selection and rehearsing and imperfections and considerations of when the tenor is away!