Cluster Choir

Ah, our annual choral gathering! There are 11 choirs participating this year. I am approaching it a bit differently. I purchased 2 new songs for the event. Songs that I like and which I plan to sing in our home services, but upbeat songs that I think other churches might want to try out. Its challenging for the choir to learn them on top of the regular service repertoire and feel like they know them well enough to sing in public, so to speak.

Several people from choir will not be able to be there this year for one reason or another, so we are small in number, but big in heart. I always worry about my choir members because it is such a long and uncomfortable and demanding day. They are such good sports about it. I especially worry about people driving home in the dark after such a long day out.

I have suggested to the other directors that we consider having the rehearsal on a Saturday for the 3 mass choir pieces, then schedule the concert in the afternoon on Sunday. That way we wouldn't need to do a marathon of singing for the 6 hours we will put in today on top of the morning service.

This year my throat is so bad that I cannot sing. I sit in the pews and listen. It IS a lovely sound to hear 80+ voices sing together. And everyone seems to be enjoying themselves despite the grueling schedule. The last piece they sing is the Hallelujah chorus from the Messiah. The organist is stellar, knowing just how to work the stops to best effect. They have run the piece twice and are doing one last swing through.

Suddenly, in the middle of the piece, I feel rather than hear, a depth and spirituality that is rare. The faces of the singers are shining. They are all pouring everything they have into this song. There is a collective energy. The sound floats with majesty. The singers also feel the moment of powerful significance as they lift up the ancient music to the ears of God. Yes, this is why we do cluster choir every year. We would have never been able individually to achieve such a moment. But together, in community, we affirm our common faith, we reach a unity of knowing the grandeur of God.

The rest of the evening slides by, but for me, the one moment of pure awe made the entire day worthwhile. I am blessed that I was able to sit there and be part of it despite my inability to sing. Hallelujah!