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Singing

One of the things many have missed over the last 16 months or so in church life has been congregational, corporate singing. Initially it was because we were not able to gather, but now many churches are gathering "in person", but singing is still off the agenda, due to the way the coronavirus spreads.

As a musician and someone who has led sung worship for more years than I would like to confess, I too miss the sound and feeling of a congregation passionately praising God in song. I think Eugene Peterson put it well:
"Because God, and therefore the worship of God cannot be reduced to the rational, song has always been the basic act of worship. Music is not added to words to make them more pleasing; it is integral to the way words are being used as openings to the transcendent, as windows to the mystery, as joining in the dance of the Trinity"

Some congregations are singing outside, others I'm sure are swerving the guidelines in different ways. But it does concern me that the guidance on singing has become a reason for another iteration of the "persecution" narrative, or at least a source of lament that churches are not privileged or prioritised in the way some may have hoped.

2 recent articles: https://www.premierchristianity.com/regular-columnists/enough-is-enough-its-time-to-let-christians-sing-again/4408.article?

https://www.eauk.org/news-and-views/churches-muted-by-government-inconsistency-and-intransigence?

But as one twitter user remarked, on the 2nd article here:

"Churches have not been muted, they have just been asked to protect their members through not singing indoors, this does not mean that churches have been muted!" (@Urbanmonk73)

Maybe it is another opportunity to show that we really do believe that worship is more than singing. Or for churches to continue to be creative and express worship in other ways.

Yes, coroporate singing is important, wonderful, and inspiring (or at least it can be!).

But is it really the most pressing issue right now, especially until we know just how safe it is?


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