Worship Notes

One of the beauties of this season in the church is the unique things that we do during this time – we gather to read prophecies and light candles around the wreath, we focus our worship exclusively on one specific aspect of the Gospel known as the birth narrative, and we feature in worship groups that we sometimes see only a few times each year.  Tomorrow, we are excited to have both our Preschool Choir and our Handbell Choir lead in worship.  But, that poses an interesting question for our worship and for Worship Notes.  I usually write about some focus of the text in either what the choir is singing or what we will sing congregationally, but how can we best worship with songs that don’t have a sung text, or with Preschool music that is light and cheerful but may not have rich, theological meaning?

I’m glad you asked!  Here’s a few (non-exhaustive) thoughts: 

Preschool Music

1. The songs are cute, but our use of Preschoolers to lead in worship is so much more. These songs often teach the factual details of Biblical stories and are one way to fulfill Deuteronomy 11:19 by passing along God’s story of redemption.  Worship by enjoying the knowledge that even our littlest ones are being saturated with God’s story in every aspect of our church.
2. Worship by witnessing the early development of our preschoolers as musicians, singers, and worship leaders.
3. God has ordained praise from the mouths of infants and babes (Psalm 8:2). Though the words are simple, God delights in them.  Worship by delighting in the words with the children and at their joy at singing His praise.

Instrumental Music

1. When the songs have a text and you know it, worship and sing in your heart and consider the words of the text.
2. God designed all forms of music for His praise, including instrumental music. Psalm 150 commands us to use all manner of instruments including trumpets, harps, and cymbals, to give him praise.  If the instrumental music doesn’t have a text or you don’t know the words, enjoy the beauty of the music, and acknowledge that God’s created beauty, in this case through music, is an opportunity to worship Him for His creative nature.
3. Use it as a moment to fulfill Philippians 4:8 and spend the time enjoying the music while also contemplating the good, excellent, and praiseworthy things of God.

Chris

Don’t know one of the songs we’re singing?  Check them out here:

Joy to the World
https://youtu.be/kyciMYZq2-Y?si=6acWd2H2dak-HqpJ

Joy Has Dawned
https://youtu.be/1zqAxtZvOEU?si=FZWACEblktHy5R7o