Singing all the verses
Most of the churches we've been in sang the first verse and the last verse of every song. Occasionally, there would be a third one thrown in. At this church, we noticed right away that every verse is sung. mmmmmm
When we had our music based VBS, that was explained in one of the sessions. The entire song tells a story. If you don't sing it all, you miss part of the story. I'd never thought of that before. Of course I knew the verses worked together, but I'd not considered looking at them altogether. Isn't it amazing how habit takes over and your brain ceases to function?
Today we sang Amazing Grace. Newton wrote the words in 1779 (I think) and it was not set to music until the 1800s. It was a poem and only a poem for a long time. A story of redemption told.
It bothered me at first to sing all the verses, mainly because so much of the actual music is new to me, but I've tried to take this to heart and read as well as hear the words that build to a story in song. Relax with the music and appreciate the message God would have me hear.
Here's a shorter one we sang today, also by Newton:
May the Grace of Christ our Savior
May the grace of Christ our Savior
And the Father’s boundless love
With the Holy Spirit’s favor,
Rest upon us from above.
Thus may we abide in union
With each other and the Lord,
And possess, in sweet communion,
Joys which earth cannot afford.
When we had our music based VBS, that was explained in one of the sessions. The entire song tells a story. If you don't sing it all, you miss part of the story. I'd never thought of that before. Of course I knew the verses worked together, but I'd not considered looking at them altogether. Isn't it amazing how habit takes over and your brain ceases to function?
Today we sang Amazing Grace. Newton wrote the words in 1779 (I think) and it was not set to music until the 1800s. It was a poem and only a poem for a long time. A story of redemption told.
It bothered me at first to sing all the verses, mainly because so much of the actual music is new to me, but I've tried to take this to heart and read as well as hear the words that build to a story in song. Relax with the music and appreciate the message God would have me hear.
Here's a shorter one we sang today, also by Newton:
May the Grace of Christ our Savior
May the grace of Christ our Savior
And the Father’s boundless love
With the Holy Spirit’s favor,
Rest upon us from above.
Thus may we abide in union
With each other and the Lord,
And possess, in sweet communion,
Joys which earth cannot afford.
Bitsy, I can easily understand the reason for singing them all. That's what we do in my church nearly every hymn every Sunday. But there are times when I wish they'd just get on with it, like when the music is awful, the lyrics are poor and there are many, many verses, or the organist is dragging it. What I don't like is when the hymnal committee who made the thing decide to change some words, especially in order not to offend somebody. Then I'd rather we didn't sing them at all, unless we can change the words back.
ReplyDeleteGary, I always felt that way before. I think I feel differently here because they aren't trying to cram so much into a single service. At the other churches we've been at, it's like we had to sing 12 songs, so no way could you sing all the verses.
ReplyDeleteThat's off key or slow tempo aside :P