What, No Drums?

   Did you ever walk into a place that you had never set foot in before, and felt it was like home?

   That happened to me this morning. We are visiting some friends in Franklin, NC, and we all went into town this morning to worship at the First Methodist Church. It was like stepping back into time, into a version of worship that just felt right to me.

   Walking through the back doors of the sanctuary into a room with stained glass windows all around, sun light shining through into the room, an atmosphere that seemed to invite us in, a place of peace.

   Perhaps it was nostalgia, a longing for a time long ago, when this was a safe place and a place of quiet and reverence. As we slipped into a pew, it just felt like we belonged.

   Then as I looked at the bulletin for this morning, I realized that I actually knew all the hymns and even the closing refrain which was more modern, but no less meaningful. Even the prelude, by the handbells, was music lifted from a piece by Dvorak entitled "Going Home", that was also a favorite of mine

   The the music that the congregation sang, from hymnals no less:

   Jesus Calls Us O'er the Tumult
   The Solid Rock

   The handbells played "Lead On O King Eternal"

   The congregation sang "Jesus Loves Me" as the children's portion of the service began.

   We sang the Doxology and the Gloria Patri, both staples in services that I grew up in.

   We all sang the Congregational Response to the message by the pastor, "Here I Am, Lord"

   How great is it to be able to sing along with others, all of us lifting our voices in worship, together.

   As I asked before, nostalgia? Maybe, but I sensed it was more. At least this was for me, true congregational worship, something that is missing from a lot of contemporary services where the songs are too new to sing, and the music too loud to hear anyone else around us singing.

   I loved it and did not miss the drums at all.

   And I was grateful to be able to be there and participate.