Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
The music moved me...I swayed.
A few years ago...quite a few years ago, now that I think about it, I served as the youth leader at the church we attended. In some way we were introduced to Corinthian Baptist Church in Des Moines, Iowa, and were invited up to a church service during Black History Month...which is February, every year. The congregation was predominately black. We were the minority.
We were so excited to go and experience not only a different denomination, but a cultural difference, too. We.were.blown.away! The music...the music was tremendous. Joyful. We had not heard anything like it. We had not ever seen anything like it. They clapped. They swayed. They raised their hands in worship. It was amazing.
I've often thought of that church and how they really, really worshiped and did not have any inhibitions in doing so. They were happy, proud, beautifully in the moment.
Last week, my husband and I visited a new church after many years of not going to church at all. We've missed it. We've missed being part of a church family. We've been participating in a weekly LIFE group at the home of friends. We were introduced to their church through these weekly group sessions.
So, we went. I felt at home immediately! Greeted in the parking lot with special parking for visitors, greeted at the door, introduced to different areas of the church and handed the bulletin...all while hearing worship music wafting through the doors. I was eager to go in.
A pretty simple layout; contemporary in design without all the typical emblems and markings of a traditional church. On the stage was something I was not expecting to see. Guess what it was? A mostly black choir. I don't know what I was expecting or if I had even given it any thought. I was so happy! I was so elated. The music moved me; I felt like I was back at Corinthian Baptist Church where there was an energy and excitement and wholehearted longing to be there and worship and praise His name.
Now, this is what is so interesting to me. A difference between the black culture and the white culture that I am accustomed to. What I know. One not better than the other...but, an observance. Something I've noticed. Something I wondered about then, many, many years ago and was reminded of it this past Sunday. Black people move and express themselves without abandon. White people seem to hold back. Why is that? I have to tell you...I was swaying right along with the best of them. Back and forth, swaying to the music. The white people that I saw, stood there, hands clenching the seat back in front of them; no movement. No joyous abandon. Why is that?
The music moved me...I swayed...the music moved me!
We were so excited to go and experience not only a different denomination, but a cultural difference, too. We.were.blown.away! The music...the music was tremendous. Joyful. We had not heard anything like it. We had not ever seen anything like it. They clapped. They swayed. They raised their hands in worship. It was amazing.
I've often thought of that church and how they really, really worshiped and did not have any inhibitions in doing so. They were happy, proud, beautifully in the moment.
Last week, my husband and I visited a new church after many years of not going to church at all. We've missed it. We've missed being part of a church family. We've been participating in a weekly LIFE group at the home of friends. We were introduced to their church through these weekly group sessions.
So, we went. I felt at home immediately! Greeted in the parking lot with special parking for visitors, greeted at the door, introduced to different areas of the church and handed the bulletin...all while hearing worship music wafting through the doors. I was eager to go in.
A pretty simple layout; contemporary in design without all the typical emblems and markings of a traditional church. On the stage was something I was not expecting to see. Guess what it was? A mostly black choir. I don't know what I was expecting or if I had even given it any thought. I was so happy! I was so elated. The music moved me; I felt like I was back at Corinthian Baptist Church where there was an energy and excitement and wholehearted longing to be there and worship and praise His name.
Now, this is what is so interesting to me. A difference between the black culture and the white culture that I am accustomed to. What I know. One not better than the other...but, an observance. Something I've noticed. Something I wondered about then, many, many years ago and was reminded of it this past Sunday. Black people move and express themselves without abandon. White people seem to hold back. Why is that? I have to tell you...I was swaying right along with the best of them. Back and forth, swaying to the music. The white people that I saw, stood there, hands clenching the seat back in front of them; no movement. No joyous abandon. Why is that?
The music moved me...I swayed...the music moved me!
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