Introducing “Head In the Clouds”
—a new feature in our Chimes publication that highlights the ministry and voice of our church leadership.
The First Baptist Church of Sylva has a long-standing tradition of robust congregational singing, which has been maintained, even after the interruption of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our people make a “joyful noise” from the pews each Sunday. Led by the organ and piano, we burst into songs of various reflections of praise and adoration, commitment and Christian action, and reflective expression of faith. It has been my pleasure to lead you in song for quite some time, soon to be forty years. I am inspired and lifted up by your responses in hymnody, as I see your facial expressions that assure me that you are thinking about the words you are singing.
The lyricists and composers who have left us this library of hymns have given us a rich resource of praise and worship. You likely have noticed that when I offer prayer, I often recite verses of hymns, in order to say in poetic rhyme, the thoughts which I often want to express. There are so many messages and themes of worship which are present in the words of the hymns. Each week, we have Scriptures which are read, and Pastor Jeff preaches from the Scripture presented just before the sermon. As I am planning music for the service, I try to match the “theme” of those words in the hymns which I select, in order to maintain a direction of thought for the worship experience.
As a musician and singer, I realize that one can become involved in the aspects of singing and melody, and neglect thinking about the thoughts presented by the lyrics of the hymns. We should endeavor to absorb the message of the words while we make our “joyful noise.” I hope that everyone is comfortable with participation in hymn singing at whatever level one can achieve. (Nobody is keeping score on beautiful tone or eloquent diction.) When I face you, leading to the best of my ability, and with sincerity of purpose, I truly am blessed by your contribution to this aspect of our worship.
From time to time, people in our congregation have requested hymns which they would like to sing during worship. I invite your requests, and would appreciate your writing them on something and handing them to me (rather than telling me--because I may forget). I will certainly make the effort to include them when they are appropriate to the theme for worship. Thank you for your interest in the music ministry, and for supporting me these many years.
Bob Holquist
Minister of Music