Lent begins
On Sunday Angela, our organist and choir mistress, begged on her knees for either John or me to attend the Ash Wednesday Eucharist yesterday evening to swell the numbers in the choir. The last such request was for a service only a day or so after The Rift episode, so John went. This time it was my turn. So, despite having an incipient migraine, and a mountain of marking to do, I grudgingly got in the car (shameful, it’s only 8 min walk away) and went round to the church.
And the service was a true gift. It turns out that I can sight sing Byrd without too much difficulty (esp with the vicar’s wife belting it out next to me). And I did a reading without breaking into a cold sweat (which is a ridiculously big deal – you’d think that seeing as I spend my professional life standing up in front of critical teenagers ad-libbing about such things as the niceties of the sampling distribution of the mean that I’d find a simple scripted reading in church child’s play – uh-uh – I generally get the heebie jeebies). But those are incidentals. Mainly it was a joy to be in church, able to concentrate on the service, and not have to run round after small children. And to have that for a service when there were no moments when I got all fidgety thinking “Oh just get on with it”, but every word was meaningful and pertinent was an even greater joy.
So is it simply self-indulgence to declare that my Lenten observance this year is to rejoin the choir?
seven comments:
I don’t think anyone would hold such a lovely idea against you. Enjoy!Louise () (link) - 22 February '07 - 11:49
better than mine…..lol
anyweay, above is the address for my new blog
Emma () (link) - 22 February '07 - 18:10
You’re going to think I’m just saying this, or that I’m a copycat, but I was thinking of joining a choir too. Really. I want to join a choral society though. Choral Society = big = drowns out my duff notes!Big Ruth () (link) - 22 February '07 - 20:40
No, it isn’t the slightest bit self serving! You definitely should. A good choir member is hard to find.I went to our service with the vestiges of a migraine and a bad attitude. Good thing I did though, because it was my week to count the offering. And I’m always good for singing, as my dad says, because everyone around me sings louder, if only to drown me out.
Okay, I posted twice, but only anonymously once. Sorry!
Carrie K () (link) - 24 February '07 - 00:26
Actually, as a second thought, why does Lent have to be about sufferance, (apart from the obvious) can it not be about giving something of yourself too? And you are giving (or sharing) your talent.Not that my thoughts count for much, but I still think your voice would be very much appreciated x
Louise () (link) - 24 February '07 - 19:42
Definitely – it sounds like a great idea! And I’ve never had to be responsible for small children during a service, but I have been a warden and found I never relaxed or “got into” the service because I was always on the alert to let latecomers in, or sort out someone who needed the loo, or find the hymn for the little old lady holding the hymn book upside down.Daisy () (link) - 26 February '07 - 10:42
I don’t think that is selfish. It sounds like a good sacrifice of personal time to give to others and if you enjoy doing it, so be it.Dorothy B () (link) - 27 February '07 - 19:17
