Do not be afraid...

Last Sunday the elders led worship.   They had a ready prepared script with hymns already picked, and yet obviously as this was not a frequent occurrence for them they needed to rehearse and ensure it would all work for them.

Last week I was a bit of a huff - I have weeks like that.   During the week I managed to exhibit that huff on a few occasions, and one such occasion was following the rehearsal of the elders.   During the run through, they had decided that one of the hymns wasn't one that should be sung, and so, as I wasn't in the manse or church, left a message to say they wanted to change it.

I heard the message and I immediately knew which hymn it was, without even being told.   In the week prior to the rehearsal I had checked the hymns and thought they were all fine.   The organist and I changed one tune, but the rest were known to the congregation so therefore should work.  

After lunch, the call to the elder was returned and I pretended not to know which hymn they wanted to change and sure enough I had it spot on.   "Why?", I asked.   "We didn't really think it was appropriate for children, and it's not known here."

At this point the huff started.   Of course it was known.   It has been used in worship in my time.   Of course it's appropriate to children.   What child doesn't need to know that God is with them at all times of life?   It matches the reading it follows.   And so I went on...

The elder agreed with my perspective and phoned the others to let them know that the hymn would not be changed.

But I felt guilty.   Guilty enough to e-mail the organist and ask if they would mind the hymn changing.   Guilty enough that while drinking coffee with a colleague and challenged as to why I had interfered in the Elders' Service I had had to think again.

Once home I phoned and apologised to the elder that I had huffed at, and the hymn was duly changed.

Why did I feel guilty?   For some of the elders this was a new experience and they needed to feel comfortable, and deep within me I knew the hymn made them feel uncomfortable for it spoke to the things that they were afraid of.   They needed to be comfortable and happy with what they were presenting, and if changing a hymn made them so then that was the thing to do.

Hilariously though when I mentioned the not knowing the hymn to the 17 year old choirmaster, he thought I was being funny.   He knew it and his only experience of church is this one.   But the call was the right one to make, and Sunday was a more than worthwhile experience.