A Standing O?!?

Oh wow! We had a great time of worhip this morning. I really liked all of the songs we sang - well, duh, I planned the service - but some weeks seem to go really well and this was one of them. The Praise Team sang with beautiful harmonies, the congregation sang well. It was just great. Jesus was honored and worshipped and great truths were shared.

But the highlight of the service - for me, anyway - was the choir anthem. Oh Wow! Curtis did a fantastic job on the solo and the choir sang perhaps the best they have ever sung. The dynamics were super, beginning with the soft yet big sound as we sang, "let us pray", to the crisp and exciting "Kyrie eleison" in the middle section, to the fortissimo ending "Lord, have mercy, for we have placed all our hope in Thee!" AWESOME!

Side note - You've heard me say many times "God loves choirs." Well, the singing of this piece was a prime example of why - and of what churches who have done away with thier choirs are missing. Our Praise Team really was great today, and the congregation sang well, but nothing can give the depth and passion and power of a full choir singing so well together. Wow! It was hard keeping the tears back this morning.

Back to the original thought on this post - The congregation responded well too (the first service stood to their feet before the final cutoff. I know they were partly - perhaps mostly - responding to a wonderful musical interpretation of a very well crafted piece, but I hope they were also standing because of the incredible message of the piece. (You can see an earlier post about this song here http://hilldaleworship.blogspot.com/2008/04/kyrie-eleison.html )

1 John 4:10
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Hebrews 4:
15.
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
16.
Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Keep singing!