When we first started attending our church in Vero Beach, we immediately noticed that they had a different... well... playlist than our former churches. Meaning, they only sing hymns. A few newer hymns, but hymns nonetheless.
Here is an example of one of our favorite worship songs:
The Father's Heart
Short Soap Box Time: No, we don't find large crowds and jumping up and down any more or less worshipful than hymns. Some hymns have great lyrics, some don't. This is true with "modern" worship songs. And when hymns were written, they WERE modern! We hope to always seek out the songs written in Truth, regardless of era and style.
ANYWAY, the pastor mentioned wanting to have some new songs or new musicians during the music time of the worship service. So, having just been involved with that in Gainesville, we were willing to help. I told Tommy that if we did any kind of unknown, most people wouldn't take to it quickly in the middle of the service. But, if we had like a family night with music on some other day, they could become familiar with new things, and then be more open to it on a Sunday morning. Tommy passed this idea along to the Pastor, and he agreed!
We worked out the details- set a time and a date, asked our friend Jeremy to join us with his guitar, and came up with a set list that would show some modern things in that were more... calm... and would jazz up a few hymns, too ("jazz up" ? sorry, can't think of a better phrase). While I was in Branson with my mom, the pastor's wife set up a little display reminding people to come and bring their games.
Jeremy and Tommy and I practiced the first time, all together, the night before. Eek. We had a good chuck of songs, maybe 15 or 18. This was also a day after I had returned from being out of town. Whenever we hit a snag, Tommy and Jeremy would work it out while I decorated the .... um, it's like a big foyer? Hall? Atrium? Lobby?? I found fall-y flowers, candles, and garland in the church's stash. And I arranged the fun tables and the food tables as best I knew.... I think it turned out ok.
Night of the Game/Music Night: It seemed to go pretty well! We had around 30 people, which, for a church our size (small) with the demographic we have (old) is pretty dang good. People brought food and games and enjoyed our Keurig coffee maker (which, if you remember, Dave Barnes has used! :) ). We made do with the one mic we had and we just enjoyed ourselves while everyone enjoyed themselves. And everyone played their games the whole time, so we didn't feel awkward or much pressure at all. We wanted to be background music, and we were! Tommy's voice didn't get too hoarse (which he had been struggling with), and there was only one song that we forgot to make lower for me (which of course you don't realize til you're trying to hit those two or three high notes in the middle of the song).
The nice thing is, we had a hymn or two in the mix, and the Pastor loved those! We actually sang them both in the following two services! I think it would be a struggle to jump into the whole "modern worship" thing, but at least we've put some out there and they didn't hate it.... we don't think...
