I Don't Understand This

The Lutheran Church that I belong to runs a day school for pre-K through 8th grade. Last night the school's junior high choir sang for our midweek Advent service. It is a large group--around 50 voices--and they sounded glorious, singing a setting of Psalm 19 ("Stars in the Sky Proclaim," a 3-part Renaissance setting by Rudolf de Lassus), several stanzas of the Office Hymn ("Savior of the Nations, Come"), and a contemporary setting of the Magnificat (contemporary in that it was composed by my husband). This is a talented group, and they have a top-knotch director (that husband again), and everyone who was in attendance last night was blessed by their voices.

Sadly, some of these young people's parents were not among those at worship, having dropped them off for the service and left. I don't get this. I mean, even if you're not Lutheran (some of our day school students are not), or you are Lutheran but you belong to a different church (we have those, too), or you don't like worship at our church, or you are just tired at the end of a long day, your kid is singing, for goodness' sake! And he or she has worked for many weeks to prepare this music! Can't you take 50 minutes out of your life to come in from the cold and hear it? Who knows, maybe you will hear something else edifying in the meantime.

To the junior high choir of Bethany Lutheran Church, thank you for singing faith into my heart last night. You rock.