Even though I don’t read music, I have been welcomed to the choir.
I recently began singing in the church choir. It’s a very small church with a very small choir. The first night I attended, I had two different people ask me if I was an alto or a soprano. I told them I had no idea. I told them I didn’t even know if they could use me at all. I was assured that they could. When the woman who leads the choir and plays the piano arrived, she was very welcoming. (and quite brilliant) Before she asked me the dreaded question, I looked straight at her and told her I had no idea if I was an alto or soprano. She laughed and told me we would figure it out.
She then asked if I could read music, again, my answer was, “no.” I mean, I can look at the lines and read, “Every good boy does fine.” But, how is that any help at all?
That was four weeks ago. I did learn that I am a soprano, but I often feel like a foreign exchange student when I attend practice. They use phrases like, take a breath at the rest and crescendo and I’m thinking, huh? The director likes to “walk us through,” a song before we sing it, which apparently, means reading the notes and singing slowly. Did I mention I don’t read music? The pastor’s wife even handed me a pencil at one point, in case I wanted to take notes. I gently smiled and asked her, “What would I write?” She burst out into laughter and explained it.
But, here’s what I’ve learned. I can listen to the experienced members sing the song a time or two and then I have it. I don’t have to know all of the ins and outs of reading music because I have these awesome, patient mentors with a great sense of humor, sitting next to me,who help me along. They don’t make me feel like I’m an idiot or unusable or unworthy because I’m uneducated in music.
Nope, these ladies have all welcomed me into their fold and they have helped me along with patience, grace and some laughter. The laughter is good because I am certainly laughing at myself on this musical venture. When the leader told us last week that we were doing great and that we knew the song, I timidly asked her if she was really sure about that? The rest of the ladies roared in laughter.
This new experience could have been very intimidating for me if I hadn’t had such sweet and patient mentors or if everyone was super serious. But, instead I’ve been welcomed in Christian love. It got me to thinking about how we welcome new members to our faith. There’s a lot of terminology and tricky concepts. Things like the trinity and the difference between faith and hope and why is Good Friday good?
Those of us who have been on our walk a bit longer need to be very vigilant about being welcoming and open to new Christians. We need to be willing to be mentors and we need to be able to have a sense of humor. We were all new to this walk at one time. Most of all, we need to show our newest members love and grace. We all fall or hit a wrong note. We all are still growing and learning.
The choir experience has reminded me what Christian love to those who are new, is supposed to look like. I’m hoping to do as well welcoming others as those choir ladies have done with me.
How about you? How are you doing at welcoming others to the faith?
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂