Music simultaneously locates us in time and takes us beyond time—binding us to all who ever sang these hymns and all who ever will—our grandparents, neighbors, ancestors in faith and those who will come after us, many years from now. Singing beloved liturgies and hymns firmly situates us as God’s beloved people of faith, now and always.
With the psalmist we sing out, “Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations” (Psalm 90:1). Whether we take part in time-tested melodies or try out new music, we join with all of God’s creation in singing and making music to the God who created and loves us all. We learn the breadth of God’s story and our place in it, in a new way. In liturgies and songs of faith old and new, there is space for each of us to belong.
This message is excerpted from “Finding the rhythm of love” by Jordan Miller-Stubbendick in the May 2018 Gather magazine. Today we commemorate Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, renewer of the church, hymnwriter, 1760.
This Mother’s Day, remember or honor your mother or a mother-figure in your life with a gift to 2122: Growing Katie’s Fund for the next 100 years. Make that gift this month and it will be matched, up to $25,000, through a generous gift of Barbara Thistle. Learn more.
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