a column dedicated to the folks in the pews
Written by Dale Buchanan
On a Sunday morning not long ago, I put Gayle on an airplane for St. Louis. After seeing her off, I had a choice. I could go home, wait 10 minutes, and then drive to church, or drive to church and wait an hour for the service at 10 a.m.
I went directly to church and parked in my favorite space near the front door. I was surprised to hear music from inside the sanctuary. I peeked in the front doors thinking maybe I was late. The pews were mostly empty, but the chancel was teeming with life. The choir or the music makers were there and in full swing. I eased down into a pew, and I was allowed to share with five or six other early comers, a preview of the morning’s music—an experience I highly recommend. Some Sunday morning in the fall when the music makers again occupy the chancel, buy a cup of coffee, slip into the Big Red Church, and be blessed with your own private concert.
The stated purpose of this column is to get to know those who labor from the pews. The music makers in our church are a diverse and varied group, rich with individual stories which I hope to be able to chronicle. However, it occurs to me that they function as one. And it is this oneness that is remarkable. This oneness comes from their dedication to service and hours and hours of practice and rehearsals. They are in fact a team.
It is summer and the choir has disappeared. My first summer here at Big Red, I was shocked the Sunday the choir vanished. The music makers were my favorite part. They still are!
So where do they come from in the fall and where do they fade away come summer? After an extensive search and serious investigation, I found the missing choir. They aren’t missing at all. They take off their choir robes and return to the pews from which they came. Listen carefully and you will hear them lifting their voices in communal praise with the rest of us.
They are from the pews. They occupy a unique and special place in our midst. They come as individuals from our pews volunteering to serve the church as a group. They become one in their dedicated service. Our music makers are not unsung heroes—they are singing heroes.
Dale Buchanan is a member of FCCF with a passion for stories and writing. In between penning his own memoirs, he is helping us get to know our members, one pew at a time.