January 28, 2022
Singing, History, and the Human Spirit
by Monica Rossman, WPC Minister of Music
When the pandemic first shut things down in March 2020, the Chancel Choir and I were just days away from our spring choir retreat, anticipating a day filled with music study and fellowship. We were set to learn the music for our May concert, a program I’d titled “In Joy & in Sorrow. . .Sing! (Prescient? Ominous?).” That retreat never happened. Word was spreading that choirs worldwide were becoming infected with Covid. Though no one then knew the virus was airborne, singing seemed to spread it. And just like that, group singing was deemed dangerous; it has since been proven to be one of the highest risk activities during Covid!
During those confusing early days, I wondered how to keep our choir community functioning. If we couldn’t sing together, what could we do? Within a few months, we’d come up with a plan involving Zoom rehearsals, along with an ambitious undertaking to produce dozens of choral recordings through an app called Acapella. Looking back, I am amazed by the dedication of our singers, who continued to support one another with unfailing grace in this strange new world.
Now, here we are, nearly two years later, and we still can’t sing together safely. As musicians, as a singing people, how do we carry on? What do we hold onto for comfort and hope as we worship God?
I believe history can show us the way. After all, music has always been a part of human history, much of which has been marked by plagues, famines, wars, disasters, and calamities of all kinds. Yet, music survives. And through it, the human spirit prevails. Some of the most profound music ever written was created during some of the darkest times. We have always been guided by saints, mystics, and geniuses, as well as by ordinary people just trying to make it through one more day.
To be human is to make music, to crave music’s comforting embrace. To be human is to sing. And when singing is unsafe or impossible, we listen, reflect, and adapt.
History is filled with examples of music’s power to transform. Let’s consider just a few:
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Olivier Messiaen’s profound work Quartet for the End of Time (inspired by Revelation) was written and premiered in 1941 while he was a prisoner of war in German captivity.
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Ralph Vaughan Williams, who served in the army during WWI and was forever haunted by the experience, wrote his magnificent Dona nobis pacem in 1936 as a plea for world peace.
- Gustav Mahler was diagnosed with a severe heart condition shortly after his four-year-old daughter Maria died of scarlet fever and diphtheria. Still, he relentlessly poured his grief into composing and conducting.
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Randall Thompson’s quiet choral piece Alleluia (1940) was inspired by the war in Europe and the fall of France. In it, Thompson transformed the usually joyous word Alleluia into a slow, sad, profound reflection on the realities of life at the time.
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Seventeenth-century genius Heinrich Schütz adapted his writing to the horrific conditions of the Thirty Years’ War by writing smaller-scale works; his Kleine Geistliche Konzerte are among his most creative pieces, written for at most a handful of voices because many of his singers were ill or dead.
Consider also the many hymns born of intense hardship. Here, we need only look at one famous example to make the point: Now Thank We All Our God was written by German Lutheran pastor Martin Rinkart in 1636 during the height of the Thirty Years’ War when all of Europe was devastated by famine, disease, and destruction. Rinkart often buried 40 to 50 people a day during the plague and famine, which claimed thousands of people in his vicinity during this time. Through grief, suffering, and death, Rinkart looked to his Savior and thanked God for the blessings he still had. This is resilience!
Will we sing again? Of course! Just not yet. In the meantime, let’s remember our resilience as humans as we affirm our abiding faith in God’s redeeming love and grace.
Prayers and blessings to all,
Monica
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Westminster This Week – Quick Links
Worship at Westminster: Sunday, January 30
9:45am Church School on Zoom
11:00am Worship in the Sanctuary and on YouTube
Sermon by Cherrie Barton Henry, "The Sound of It"
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Reminder from the Finance Office on 2021 Contribution Statements
Contribution statements for 2021 were sent out on Thursday, January 13. Please check your email or mailbox for your statement, and let Sharon know if you didn’t receive it. Please keep in mind that the email versions of the statements only stay online for 45 days, so you’ll want to print it out for your taxes soon. Thanks for your support of WPC!
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"The Pilgrim’s Compass: Finding and Following the God We Seek" Church School Elective
Sundays, 9:30am on Zoom (for now), Led by Cherrie Barton Henry
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SUNDAY After Worship: Flower Guild Interest Meeting
Do you see the glory of God in flowers? When you see the arrangements in worship, are you reminded of God’s love and the beauty of God’s created world? If yes, the WPC Flower Guild invites you to join us as we gather to put together the Sunday morning arrangements for worship.
Get started by attending our annual meeting on Sunday after the 11:00 service in Mission Center Room 105. Here you will learn about scheduling and signing up to help and receive an overview of how the Flower Guild operates. No flower-arranging experience is needed! We learn from each other and find this to be a relaxing mission that serves God and the church. If you like what you hear on Sunday, then make plans to participate in “Flower Arranging 101” on Sunday, February 13, a how-to workshop led by Marty Warburton. Mark your calendars for these dates. Feel free to contact Bonnie Derr with any questions.
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Spring Women's Retreat, March 11 - 13 at Holden Beach – NEW Safety Protocols in Place
Are you considering signing up for the Spring Women’s Retreat but uncertain about what the Covid situation will be at the time? Here are some NEW safety precautions that the Planning Team has put in place to help in your decision-making process:
- All participants must be fully vaccinated and boosted
- One person per bedroom
- Registration will be limited to 15 participants
- Masks will be worn indoors ( or windows when feasible or agreed upon)
- Spend plenty of time outdoors
- Registration fee (minus $50) is refundable
Even more importantly, register for the Spring Women’s Retreat because you will experience the blessing of hospitality to God, from God, to ourselves, and to each other. Taking place March 11-13 at Southern Charm House at Holden Beach, the Retreat will be led by Margaret-Jean Junkin (M-J). M-J is a graduate of HeartPaths DFW spiritual direction program in Dallas, Texas, and a certified spiritual director. M-J has a passion for listening to faith stories, noticing our encounters with God, and being an advocate as we journey through this thing called "life."
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Baptism: A Sacraments Study for Families
Sunday, February 20, 9:45-10:45am
Children in 1st - 4th grades, along with their parent(s) or a caring adult, are invited to explore this significant milestone together through caring conversations, Scripture, and ritual. Each household will take home their very own Blessing Bowl. Please contact Marietta to save your spot.
In the meantime, Marietta invites you and your family to watch Jesus is Baptized, a brief worship gathering led by Ms. Jenna, Christian Educator at First Presbyterian in Stillwater, in preparation for next month's Baptism workshop.
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Helping Others, Honoring the Rev. Paul Ransford (1942-2021)
Wildfires, tornadoes, storms, floods….The headlines tell of nature’s fury and our hearts go out to those affected. Paul Ransford, our beloved “Disaster Pastor,” did more than read the headlines; he grabbed his chain saw and tool-belt and headed out to help. He also organized groups to go out and help with him. The Deacons’ Global Missions Committee invites you to join with Paul’s daughters who have suggested that memorials for Paul be sent to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA), the arm of our denomination that seeks to respond long-term to those caught in disasters. Visit the PDA website to make a general or designated donation. PDA’s website also gives you an idea of just how extensive church relief efforts are both across the US and around the globe. There are also opportunities to volunteer if you want to emulate Paul as well as honor him.
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MLK Month of Service – Let's Finish Strong!
With Covid numbers high in January, our usual MLK activities of large group projects and sharing a meal indoors didn't seem feasible. So instead of a single day of service to honor Martin Luther King Jr., the Local Missions Committee proposed a Month of Service in honor of MLK, in which individuals could honor Dr. King by performing acts of service on their own. Did you take the MLK Month Challenge? If so, please record your service on this Google form. We look forward to celebrating together all the good work that has been done and the many ways our congregation cares for others in our community.
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Reminder: Final Days of Children's Winter Coat Drive
The Local Missions Committee has been conducting a coat drive this month for Hope Valley Elementary School.
If you have a coat to donate, please bring it to church by Sunday, and drop it off in the green bin in the Mission Center reception area. Contact Carolyn Davidson (919-614-6223) or Don Hertzog with any questions. Thanks for your support of our neighborhood students!
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