It's always interesting to visit another church in order to see how they order the liturgy. Recently I visited another church in order to attend a service and my heart sank when I saw one of those projection screens that dominate where the Rood Screen used to be.  The words of the hymns appear on the screen to the inevitable accompaniment of guitars.  In the middle of the service we were treated to what was described as "a worship interlude" - which was quite novel in itself as I was under the impression that we were already engaged in worship!  However, we had a couple of soupy worship songs which didn't quite make it into the Eurovision Song Contest - quite indistinguishable one from the other and totally forgettable.  Whatever has become of this once great Church of England?

Music is the handmaid of worship.  Since the earliest days, Christians sing when they turn to God in worship.  Not just some Christians who happen to have a particular gift and musical talent - but all Christians - it's what Christians do!  For when we sing we are returning to God something he himself has given to us - that is, a voice to praise him.

Music lifts up our hearts and minds, it raises us up above the ordinary and the everyday, and it elevates our thoughts and involves our feelings and emotions.  St. Augustine once said - "those who sing pray twice", by which he meant that song is twice as effective as mere words in coming before God.  Song, after all, is the language of heaven.  Scripture tells us that angels and archangels and all the company of heaven gather around God's throne to sing - "Holy, holy, holy".  When we sing in church, our music on earth is joined with the music of heaven.

Music binds us together.  A quite acceptable modern worship song starts with the words - "Bind us together Lord, bind us together, with cords that cannot be broken".  Well musical chords (i.e. notes sounded together as a basis of harmony) have the ability to do exactly that - to bind us together in love.  When we sing in worship we cease to be individuals we become part of a fellowship, a community, a body.  Singing in church enacts the two great commandments and shows that we love God and love one another.

God has provided each one of us with the perfect instrument for praise.  It's called our voice.  Now, it has to be agreed that some have lovelier instruments than others.  As I pass through the congregation during a procession or a recession, my ear sometimes picks up the praise being offered by those who have been blessed musically and those to whom God appears to have blessed with only two notes for every hymn and psalm and spiritual song.  Yes, some do indeed have lovelier instruments than others - but this should be a source of joy not envy for us all.  Whatever our voices sound like when singing praises to God it is important that we give of our very best.  As with all divine gifts given to humans, singing can lead, not to perfection (for that we all must surely wait for heaven when those who belong to the community of faith join their praises with the seraphim and cherubim) but to something that is the best we have to offer.  In our songs of praise, we are reminded of God's gifts to us, for singing raises our hopes and aspirations and yearnings beyond mere words alone and binds us more closely together as Christians.

So, let me conclude with a verse from a great hymn that we often sing when we gather together in order to give God the glory.  May you find joy in singing praises to the One true God and Father of us all - revealed in His Son, Jesus Christ and made manifest in the Holy Spirit of God - the Comforter.

                                        In thy house great God we offer
                                        Of thine own to thee
                                        And for thine acceptance proffer
                                        All unworthily: hearts and minds
                                        And hands and voices
                                        In our choicest psalmody.