On Easter Sunday, our family attended the church I belonged to for most of my youth. In the past few years, we’ve only gone to church a handful of times, unwilling to commit to a congregation during our family’s various moves. But on Easter, the tradition in the music is so moving, it envelopes me throughout the service — the familiarity of the songs I’ve sung for more than three decades.
I graduated with one of the musicians in this church, and in the past when I’ve come to listen to my mom sing in the choir, I’ve always been mesmerized by his inspirational trumpeting. This Sunday, as the congregation began to sing one of my traditional favorites — “Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds” — it wasn’t our collective voice that inspired me. It wasn’t the power of the beautiful pipe organ. But rather, it was the majestic, yet humble and understated sound of his trumpet, barely audible during most of the hymn, but awesome in the few notes at the end of a verse. And by the final chorus, I was gripped by such overwhelming emotion that I had to stop singing, so my voice wouldn’t betray me and call attention to the tears streaming down my cheeks.
With my eyes, I searched for my musician friend throughout these songs, attempting to watch him work his inspirational magic over us. But, true to form, he remained hidden behind the choir, serving us only by sound. And when he stood up for communion, I noticed him and watched him set down his trumpet — and his handsome 12-year-old son did the same. You see, it’s no longer a single trumpet sounding. Now it’s two.
What a gift to stand beside your son and deliver the Holy Spirit to so many sinners like me.
And what a powerful way to pass the torch…
You can join me each week by sharing a time kids make you proud, or a way adults are teaching, sharing — passing the torch. Blog your story or share it in comments.Former PTT posts.
Like this post?
Tags: church, Easter, trumpets
Like this post? Subscribe to Pass The Torch
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
7:44 pm
Yes… I do love this post. Gave me chills thinking about the resounding trumpets…and the son joining in the celebration. Wow.
1:50 pm
That was a very moving post…. Thanks.
11:58 am
Awwwwww! Music has a power that we too seldom ignore. I’ll never look at singing in the choir with my daughter the same way.
Hugs,
Holly
1:33 pm
Beautiful story – was hoping you had captured it on video or tape. LOL
Here’s mine for this week: http://twolittlevikings.blogspot.com/2008/03/pass-torch-tuesday_25.html
3:09 pm
Wow – would’ve loved to experience that!
3:17 pm
Beautiful. I can see it and hear it. My mother was a church organist, and we used to play on holidays with her. With my family and a neighborhood friend on french horn, we had a brass quartet to go with the organ. Brass will always mean Easter and Joy to me.
6:04 pm
Yes, that is powerful. Very.
Mike
http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com/
1:32 am
Lovely thoughts and a beautiful illustration. Thank you for sharing it!