In the Psalms we are repeatedly encouraged to “make a joyful noise to the Lord!”
Here at PPC joyful noise is a key part of our weekly worship—in the hum of voices as we greet one another; in spoken words of thanksgiving; in piano, trumpet, and shakers; in the congregational singing; and anthems from our choir. Making a joyful noise together is a powerful way to praise God and connect with the Holy Spirit.
Several years ago we identified our core worship values as a church. One of them has to do with music. It goes this way:
We value “Music that Resonates with Body and Soul” with a universal language, emotional engagement, and theological soundness. (Psalm 100, Ephesians 5:18-20, Revelation 5:9-12). Music serves to worship our Lord through praise, joy, confession, lament, and thankfulness. We value music from all ages and cultural expressions. Music is a form of worship that serves in a unique way with hearts, voices, and musical instruments, enabling us to praise the Lord as a rejoicing Body.
Making music together can also be an experience of what social scientists call “collective effervescence,” meaning those times when a large group of people is engaged in shared synchronous activity—singing, dancing, chanting, clapping, etc. Such experiences have been shown to make us physically, mentally, and emotionally stronger for a time, which is one reason that singing was such an important part of the Civil Rights Movement.
In this Sunday’s Scripture reading, we hear once again this encouragement to make a joyful noise, as Paul advises the Ephesians, “Be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to one another, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts” (Ephesians 5:18b-19).
This week, I encourage you to respond to this passage in three key ways:
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced “collective effervescence” in music. What was that experience like for you? How did it make you feel?
2. Pray for our search for our next Music Director, asking God to lead us to that person who will guide and inspire us in praising the Lord together.
3. Join us in worship this Sunday, ready to make a joyful noise and experience collective effervescence as the body of Christ.
God’s peace,
Pastor Laura
Scripture for Sunday: Ephesians 5:8-20
Sermon Title: “Grateful, Thankful, and Appreciative”
