How comfortable are you when your church service strays a trifle from the norm?
Does everything have to fit in a precise pattern for it to be "true"; for the "spirit to attend"?
Moroni 6:9 describes a pattern not follo
wed in every ward, not experienced by every member, not expected to really be the way it is.
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And their meetings were conducted by the church after the manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the power of the Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost led them whether to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to sing, even so it was done."
My most memorable experiences with meetings so conducted have come on my mission, in Madrid, and again this Sunday. Drummondville, Quebec was a spectacular branch of the church; many of its founding members were steeped in catholic orthodoxy, cleric service, and transformational conversion experiences. Every Sunday was a delight, yet my favorites were those when we sat according to vocal part as if in a choir and the meeting after the sacrament portion, was 'open mike' so to speak. The branch president would read Moroni 6:9 then invite the congregants to sing, pray or speak as so prompted. The meetings were rich with the Spirit and edifying to all. Unexpected yes, inappropriate no. Mainstream don't think so.
Spin forward decades and I am conducting a baptism in Barrio Cinco in Madrid. A young American 8=year old girl expat and a twenty something Nigerian are both being baptized. Following the baptisms, but still during the service, our most long-standing Nigerian member asks me if he could lead the congregation in a welcoming hymn of sorts. Expecting some African tune, I reflect and quickly ponder and say, yes. I was a bit surprised, and in my mind's eye could see my father squirming, as something more akin to a revivalist spiritual tune called "Jesus has conquered Satan, oh-yeah" is joyously celebratorially sung - with the spirit attending. Unexpected yes,inappropriate no. Mainstream don't think so.
This Sunday in testimony meeting, in the branch we were visiting, one senior couple was leaving having served six months, another arriving. An elderly blind member got up bore his testimony, gave a simple tribute to the departing couple, then sang them a spirit filled departing song. Unexpected yes,inappropriate no. Mainstream don't think so.
Each of the three was - Unexpected, appropriate and not quite mainstream. Two were relatively small branches, one was basically an expat unit. Part of the wonder of the gospel is the universality of the experience, the commonality of the worship experience where ere you might be, the immediate comfort found in a new or different to you congregation. Part of the richness of the gospel is the diversity of gifts, of the guidance of the spirit, of the uniqueness of each congregation in following the spirit
When should you sing?
In the words of Raffi - you got a sing when the spirit says sing.
