There’s a certain rhythm of September, isn’t there? Rally Day, choirs starting up again after summer break, minds turning toward thoughts of Advent and beyond. Some of us have had just a few Septembers as organists, some of us many more than we care to count. So some of us experience a fresh excitement and anticipation of another church year to plan, but some of us may be a bit ho-hum about the whole thing.
Let’s use this September as an opportunity to renew our commitment to helping people worship. My husband, who is a pastor, says that he often envies my career. He says that as a pastor, he can easily touch peoples’ minds, but it’s often the church musician who can touch peoples’ hearts and move them closer to their Creator. Because of that reality, I can’t imagine a greater job anywhere. The pay may not always be optimal, the benefits may be minimal, the politics occasionally distressing. But to have the privilege of helping people feel closer to our Creator every week – what greater honor could there be?
Andrea Handley, Dean