Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity

A Singing Church in a Singing Community

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,

Today marks the start of a series of newsletters on the topic of singing in the Church.

Martin Luther once said,
“Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise. The gift of language combined with the gift of song was given to man that he should proclaim the Word of God through Music.” (Martin Luther)

One of the first things Luther did for the Church was to write hymns, so that the Word of God would be embedded in the memory and heart of the Christian in a way that it would never be forgotten.

And this is the power of music and song: it helps us to truly hold onto our faith in our Savior Jesus Christ.

Think about this: if you listen to music on the radio, it doesn’t take long for you to hear it, sing it, and remember it. Sometimes you can go years without hearing a song, and when it plays again on the radio, you automatically start singing the lyrics as if they’ve never left you.

You can see this with children too; as they sit in the backseat of the car, they hear the radio, know the words, and their way of thinking and what they believe to be true are already starting to form based on your choices in music. And guess what, they’ll never forget the lyrics being etched into their minds and hearts as they travel the backroads with you. I can still sing along with the Beach Boys!

None of this is necessarily a bad thing either.

Tomah is also a musical community, with the Show Choir and many bands at the high school and throughout the area. Music holds great significance here, and I like to think that part of it is because the people in our surrounding area see the benefits of song and music. Not only does it provide psychological, physical, and educational benefits, but it also brings people together and unites them.

As Lutherans, we embrace this love of music. It calms our troubled souls, implants God’s Word in our hearts, and unites us in an eternal faith.

Sure, the music of the Church is different from what you find on the radio or what school choirs might sing. But this song of the Church is preparing you for something much greater; it’s preparing you to sing with the angels a heavenly hymn of praise that will never end.

Come to the Divine Service, sing with your brothers and sisters in Christ, take God’s Word to heart, and prepare to sing in glory.

In Christ,
Pastor Rogness