Our title comes from a quote popularly attributed to St. Augustine: "He who sings prays twice." A little Googling, however, indicates that Augustine didn't say exactly that. In fact, what he said just doesn't fit well onto a t-shirt. So we'll stick with what we have.
"Singing reduces stress and increases healthy breathing and emotional expression. Singing taps into a deep, age-old power available to all of us. When we find our voice, we find ourselves. Today, sing like you mean it." And let's talk about the role music plays in your life and worship.
1) Do you like to sing/listen to others sing? In worship, or on your own (or not at all?) I love to sing. I like to listen to others sing...but I really prefer when I can sing, too! I've been singing all my life and have recently found my voice in a new way. It's very satisfying. (I hope those around me would agree...)
2) Did you grow up with music in worship, or come to it later in life? Tell us about it, and how that has changed in your experience. Growing up in the Episcopal Church, there has always been music...hymns and liturgical settings of psalms and canticles; when I was a child, Folk Mass came to my church and my parents, sister and I all played guitar and sang. The music of The Fisherfolk was very important in those years and onward, and much of the scripture I know, I know through music. Scripture has a soundtrack in my mind...
3) Some people find worship incomplete without music; others would just as soon not have it. Where do you fall? Probably clear that I prefer to have music...but I also love services like Morning Prayer and Compline and other worship that doesn't necessarily have music. But I sing every day...
4) Do you prefer traditional music in worship, or contemporary? That can mean many different things! Yes. I prefer some of everything. I'm not a fan of recent praise choruses, probably because they are outside my own experience. One of my favorite things about RevGals is learning new music from others!
5) What's your go-to music ... when you need solace or want to express joy? A video/recording will garner bonus points! Right now I am rocking the Taizé:
I'm also loving this choir, which only has a few videos on Youtube:SING badge and quote on singing from The Green Children Foundation blog
