John Bell is a minister in the Church of Scotland, a fellow of the Royal School of Church Music and a member of the Iona Community. He has also written many hymns and is passionate about the renewal of congregational worship. I had the opportunity to hear him speak and learn a few songs.
This conference was focused for worship leaders, choir directors and ministers. I got the opportunity to go as our choir director and children's choir directors could not go, so a space was open. I do sing with our preschoolers, and he did have some tips for children as well.
He talked about how singing is a natural thing and we all can do it! (Even if it is off key!) He shared that one out of three people say they have been told in their past that they can not sing, and since then, have not.
He shared a story of a fourteen year old girl while singing in her high school chorus class was singled out and told she sung like a crow. The girl who grew into a woman never sang again until one day she was asked in church to join in with a group to learn a new song. The director complemented her on her singing and she began to sing again! He had shared this at a previous conference and a lady stood up and yelled, "It's true! The story he is telling is true! I am her daughter and we never heard her sing as a child, but now she sings to her grandchildren!" Imagine never having heard your own mother sing.
He spoke about the powerful pull music has on our memories and emotions. You can listen to a dance tune from your teenage years and be magically transported back to that time in your memories. He said this is why when your church needs to get new hymn books lots of people drag their feet and fight the change. They do not want to loose their memories. So you have to go through the songs, pick the best of the old, then add the new ones. My dad has lots of hymns that pull on his heart strings. He, for the most part, he has been a member of the same church his whole life. Songs that were played at my grandmother and grandfathers (his mom and dad) funerals choke him up every time he hears them. My husband will hum hymns, mostly on Sunday mornings. I don't even think he is aware of it, as the ones he hums are not always one's we've heard recently. I think they are from somewhere in his youth. His family was very musical. His dad is a retired minister and his mom was a director of Christian Education- so hearing hymns around the house was probably an everyday occurrence, especially on Sunday.
Dr Bell shared a story about a lady who was so sad because her mother, who had Alzheimer's, would not recognize her when she would visit. She brought some old dance music from the 1930's for her mom to hear and also some of her favorite hymns. When she played the dance music her mom tapped her feet and smiled. This daughter had not seen her mom smile in a very long time. Then after playing the hymns her mom got up reached to her, said the daughter's name and thanked her for allowing her to be her mother. This story brought tears to my eyes. Music pulls on our hearts in a powerful way.
My ears perked up when he talked about how the music we sing, especially when we are young, affects our faith and beliefs. Those songs we learn in our preschool years will be with us for a lifetime. Our children learn lots of bible verses to songs. The music helps them learn. Verses they learned when they were two or three are still there committed to memory in the songs they sing. The songs help plant God's words in their heart.
This also convicts me as a helper in the preschool choir (Joy choir) to plant songs full of God's truth for them. Songs that will help them in the roads they will travel on.
Dear God,
Thank you for the opportunity to learn this weekend about how we as God's people love to sing and worship You. Help me to share with the preschoolers of our church the truth You have for them. Most importantly, in the songs we sing may they see Your love for them. Give me patience to teach them; and energy and enthusiasm to keep them engaged.
In Jesus Name,
Amen.
Psalm 149:1-5
Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in its Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.
Let them praise his name with dancing,
making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with victory.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy on their couches.
In order to earn badges, pins or belt loops they have to answer safety questions, as well as behave responsibly. Today I have learned that when given the chance to fire a BB gun or an arrow from a bow, young boys will sit quietly and respectfully while safety lectures are given. 
