tanka: Sunday Church Service (written in the treaditional 5 7 5 7 7 syllabic count)

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Open Poetry #47

tanka: Sunday Church Service (written in the treaditional 5 7 5 7 7 syllabic count)

flash
Member

since 2010-11-28

Posts 213
miami beach, florida

0 posted 2011-09-26 07:43 PM

Sunday Service

Sunday Church service
the preacher's laryngitis
cuts short the sermon--
instead, we sing hymns of praise
led by the children's choir

A friend once told me that during a church service he attended, the preacher developed a bad case of laryngitis in the middle of his sermon and had to step down. For over an hour he ended up singing heartfelt hymns of praise--led by the Children's Choir! Afterwards, he told me that in the 50 years of attending Church, this was the most memorable Church Service of them all.

I can see why. One considers the preacher the heart of the church, the sermon trumps anything else. But truly, how the children's choir sang for the service that's what made it so memorable. Kids, usually seen as insignificant in religion, were the focus, the highlight of the service. They made the service.

Al

Nicole
Senior Member

since 1999-06-23

Posts 1835
Florida

1 posted 2011-09-26 08:59 PM

Smiling here... the innocence of children, no bell peals quite as loudly as that.

Margherita
Member Seraphic

since 2003-02-08

Posts 22236
Eternity

2 posted 2011-09-27 09:38 AM

Makes me smile too ... surely the priest was about to say something confounding, so the interruption was a blessing. Ahhh, the faith and love of children is all we really need. And a song of praise and gratitude is the best gift we can offer.

You made me remember the sermons of our priest when I was a child ... he never stopped yawning and in the end the whole church yawned along ... The songs were the only involving moments.

Beautiful tanka!

Love,
Margherita

Michael

Moderator

Member Rara Avis

since 1999-08-13

Posts 7666
California

3 posted 2011-09-27 01:38 PM

I was taught that the church is like a table... standing on 4 legs. Those legs, individually are Praise, Prayer, Fellowship, and the Word of God. You might take one away and have the table still stand... but take away two and there is almost no chance.

While some might consider the sermon to be the heart... it by no means can hold the table up all by itself. Praise, (the singing of songs), is every bit as important and just might have been what was needed to infuse that particular church that day. The fact that it has been noted and is quite memorable in itself makes it worth repeating in my eyes. Include the children in your praising. the purity with which they honor our God is an inspiration to all.

flash
Member

since 2010-11-28

Posts 213
miami beach, florida

4 posted 2011-09-27 07:37 PM

Nicole, Margherita, Michael:

I'm so pleased that this resonates so deeply with you all. "Except ye become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" Oh how true. The child is father to the man. So innocent and pure. We can learn so much from the children.

Thanks all,

Al

luminosity
Senior Member

since 2005-11-18

Posts 813

5 posted 2011-09-30 02:19 PM

mmmmmmm, loving this......praise is my favorite....and the children don't try to get on vinyl or seek praise for themselves...its just pure hearts lifting praise to whom it belongs.....wonderful poem

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