The Congregation Sang On

As published in The White County News, December 17, 2015

I was an inexperienced stand-up bass player when my friend Walter asked if I would play for the 2006 Christmas Eve service at church. I had played old time music in a string band, but I had not played in an ensemble with music before. Nonetheless, I said, “Yes!” and attended December rehearsals.

The program began with a 45-minute prelude of singing and playing by the instrumentalists and choir. The service itself involved a half-dozen hymns and one or two anthems. My friend Deb, also a new bass player, and I divided this nearly 2-hour program in half. She would play the prelude while I sang in the choir; I would play for the service while she sang.

On Christmas Eve, people began arriving 30 minutes before the prelude. Body by body, the pews filled until the small church was packed. We sang the prelude pieces with the instrumental accompaniment. At 6:00, Deb and I swapped places. I took the bass and stood behind the guitars, fiddles, flute, cello and drums that filled the space between the gathered crowd and me.

The minister gave the call to worship and the congregation stood, shoulder-to-shoulder. Walter lifted his baton for the first hymn. We played a 6 bar introduction and the multitude began to sing. I played. The ensemble played and sang, but nothing that we did could lead this throng of Christmas churchgoers. Singing these familiar hymns, they created a wall of sound that filled the church with a strength and a fullness that could not be guided by our efforts.

I clung to the bass, playing as loudly as I could, trying to both lead the people and follow Walter.

Heedless of us, the warm, glowing worshippers, silhouetted against dark winter windows, sang on.