In a denomination of any flavor, a new hymnbook is a giant undertaking. With talk of another Presbyterian Hymnbook on the way in my home denomination, it makes me wonder, “How does a song become a hymn?” When I was young, one way we learned was through sneaky cartoons they slid in between episodes of Bugs Bunny and Scooby Doo. The educational cartoons were School House Rock teaching us catchy ways to remember that Verbs were action words similar to a flying super hero and Conjunctions tied a sentence together as one train car pulls two together to form a train. My favorite was on how a Bill becomes a law sung by pitiful little Bill who wailed, “I’m just a bill, yes, I’m only a bill, and I’m sitting her on Capital Hill…” and took the unsuspecting viewer through the process of how a bill becomes a law.
Hymnbooks make hymns universal, with the exception of holding a pause in Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee, hymns are played and sung exactly the same no matter where you are. There is a beauty to being able to cross the ocean and hear a familiar hymn even in a language different from yours.
While some hymns, those approved by committees and hardbound into books, are universal, many are particular. They only happen in certain moments, times and places never to be repeated in exactly the same way. Last week, friends Etta Britt and Angie Perkins brought a vision to life as they held a benefit to help Billy Block, Nashville friend of musicians, singers, songwriters, and radio show host who is battling cancer. When you sing or play music, these questions are ever present: Why are you singing? Why are you playing? Why are you making music? Lots of answers are more than acceptable. For the joy. For the crowd. For the love of music. When they gathered at this benefit, all the artists were playing for Billy and his family. They were playing to help. Fighting cancer is a daunting challenge, but when these artists took the stage, they were taking a swing at it with microphone stands, guitars, basses, and drumsticks.
Certainly the McCrary Sisters singing, I’ll Take You There with the harmony and power to make Mavis Staples proud would fall under the classification of a hymn. But when these artists came from near and far, literally offering themselves and their talent for another person, no matter what song they sang or played, even Paul Thorn’s Snake Farm, because they were shared out of love for another, weren’t they all hymns?
On that holy night, hymns abounded. No matter what the song, to me they were all holy. Though the wine served may or may not have been the blood of Christ or may not have been wine at all but a Miller Light or tonic water, it felt like communion to me. I guess the answer ultimately wouldn’t be up to you, me, or any committee to decide, but instead it’s all in how God sees it. In Matthew 25, in the famous parable of the sheep and the goats, to the sheep the king says, Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. And I would add, “When I was battling cancer, you played and sang for me.” And to the organizers, leaders, hosts, and helpers of the event, artists all, I say, “Well done good and faithful servants.”
The most vivid moment of the night for most of us was during a song by Lari White. She had a trio that sang with her which included Billy’s wife. Her song very much about living the moments of our lives, but it means so much more when your spouse, parent, friend has cancer. To see them sing to Billy, especially the eyes of his wife toward her husband in love and affection, turned these words holy. Lari’s song is Right Here, Right Now.
Another day slips away
And once again
I`ve hardly even seen your face
To get any time together
We have to beg steal and borrow
So we put off until tomorrow
The love we need to share today
Right here right now
Let`s stop for a minute
Taste this moment while we`re in it
Right here right now
Let`s take it and let`s make it
All that heaven will allow
Yesterday is a memory
Tomorrow`s just a dream
And we know all that matters anyhow
Is the love that we`ve been given
And the joy we find in livin`
Right here right now
The precious time we have together
Is here and gone so fast
Let`s just hold each other
Like this chance might be our last
Right here right now
Let`s stop for a minute
Taste this moment while we`re in it
Right here right now
Let`s take it and let`s make it
All that heaven will allow
Yesterday is a memory
Tomorrow`s just a dream
And we know all that matters anyhow
Is the love that we`ve been given
And the joy we find in livin`
Right here right now
When a hymn like that happens, you’re just glad you were there in the moment to witness it. Though the particular song may be sung again, it’s ulikely to carry the same meaning or power. Hymns sometime just happen. It’s our job to not miss them. In the same way, life in all its music can be structured, planned, scheduled, and even numbered. But most often, life happens. Our job is to live the moments and bring the music. We are all given moments to cherish. The night was certainly a moment I’ll remember, clearly a benefit to us all. Please keep the Block family in your prayers and celebrate the hymn writers, singers, and players among us including the photographers. And as for the Billy Beat Cancer Benefit next year, may none of us miss it.
With the exception of Bill from School House Rock, all the other pictures were from photographer James R. Pillow. See a wide range of pictures from the event by clicking on any of the above pictures or the link below. https://www.facebook.com/james.r.pillow/media_set?set=a.10200826704070129&type=3
