You call this church music?

As we prepared on-stage for a Sunday afternoon orchestra concert to start in 17 minutes, my stand partner said, "Well, I went to church today so do you think God will make me play all the correct notes?" I said that with God part of this, it would have to come out OK.

So we continued chatting about church. She shared that her church has only one service on Sunday mornings but she isn't so keen on that because that one service has music she doesn't like. This features a contemporary music group consisting of four guitars and two keyboards — and it's not what she considers inspiring church music.

"To think — we had a gorgeous pipe organ that was eliminated 15 years ago when the church was renovated. It makes me sick to think of what we lost," she lamented. I responded, "Indeed. There's something about "Holy God" on a guitar that doesn't quite have the same feel as on an organ, and a pipe organ at that. Is that particular church your only option?"

"Well, my husband and I have gone to this church for at least 30 years. We always appreciated the welcoming community, uplifting sermons, and service outreach there. But now we head home from Sunday church services anything but uplifted thanks to the so-called music. We both hate feeling this way, but I have to be honest. That's how I feel and so does my husband," she continued.

I cheerily respond, "Since God will enable you to play this concert perfectly, perhaps that's a new future for you. Maybe you could replace the guitar group with inspiring cello renderings?"

"What a dreamer you are," she said. "Music should bring people in — not drive them out. Sorry, but even my husband would be begging for the guitars to return."

[Nancy Linenkugel is a Sylvania Franciscan sister and chair of the department of Health Services Administration at Xavier University, Cincinnati Ohio.]