Jump, jump, to the rhythm, jump!

This past Sunday, since I wasn't leading worship and my honey was back home in LA, instead of going to Canaan, I thought I'd go and check out Abundant Life church. The last time I went, the head pastor, Paul Shepherd, was still on sabbatical, and I really wanted to check him out in person. Also, having lead worship at Canaan for the past year now, I think I just wanted a break, and to check out a different style of worship service altogether. ALCF certainly fit that bill, and in spades. Even if they sing what many of us would call "stuffy, old" hymns, the energy of the roughly half black congregation was really refreshing.

And it wasn't limited to the adults as well. The children's choir also came up and sang. I must say I was in for a bit of culture shock (in a good way). The choir had a smattering of caucasian and asian kids, but was mostly black. The first song they sang was more of a ballad, but I could see that some of the black kids were struggling not to sway with the music, so instead some were just bending their knees and bouncing their heads with the beat.

The next song was very upbeat, and right from the getgo, all the kids raised their hands in the air, clapping to the rhythm, and started dancing and swaying to the music. This got the adults really pumped, and immediately half the congregation jumped to their feet, clapping along, and shouting all sorts of encouragement to the children. That's something I don't ever see, having attended only asian or liturgical churches, and I admit it was very heart-warming, even if I did, in fact, remain firmly planted in my seat. ^.^ ah well

The children were very good, and for the most part, weren't shy; you could tell many of them were really singing their hearts out. I did make some interesting observations though, cliche as they may be. Many of the black kids were very into the music, swaying together in time with the music, hands in the air, and seemed like they could barely contain themselves from keeping the rest of their entire bodies from grooving to the beat. The couple of Asian kids I noticed were doing just fine, but they looked more well, mechanical, like they were just re-enacting (perfectly, though, mind you) everything they had rehearsed. Then there were a couple of caucasian kids that were bouncing and swaying along, but unfortunately they stood out because they were swaying in the exact opposite direction of the rest of the kids.

Later, I mentioned this to Byron, and he says he thinks it's all cultural and upbringing. I have to say, I'm not so sure. Some of those kids were really little, and I have to wonder if some of this affinity to music (or dis-affinity for the *ahem* "less gifted" ethnicities) is actually hard-wired in our genes. One thing's for sure: thank God for church variety where we're all free to worship Him as He created us. Besides, all this wonderful variety in His children helps to remind me that God isn't just like me, know what I mean?