Josh Hatcher's Blog
Friday, November 04, 2005
Waxing Nostalgic
My Dad came to take me to the hospital today for my surgery. He popped in a CD of country stars singing old hymns in a bluegrass type style.
Now I'm a huge fan of music, not particularly country, but any music that's done with real passion, that gets me excited.
So hearing the old hymns I grew up with brought back some memories.
I know church has changed. Culture had change, language has changed, and while the gospel will never change... sometimes the method must, to reach a postmodern generation, who won't go to church, and some never have.
So for the sake of nostalgia, I want to take a minute and remember some of what I liked about church as a kid.
I remember waking up Sunday morning, and getting a bath, and then eating powdered white donuts in my underwear before I put on my crisp yellow or blue shirt, with a brown striped clip on tie, and brown pleated polyester pants, and shiny black shoes, or leather loafers.
I remember singing the COUNTDOWN song (somewhere in outer space, God has prepared a place) in Sunday School, before the teacher told a bible lesson with the flannelgraph.
I remember going upstairs to the sanctuary, and a silvery haired old man would pull peppermints out of his pocket and give them to my brother and I, as we juggled Sunday School papers.
I remember the organ preludes, the old hymns, dry, but rich...
and I remember Pastor Youngblood delivering a sermon, and asking the "ladies" to come and play a few verses of Just as I am, or another "invitation" hymn.
It was enough to make me want to run forward and give my heart to Jesus, and eventually I did.
Not that I think we should go back to "old church"... It's time to reach a new generation.. I just wanted to wax nostalgic and walk down memory lane.
Here's a couple of the hymns that played on dad's CD player after the surgery. They spoke to me, and reminded me that when I am in pain, when I'm lonely, or tired, or scared, my faith is there to comfort me.... and that's another blog post entirely!
I Need Thee Every Hour
Softly and Tenderly
Now I'm a huge fan of music, not particularly country, but any music that's done with real passion, that gets me excited.
So hearing the old hymns I grew up with brought back some memories.
I know church has changed. Culture had change, language has changed, and while the gospel will never change... sometimes the method must, to reach a postmodern generation, who won't go to church, and some never have.
So for the sake of nostalgia, I want to take a minute and remember some of what I liked about church as a kid.
I remember waking up Sunday morning, and getting a bath, and then eating powdered white donuts in my underwear before I put on my crisp yellow or blue shirt, with a brown striped clip on tie, and brown pleated polyester pants, and shiny black shoes, or leather loafers.
I remember singing the COUNTDOWN song (somewhere in outer space, God has prepared a place) in Sunday School, before the teacher told a bible lesson with the flannelgraph.
I remember going upstairs to the sanctuary, and a silvery haired old man would pull peppermints out of his pocket and give them to my brother and I, as we juggled Sunday School papers.
I remember the organ preludes, the old hymns, dry, but rich...
and I remember Pastor Youngblood delivering a sermon, and asking the "ladies" to come and play a few verses of Just as I am, or another "invitation" hymn.
It was enough to make me want to run forward and give my heart to Jesus, and eventually I did.
Not that I think we should go back to "old church"... It's time to reach a new generation.. I just wanted to wax nostalgic and walk down memory lane.
Here's a couple of the hymns that played on dad's CD player after the surgery. They spoke to me, and reminded me that when I am in pain, when I'm lonely, or tired, or scared, my faith is there to comfort me.... and that's another blog post entirely!
I Need Thee Every Hour
Softly and Tenderly
:: posted by joshhatcher, 10:55 AM
