From Chaos To Harmony
Stories
LECTIONARY TALES FOR THE PULPIT
Series III, Cycle A
The children - aged nine through thirteen - were milling around waiting for the old school bell that hung outside to ring. They had been playing in the playground near the lake when someone mentioned there were only ten minutes left before they had to go. They were running toward the top of the hill. Suddenly, a shrill sound filled the air as the director sounded the bell three times. Ninety children ran inside and scrambled to their seats in the auditorium.
Avis, their director, gathered them by age, then ordered their seating by various abilities. She had them sing a refrain from a popular song heard on the radio. Everyone knew it, and everyone sang eagerly and loudly. Yet they sang in different keys, with differing tempos and the sound was shrill.
Avis turned to them. "You all sang beautifully in your own way. But if we want to sing together, we have to work together. Let's go outside and play and learn to work together."
The children looked happy as they ran outside. They shrieked when they saw the parachute game. Choir camp was going to be such fun!
They did have lots of fun; but they also worked hard that week. They were together six hours a day. Several musicians worked with the children: flautists, pianists, guitarists, even a violinist. The children paired off for singing lessons, went in groups of six for section practice, and sang together in groups of twenty or so. They made their voices match the piano, a pitch pipe, the guitar, the violin and a flute. They sang high; they sang low. They sang scales; they sang popular songs. They breathed deeply; they sang in front of candles, taking care not to blow them out.
They played together, worked together, and most of all, listened to each other as they sang. And they got better and better. What at first came out as a chaotic bunch of notes sung in all kinds of keys was turned into a sweet harmony timed to the tapping of Avis' stick.
The children knew they had worked hard. But they had had such fun! And they knew they sang beautifully. They were excited for the concert they would put on that Friday. Avis said she didn't work miracles; she just took different little twigs and branches to make a glorious tree.
A glorious, singing tree!
Avis, their director, gathered them by age, then ordered their seating by various abilities. She had them sing a refrain from a popular song heard on the radio. Everyone knew it, and everyone sang eagerly and loudly. Yet they sang in different keys, with differing tempos and the sound was shrill.
Avis turned to them. "You all sang beautifully in your own way. But if we want to sing together, we have to work together. Let's go outside and play and learn to work together."
The children looked happy as they ran outside. They shrieked when they saw the parachute game. Choir camp was going to be such fun!
They did have lots of fun; but they also worked hard that week. They were together six hours a day. Several musicians worked with the children: flautists, pianists, guitarists, even a violinist. The children paired off for singing lessons, went in groups of six for section practice, and sang together in groups of twenty or so. They made their voices match the piano, a pitch pipe, the guitar, the violin and a flute. They sang high; they sang low. They sang scales; they sang popular songs. They breathed deeply; they sang in front of candles, taking care not to blow them out.
They played together, worked together, and most of all, listened to each other as they sang. And they got better and better. What at first came out as a chaotic bunch of notes sung in all kinds of keys was turned into a sweet harmony timed to the tapping of Avis' stick.
The children knew they had worked hard. But they had had such fun! And they knew they sang beautifully. They were excited for the concert they would put on that Friday. Avis said she didn't work miracles; she just took different little twigs and branches to make a glorious tree.
A glorious, singing tree!
