Serving our neighbors with the gift of song

In the Divine Service we pray that the Lord strengthens us to live in faith toward Him and in love toward our neighbor.  One of the chief ways that children are able to serve those around them is through music.  Day to day students at Our Savior Lutheran School lavish the gift of song on one another, staff, and their families—neighbors they know well.  

Music also allows our children to serve brothers and sisters in Christ with whom they don’t share daily encounters.  The practice of singing at funeral services for members of Our Savior Lutheran Church is an act of love toward our extended family in Christ. It is love that sings the promise of the Resurrection to those that mourn.  Love that comforts with words of truth.  Love that reiterates, “I am Baptized into Christ!” Death cannot end my gladness.

While singing for funerals provides a loving service to the neighbor, it also fulfills the first half of the prayer.  It strengthens our children to live in faith toward God.  Children who sing at the bed of a homebound member and then continue that song over the casket are learning what it means to die in Christ.  

They understand the context in which they pray, “even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” (Ps. 23:4)  They have learned to cry from the depths, “O Lord, hear my voice!” (Ps. 130)

They know how to remove the sting of death with Jesus’ words “I am the Resurrection and the Life, he who believes in Me will live even though he dies.” (Jn. 11:25)

The sung Word of God shows love to those who grieve and strengthens the faith of both the hearer and singer.