As I sit with hymnals and music books around me and begin bringing up Easter memories, of my home congregation in Marysville, OH, the tune with loud trumpet response plays over and joyfully in my head of Jesus Christ is Risen Today. This hymn I remember flipping to in our northern church (as Steve informed me) hymnal and blue hymnal of my childhood. It is one, that the trumpets rise from the back of our rounded sanctuary, and even a few years I sat among to play as well. The text of verse two clearly rings with the voices of my youth, as I hear:

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heav’nly King, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save, Alleluia!

Those joyful, can’t hold anything back, no matter if you couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket any other day, voices lithely climb up the scale and I join the chorus. Especially as we turn to it today in our Glory to God hymnal, 232. A heart-warming smile comes to my face as I hear again this song on Easter morn. Alleluia!

Prayer

As we join our voices with choirs of angels and your church, O Lord, may we indeed sing praise to God and his eternal love in Christ Jesus. As we sing the songs of Easter celebration, may that joy and assurance go with us into the ordinary days we pray. Amen