It’s not every day you read about your church’s worship service in the Bible, but it happened this week.

We’re back at First Presbyterian Church, Colorado Springs, where we’ve been members off and on since 1985. One reason we’re back is for the music, which is always first class. A number of us arrive early to catch the prelude, which might be a string quartet or a piano/organ duet or a brass choir… We remain in our seats for the postlude, too!

Sunday, October 27, was Reformation Sunday as well as Stewardship Sunday, so they went all out: 16-piece string orchestra with harpsicord playing a Bach concerto for the prelude. Then they threw in a 9-piece brass ensemble with harp and kettle drums. All that is not counting the drum set, electric and bass guitars. You can see the entire service here: the first 8 minutes gives you the prelude with the strings and the introit with the brass and 100-voice choir.

I say I read about this service in the Bible. Two celebrations under the direction of King Hezekiah:

Then Hezekiah gave the signal to begin: …the sacred choir began singing, backed up by the trumpets and the David orchestra while the entire congregation worshiped. The singers sang and the trumpeters played…Then Hezekiah the king and the leaders told the Levites to finish things off with anthems of praise to GOD using lyrics by David and Asaph the seer. They sang their praises with joy and reverence, kneeling in worship. (2 Chronicles 29.27 – 30, MSG)

That was 2 Chronicles 29, celebrating the cleansing of the Temple. Then in chapter 30, they celebrated the Passover with more of the same:

All the Israelites present in Jerusalem celebrated the Passover…for seven days, celebrated exuberantly. The Levites and priests praised GOD day after day, filling the air with praise sounds of percussion and brass. (2 Chronicles 30.21, MSG)

I think First Pres is on the right track!

       Praise with a blast on the trumpet,
             praise by strumming soft strings;
             Praise him with castanets and dance,
             praise him with banjo and flute;
             Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum,
             praise him with fiddles and mandolin.
             Let every living, breathing creature praise GOD!
             Hallelujah! (Psalm 150.3 - 6, MSG)