This weekend I had the pleasure and privilege of participating in a local choral festival with a fabulous, talented, and accomplished director as well as a wonderful organist and several instrumentalists (harp, oboe, flute, and handbells). We had nearly a hundred voices, most members of church choirs in the area. Although it was a large group, singing with an exceptionally skillful director turns even the hard work parts into a pleasure. One comment this man made has stuck in my brain even more than any of the music or technical tips.

He talked a bit during the first part of the rehearsal about why we were there, and about the experience of singing with each other, music created from our voies working together to create a . His comment was, "If everyone got together and made music with other people once a week, the world would be a very different place."

I think he's right. Choral singing is, as most group musical endeavors are, about more than each person making our own music well. It depends on each voice being in tune with their neighbor and fitting their contribution into the group. It means holding back, perhaps, so one voice doesn't dominate or stand out, or so another part comes forward when its line needs to be heard.

It also means letting go of the distractions of judging each others' performance, allowing those thoughts of how someone else should be doing something better or differently melt away into the unified sound that is the choir. It means giving, not only giving of our talents in performance or worship, but giving of our egos to become a unified group and to allow others to join with us as equals in making that joyful noise.

And that, my friends, is peace and harmony that sticks with me long after the final note has sounded.