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Viewpoint from Mary Ives 27/04/2018
 Mary Ives
Lay Minister, St Andrew’s Church, Gorleston
as published in the Yarmouth Mercury
I wonder if, like me, you enjoy playing or listening to music. Playing music for me is more than just knocking out a tune on the piano or guitar, it is something which seeps into my very being
As a Christian I love to hear and play worship music – some old and some new. When I am troubled about something, out come my books and I sit down to play something which helps to calm my troubled soul. Conversely when I am happy or elated I again find that music is an outlet for the way I feel
 Certain songs can be associated with certain life experiences. Is there anything in your past that you associate with music? Maybe it was singing ‘One More Step’ as you left primary school. It might be the first recording you bought or the first real piece of music you learnt to play. Do the memories stir something deep in you when you hear it again? Hearing the music on the radio of the song my husband and I first danced to at our wedding reception brings back happy memories, as do the hymns that were sung at our wedding. One of which was Amazing grace – I can’t sing it now without experiencing a warm response!
The music I listen to today is probably very different to the music I listened to in my teens, but the impact can still be the same. As Christians sometimes words alone are insufficient when we praise God – but words put to beautiful music can enhance our worship. It doesn’t matter who plays or sings the music, it is the impact of that in our souls that is so important. ‘God inhabits the praises of his people’ said the Psalmist
 At St Andrews Church on May 19th we are going to host a concert by the Christian composer Graham Kendrick. He has written some amazing modern Christian music including ‘Shine Jesus shine’. We’re so looking forward to having such an opportunity to share with people this rare opportunity. Don’t let misconceptions or preconceptions rob you of the joy which can be found through music. When James ended his epistle he told his readers ‘Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise’
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