Consider singing antiphonally; beautiful gender differences

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE_tuMpIOho

Antiphonal singing, according to the editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, is alternate singing by two choirs or singers. "Antiphonal singing is of great antiquity and occurs in the folk and liturgical music of many cultures. Descriptions of it occur in the Old Testament. The antiphonal singing of psalms occurred both in ancient Hebrew and early Christian liturgies; alternating choirs would sing—e.g., half lines of psalm verses," the encyclopedia says.

Here is Michael Card's Immanuel from 2007, and it can teach us to magnify Jesus' name by showing off our diversity (children, teenagers, male and female in this case), while still maintaining unity. Consider asking just the children of your church to sing a verse in worship, or that old-fashioned method, "Men on verse two, women on verse three." Better yet, switch it up at an appropriate place in the middle of a verse. The result is a moving reminder of our rich differences in gender and age, yet still unified.

This Christmas, carol in congregational voice

My wife and I attended Asheville Symphony's "A Classical Christmas" this afternoon. The Gospel shimmered in the Asheville Symphony Chorus's singing of the Christmas section of Handel's Messiah, then climaxed with a sing-along, in which the 70-member chorus and the full orchestra led us in three carols. Those are some capable musicians cranking it up for 2400 congregants. We sang "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "The First Noel," and "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing," and the result was emotional with a buzz in the crowd. Encouraged to sing vigorously, up tempo, and robustly, 2470 citizens of Asheville rose to the occasion. I was in the fourth row, and I could see the visceral reaction of the conductor and the people around me.

Carol singing in Kenilworth
neighborhood, Asheville,
on December 15

This is a small example of the power of congregational singing, when the people are given familiar songs that stir spiritual beliefs and feelings through memory, where the accompaniment is deft, and the tempo is upbeat. If these things are provided to singers, and if people sing enthusiastically, the congregational voice itself will be the apex of worship celebration.