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The View from the PowerPoint Perch

I am a PowerPoint volunteer at my church. It is a kind of invisible job, but it is far-reachng in scope. I do it about once a month, sitting behind a narrow desk on the front edge of the balcony. I sit below and in front of the sound desk so the people behind me cannot see me and the people downstairs cannot see me either, that is, unless they are sitting in the front row and take the trouble to turn and crane their necks, but they hardly ever do, so I am sort of personally invisible.

But the results of my work are very much visible. The people are dependent on the PowerPoint slides to be able to sing the words of the songs. If I make a mistake and punch the wrong slide everyone sees it and I feel horrible. I promise you, I am nervous every time my turn comes up.

Now, all that being said … this morning was Easter morning and I got to do PP for both early and late service. Easter at Belmont is always good. For one thing it is resurrection day. For another thing the whole church is a pool of love, for me it is anyway. And for another thing we have choir, drum line and bagpipes. Choir at Belmont is not an every Sunday thing so it is always nice when we do have it. As for the drum line, you are saying, ‘you’re kidding, a drum line in church?‘ Yes, a drum line in church. They have been doing this for quite a few years. The first time I experienced the Belmont Easter drums I wept all the way through it—the kind of weeping that hurts behind the eyes and down the jaw line. I guess the pain comes of holding it back. Somehow we have to hold it back in public, don’t we? Then I wept all the way home plus every time I thought of it, no matter where I was, for about three weeks. Would you believe a bunch of guys skillfully beating on field snares and bass drums can remind one that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. Well, it can and very effectively.

Now for the bagpipes. There’s a man in our town named Jay Dawson who has given himself to the pipes. I say given himself because I know he would have had to so to master such an esoteric musical instrument. Jay used to do such things as conducting symphony orchestras and such. I don’t know how much he does that anymore but I do know I am really glad he took up the pipes. He plays to the glory of God. And God is glorified by his playing.

And so this morning after the pastor pronounced benediction, in Hebrew no less, our director, McLauren Foster, raised her hand towards the back of the auditorium and signalled our piper. If you have never heard “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” on the bagpipes, well you simply must resolve to hear it next year. So come. You will laugh, you will cry, you will want to fight somebody.

Christ is risen. He is risen indeed.