Amen to all of that, Chaplain. God bless you.
I’ll give you one example of what I’m talking about. One of our worship team leaders is a terrifically talented singer. Yet she is so into her own performance that she doesn’t realize that her job is to help the congregation learn the pablum we’re singing to try to add to the worship experience. There are people around me, especially the older members, who just stand there and don’t sing.
We get to listen to sermonettes between songs and occasionally even learn how they impact her own personal walk with Christ. Worship buzzkill.
Thankfully we have an exceptional pastor who teaches the Word at every opportunity.
This is somewhat off the point.
I used to have a problem with the singers, both the choir and lay people at Mass. They were SO off-key sometimes, it drove me nuts.
We had an organist whom I liked. He was fabulous. I went to the pew near him so I could be very close to the music and sing with him.
I spoke to him once about the horrible off-key folks. He laughed. He said that it didn't bother him and they should be allowed to sing as they are...and God should hear them. After all, he said, God made those AWFUL voices and He SHOULD have to listen to them.
After that I was never bothered with off-key singers. Sometimes I roll my eyes at God, saying to myself, O Lord, that was a BAD one. :o)