My absolute biggest pet peeve in worship is music during communion.
Here’s why I hate music during communion. I take communion seriously. Very seriously. It is one of the most sacred times of worship. It’s the time that I remember the sacrifice Christ made for me, where I repent of my sins and where I try to devote my life and heart to Him (probably for the 1,062 time. I’m a slow learner.) I am not one of those people that race to the front of the line and pop the bread and juice in my mouth. I take time to prepare, and I take the Scripture seriously where Jesus declares that those who take it flippantly are in danger of judgment.
I need time to pray, prepare my heart, beg for forgiveness. I need to prostrate myself before God, get real with Him. If for whatever reason, I feel that my heart is not in the right place, I don’t take communion.
I’m sitting in my seat, bowing before the Lord, trying to get my heart right before Him. Music begins, and people start singing. The ADD part of me can no longer pray the words I need to pray, because I can only concentrate on the words being sung.
It’s frustrating. I feel like I’ve been robbed of my special time with God. Most times, I just give up and not take communion, because I can’t prepare my heart properly.
I’ve been to services where special music is done during communion. Some solo is done while we trudge up the aisles in the obligatory sacrament. This is the worst, in my opinion. Not only can I not engage in the singing during the most sacred time of the service, my head is filled with words that only the singer thinks are special.
Many churches, mine included, usually play some soft instrumental music during communion. I’m mostly okay with this. I know the majority have a real problem with complete silence and it makes the time seem less “awkward,” I guess. But sometimes, even with instrumental music, I’ll recognize the tune and then start humming along in my head. Once again, my head is filled with some other words instead of what I really need to pray.
I love absolute silence during communion. I know it feels weird for most, and the times of complete silence are usually when you trip over a chair making a really loud noise on your way up the aisle, causing everyone to turn around. In all seriousness though, I love having no distractions around me, and as long as everyone else in the service got the memo that this is not the time to catch up with your neighbor through loud whispers, I think it’s the most beautiful time of the service.
What are your thoughts on music during communion?
I am ok with instrumental music playing. I usally do not know the song so I can focus on communion with the music. I would not like singing.
I was in a church once that did communion in silence – I think you build a deeper respect for the practice that way. I would love to try it at my church
I don’t like congregational singing during communion because it doesn’t promote prayerful preparation. As for non-recognizable background music, generally I find that monotonous as the musician simply “composes on demand” and you hear repeated chord progressions, ad nauseum! I will say that when I played quiet hymns strung together in a medley, it was multi-purpose……..1) I chose hymns of preparation that helped many people (I was told) to be prayerful as they came for communion; 2) the music prevented the awkward silence; 3) and for those easily bored, they could play “Name that hymn”!