Last week I wrote about the magnificent train station in St. Louis and mentioned that we had just come from an Evensong service at the Episcopal Cathedral when we walked into it.  The AGO, the American Guild of Organists, had descended on the town for their annual meeting, and the Cathedral had to pull all the stops (so to speak) for their musical service.  Five choirs came from around the St Louis area to make a remarkable ensemble of voices that warranted the vast expanses of the cruciform Cathedral. 

     “Evensong” even sounds old.  Started in the mid 1500’s in England, it followed the tradition of Vespers, which started maybe 1000 years before that.  Those early days, and even today, much of the service is chanted.  Chanting doesn’t do that much for me, so the “choral” evensongs are the ones that catch my attention, and my heart.  If you haven’t been to one, you should go.    

For this particular Evensong, every Scripture reading, of which there were many, ended with the person reading the Bible verses saying, “Hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to God’s people.”  Then the congregation responded by saying “Thanks be to God.”  Yes, this mimics what we say when the Scriptures are read here at First Boca.  The reader finishes the Bible verses and says “This is the Word of God, for the people of God” after which we all say, “Thanks be to God.”  I like that response because it reminds us that what was just read was not some teaching or story from the preacher or somebody in the church, it came directly from the Bible.  We understand that these words come from God’s perfect will, not from some benevolent human thought.  And the reader focuses the text on those of us who are listening – the word of God FOR the people of God (the listeners). 
            

But then came this variation.  I found the variation helpful on a couple of levels.  For one, it disrupted my routine.  The repetitive nature of what we say can diminish its impact.  “The Word of God, for the people of God” can become just a verbal prompt for us to blurt out “Thanks be to God” rather mindlessly. 
            

So, the reader there in St. Louis followed the Biblical text with “Hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to God’s people.”  The first time this happened, I wasn’t following along with the bulletin.  So, it caught me off-guard when suddenly everyone around me all cried out “Thanks be to God.”  I scooted to the back of the church and asked the usher for a bulletin so I would be ready this time.  Now, when they read from the book of Acts, I was ready.  This time, when I heard “Hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to God’s people” I could respond confidently “Thanks be to God!” 

              But I had to think about it.  What did I just affirm?  What was I saying about this Scripture?  The reader commanded us to listen to what was just read as words that the Holy Spirit– that God Himself–was speaking to us.  This became a faith statement.  The reader announced to all of us there that, regardless of what Scripture was read, we understood it as an instrument of the Holy Spirit to talk to us humans.  That Scripture was the Father speaking to His children.  That Scripture was the Son speaking to humankind.  That Scripture was the Holy Spirit, God’s presence in the world today, addressing me.  And it was meet and right to respond to that idea with “Thanks be to God!” 

That’s why you will find in today’s bulletin this response after all the readings.  It is not our new tradition – I just want to give you the same interruption to the routine so that we will appreciate the inspiration of today’s text.  In his second letter to Timothy, Saint Paul said: All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living (2 Timothy 3:16).  I think this is true.  ALL Scripture, every bit of it, is inspired by the Holy Spirit, and is useful for us.  I invite you to listen to the Word of God this morning, and to say with conviction, “Thanks be to God!” 

 Reveling in the Word, 

Craig 

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.  James 1:17 (NLT)