Pianos And Prayers

We had rehearsal tonight in our new space - our first "regular" Wednesday night rehearsal. Last week was so frenetic and packed with energy that it didn't seem normal.

Tonight was normal. It was really....weird...to be out of the the little trailer, where we all practically stood on top of one another to practice. Now we're on this huge expanse of stage.

We're rehearsing with the Avion in-ear monitors.

We can hear (for the most part).

We're running video to set up songs.

We can leave our gear out.

I don't have to perch the keyboard on the conference table.

The singers don't have to stand in Lori's office because there's no room for them in the main room.

It's "real".

And it feels so funky.

I'm so, so grateful - there are so many things that we'll be able to do in terms of our vision and the mission of our church. Having this building opens up so many possibilities. In the long run, it's going to be terrific.

But these first few initial weeks of change feel a tad bit painful, honestly.

I realized tonight, as we went through "None Like Jesus" (yeah - if you love that song, don't miss this Sunday...), that I was grieving something specific.

I miss the grand piano at the high school.

I've never played at a church that didn't have an acoustic piano as an option. I am, first and foremost, a pianist. My preference is to play the real deal. I love the keyboards we use, and I'm grateful for them. But the sheer pleasure of sitting on the bench and making music on the instrument that I've played for over 30 years now; that's unmatched by anything in my life.

In this building, that option is gone. There's no baby grand hiding in the wings.

It makes me sad. I'm hoping that at some point in the future, we'll be able to get one. Funds are tight right now; although it's part of the big picture in terms of equipment, it's sunk pretty low on the list of priorities. Actually, it's probably not even ON the list any more. There are so many things more necessary right now. Like ceiling tiles and tables. Flooring for the youth room. Asphalt for the parking lot.

So I'm hoping that one day....

Shoot, let's just be honest. I'm hoping that somebody in Powhatan will read this and remember that there's a baby grand sitting at home - preferably a Yamaha - that they would love to donate.

I'll be praying about that....