Richard W. Steffen: “Doing Something New

Doing Something New

by Richard W. Steffen, Minister of Music

I like new. When some of the grass in my yard was looking bare, I planted new sod. When my peach tree had new blossoms, I knew that spring would be coming again. When Noelle wanted to find more bugs, we searched in new places for rocks to overturn.

There’s one particular New Testament scripture that has always inspired me when I think about newness.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘See, the home of God is among mortals.

He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.’ And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’” (Revelation 21:1-5 NRSV)

I find inspiration, comfort, and instruction when I read the Psalms. The Psalmist speaks of newness.

“Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel be glad in its

Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.” (Psalm 149:1-3 NRSV)

Last month we finished the season of Epiphany on Transfiguration Sunday. We remembered the transfiguration of Jesus, when Jesus and three of his disciples went to a mountain to pray. On that mountaintop, Jesus began to shine with bright rays of light. And then Moses and Elijah appeared next to him. That was certainly a new experience for the disciples!

Our YouTube services have a song that gathers us. It is “Grow Something New.” Matt Frazier wrote this song in 1994, and we have used often as our Gathering Song through the years, especially during Epiphany. Here are the lyrics.

“Lord, you’re the keeper of what you grow. You water, you guard, for fruit to show, for mercy and justice to flow.

You planted the vineyard, our needs you know. Grow something new in our lives, oh God. Grow something peaceful, grow something true. Grow something new, turn our hope back to you.” The 2nd stanza gives God the glory for breaking the wall between God and humankind through Jesus. And it encourages us to break down walls between us and others: “not many but one.”

“You broke down the wall of hostility. You bring us near you so we can see who you want us to be: Not many but one for eternity.”

Recently on a Thursday evening, I was in Field Hall at church. Thursdays and Sundays have been particularly meaningful for me throughout these past 48 years of church leadership. I was feeling perplexed that evening as I thought about what doing something new meant for me now. So the Psalmist and I had an honest chat. It went something like this:

The Psalmist: Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song,

Me: Yeah, you know, I’ve been doing this “praising” thing awhile, and I know a lot of songs already. Now you want me to learn a new song?

The Psalmist: His praise in the assembly of the faithful.

Me: Easy for you to say, you have the Temple available to use. I can’t praise God in-person with ANYONE in my church sanctuary right now!

The Psalmist: Let Israel be glad in its Maker.

Me: Okay. Look, I’m not in Israel. Any advice for me in

Redlands?

The Psalmist: Let them praise his name with dancing.

Me: Ever seen me dance?

The Psalmist: Making melody to him.

Me: Now that I can do: I can sing a melody, maybe even a new one.

The Psalmist: With tambourine and lyre.

Me: Our kids have lots of rhythm instruments that they enjoy playing. And you said “lyre”? We do have instruments similar to that. We are inspired – in-person and digitally – by guitar, bass, mandolin, harp, and banjo.

Alright, I’m convinced. Now, like the Psalmist, I’m ready for that something new that God wants me to do. With you –digitally and in-person – I will praise the Lord and I will sing a new song! I will do something new! Thanks be to God.