Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! (Psalm 98:4). In this Adventures in Lutheranism episode, Rachel shares her recent experience joining a new-to-her church choir.

Beginning with a brief foray into the history of sacred choral music — from ancient Greece to Garrison Keillor and beyond — she then examines the physical and mental health benefits of singing in groups and ponders the long decline of church choirs (even as choral singing in general has been on the rise). She invites Sarah and Erin to relate their own experiences with church choirs before sharing her personal choral history up to the present day. At the end of the episode, she airs interviews with each of her four children, who confirm that church choir is absolutely for all ages.

Sources cited in this episode include:

• Choir - Wikipedia
• Why do Lutherans Sing? Lutherans, Music, and the Gospel in the First Century of the Reformation | Church History | Cambridge Core
• Singing the Reformation - Lutheran Reformation
• The Young Lutheran's Guide to The Orchestra
• How a superspreader at choir practice sickened 52 people with COVID-19 | Live Science
• Pandemic brings opportunities for some choirs hit by coronavirus restrictions | ABC News - YouTube
• Interest in choral singing is not declining in America, so why are church choirs disappearing? – Baptist News Global

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