Old Country Church singing continues on despite poor weather Sunday

Published 3:00 am Wednesday, November 26, 2014

The storm clouds and heavy rains didn’t stop the singing at the Old Country Church Sunday afternoon. They didn’t even put a damper on it.

Although the one-room church house was not absolutely packed for the first time in 13 years, no one could tell.

John Senn, who, with his wife, Mary, hosts the annual singing the Sunday before Thanksgiving, said the acoustics in the Old Country Church are so amazing that the church is always filled with the sound of music no matter how many or how few voices there are.

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“Mary and I receive a blessing every time we open the doors of this church and we have been richly blessed here today,” Senn said in thanking all of those who braved the weather to participate in the a cappella congregational singing. “Those who came in a rain storm really love to sing. I think this will be one of the most memorable singings we’ve had because we had to brave the weather to be here.”

About 100 people gathered to sing the old church songs on the stormy Sunday before Thanksgiving.

“It is good to give thanks in all things,” Senn said. “In spite of the weather, we had a real good singing.”

The Rev. Ed Shirley, pastor of Brundidge United Methodist Church, attended the Singing at the Old Church for the first time and the singing was a new experience for him.

“I knew a lot of the songs that have been around for ages but some of them were new to me,” Shirley said. “It was good to discover these long, cherished songs. And, it was great to hear them sung without music. When there is no music, you pay more attention to the words and how the music blends. I really enjoyed the singing. It was different but delightful.”

Shirley said the songs were sung in a way that is not traditional with the Methodist church.

“The singing had the flavor of Sacred Harp, with the pitching of the songs and the four parts,” he said. “It was wonderful to hear the seasoned voices that knew their parts and made the music so beautiful.

“Sometimes, I had to not sing and just listen to the verse and chorus before I could sing. It was a beautiful music that you just don’t hear that much anymore — special music in a special place at a special time of year.”

The Singing at the Old Country Church will be held at 2 p.m. the Sunday before Thanksgiving 2015. Rain or shine.