Elegy for the Church Organ

Its the smell that got you. The moment the dank stale air hit your nostrils you knew. Then the cold. It gnawed through your clothing gradually, so that you went from hardly noticing it to the endurance of that familiar aching frozen boned torture. This of course was only exacerbated by the long, long periods of stillness. A voice droned from the front, it may as well have been in Latin, as the acoustic rendered the dialogue unintelligible and the pillars remove any hope of a visual connection.

At last there came a song to cheer us. Voices weaving together in strong and steady harmonies. The spectrum of society united in one magnificent production of sound. So many beautiful and meaningful hymns to choose from. Inspirational words combined with uplifting melodies, easy to fall into step and get swept along with the deep tones of the pipe organ, the faith of the artists steadfast and firm.

But no longer. Move onwards, away from the soulful reflections of more primitive times. The shared experience of united voices rising in shared hope. Leave the visceral vibrations of the old fashioned instruments behind and progress.

Now the MP3 chirps out a modern beat as people struggle to convey the words in time, or in tune. God's magnificence reduced to a demonstration of the artists' career prospects without regard for the wider congregation and societal relevance. The focus shifts from the grace and benevolence of God to spotlight our own miserable failings, our selfish wants and desires.

The chairs are comfortable, the buildings carpeted for our convenience. The voice at the front is enhanced electronically, although the poor acoustics continue to render the message unclear.