Lent|Vignette (The Microphone)

The Microphone

Please, I know you might think it’s cool or hip, but don’t drop the mic! We’re resilient, but we never do well when competing with gravity. Even worse, please don’t throw us. We’re a fine example of well designed technology that helps you be heard. Just like you, our internal organs really aren’t meant to be jarred … so, remember, no dropping (please make them stop making those ads!) and no throwing …

I know that’s not why you asked me here today, you want to know about my experience in the Stone Church: you were asking about how we’ve helped you find your voice … do I have that right? It’s an interesting question and it makes sense that you have asked me to speak on behalf of my fellow microphones. We conferred on the question and – at first – we thought it was sort of a rhetorical question: after all we are made exceptionally well to make sure you are heard. Whether in churches or grand halls and stadiums, we really do help people project. We’re very proud of that …

Well – as I said – at first, we thought the answer was sort of self-evident. But the more we talked about it and thought about how we might answer the question, we started sharing our memories about how we have not just literally, but figurative-like helped you find your voice. We thought an example might help: hopefully this gets to the heart of your question?

Do you remember Jessie when she was nicknamed “Little J” by the United Church Women’s group? How they cooed and awed after she was born – we still think she’s been the best baby Jesus in any of the Christmas pageants, if you wanted our esteemed opinion … Well as she grew, it was clear that she had a bit of the timidity to her. As she got older, she might be found hiding behind her Pa’s leg when first meeting new people and visitors. The first time she tried to speak, well tried, during the Children’s Gathering during Sunday worship, she froze: remember? She must have been 4? 5?

Stone Church

The interesting thing about Little J is you could tell she wanted to speak. But every time she looked out at the congregation when the Children’s Gathering was leading the congregation in study, song or play, she just sort of froze. We remember her parents talking with Reverend Meadow, you know trying to figure out a strategy. It wasn’t that she couldn’t speak, in fact one-on-one she often surprised people about how well, even when she was just wee, could understand and explain some of those hard ideas from Scripture. Do you remember what she said the first time, when Reverend Meadow, Ma and Pa tried something new?

The Stone Church isn’t what you call big, so at one time you did not have any of my kin. But the Leadership Group had been playing with the idea of getting some of us, you know to help those who were beginning to have some difficulty hearing. The day we arrived, the first of our kind, you had no batteries, but Reverend Meadow said to the Children’s Gathering that they had new microphones that help people speak and be heard. I think the lesson that day was about Jesus, it was Lent, and almost Good Friday.

The Gathering went through the lesson and the congregation was listening, not aware why the microphone wasn’t working, yet. But Reverend Meadow kept using it, as if it were! After the story was done, she asked the Gathering if they had a question for the congregation after sharing the story that Jesus died because of his choices to help the people with the least. Tentatively, at first, Little J put up her hand. Reverend Meadow gently invited her over:

She asked.

At first, it seemed she was going to freeze and then Reverend Meadow asked,

There was a pause – Jessie looked from the microphone to the Reverend to the congregation. I think it was three times? Then it happened, she ‘turned on.’ She smiled and picked it up and asked the Children’s Gathering question for the congregation to reflect:

She began clearly without hesitation.

Since then … well she just won her first term as a Member of Parliament and it’s been a long time since Jessie was Little J.

We hope this answer helps, this is how we help you to find your voice. And – of that – we are admittedly proud …