‘Hymn Sing in the Hayloft’ April 10
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By Ruth Moreland
On Friday, April 10, at 7 p.m. the barn at the Illinois Amish Heritage Center in Arthur will be filled with singing. The humble hospitality of the Herschberger-Miller barn offers a comfortable gathering place, perfect for the first community “Hymn Sing In The Hayloft.”
If you have experienced singing hymns together, you know that it can lift your spirits and bring hope and peace to your soul. Singing together brings a sense of community that goes beyond our differences and provides a haven from the conflict and anxiety so widespread in today’s world.
I grew up in the Arthur community deeply immersed in a culture of acapella singing —no instruments — just the simplicity of voices raised in song. As a musician, my life’s work has been to create unique acapella experiences for singers and listeners. The first time I walked into the historic red barn at the Illinois Amish Heritage Center I envisioned those high rafters and that soaring wooden roof filled with voices singing together to the glory of God!
Singing in barns is not a new thing. For decades, folks have enjoyed the resonance of the vaulted ceiling and wood surfaces in a barn, where three voices can sound like a dozen. On a Sunday afternoon last November, twelve singers braved the cold to test my idea of singing in the hayloft. Although there were snow flurries blowing into the barn, we bundled up in coats and blankets and got a taste of what it will be like to have many more voices joining us this spring.
This hymn sing is not a performance–just people coming together for fellowship through song. There will be hymn books, seating in the hayloft and limited downstairs seating for those who cannot climb stairs. Everyone is welcome to come sing or just enjoy the sound of voices ringing in the rafters! Email [email protected] for questions.