My Southern Baptist roots often come back to haunt me and I welcome their grasp of my wayward soul.

While a devout Anglican, my faith runs deep through years worshipping at a Baptist Church where attendance was mandatory if the doors were open. I loved it. I loved everything about it. Sermons, fellowship, worship, prayer, but most of all, hymns. The hymns of faith are simply things of beauty and wonder.

For me, music is a quick route to my soul. Music resonates deep within me. Music must be important to God who exhorts us to make a joyful noise and promises a heaven beyond our wildest dreams. Revelation 14:2 tells us: “And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.”

Music, sweet music will be a part of my heaven.

My father and I loved “fifth Sunday sings”. This is a Sunday where the church sings the old, old stories and hymns that have been passed down for generations for the entire music-filled service. I never missed a chance to attend these special church events.

Even now, as I drift off to sleep, I hear the sound of a train whistle in the distance and I find myself singing “This Train is Bound for Glory” before I kiss the night goodbye. A train whistle in the dark reminds me that my life has purpose and through the grace of God I will someday lay my burden down and board that train.

I will then make a joyful song for all eternity. An eternal fifth Sunday sing. Hallelujah!

“Glory Bound”

When I hear that trumpet sound
I will lay my burdens down
I will lay them deep into the ground
Then I’ll know that I am glory bound

I’ll be travelling far from home
But I won’t be looking for to roam
I’ll be crossing o’er the great divide
In a better home soon I will reside

Hallelujah

When I’m in my resting place
I’ll look on my mother’s face
Never more will I have to know
All the loneliness that plagues me so

So I’m waiting for that train to come
And I know where she’s coming from
Listen can you hear her on the track
When I board I won’t be looking back

Hallelujah

The Wailin’ Jennnys