I miss singing... — Sydney Anglican Ministry Wives

This year, I learnt that I love to sing. Not just in the car, but actually in front of living people - who have ears! This may not sound like that big a deal, until you know that I am genuinely bad at singing. I once sang 'Happy Birthday' to a friend on voicemail and she replied with a message begging me to never do it again!

I have missed singing in church deeply - more than I could have imagined. I thought listening to someone singing in church, reflecting on the lyrics without joining in, would have been my ideal. But… I've learnt, not just that Christians generally are ‘people of song’, but that I, myself, am one of them.

No singing feels a bit like ‘Diet Church’ and it’s not satisfying.

The masks in church freak me out, the social- distancing between us seems so weird and I miss the chats afterwards - but no singing? No singing feels like we haven't had the fullness of church at all - a bit like ‘Diet Church’ and it’s not satisfying. I long to sing in church again. In fact, I crave it. 2020 has taught me that I love to sing with other Christians. Especially with them - as we express our oneness in Christ, praising our God with one voice. But be warned: I might be off-key!

Sam Cook is married to Stephen and they love ministry life in South-West Sydney. One of the things that COVID-19 hasn’t changed is her enjoyment of playing games with their four children, except for Monopoly(!)