I have started attending a new church, and I like it very much. It is a small congregation in a huge old building. At first I thought it would be depressing, but everyone is so friendly, and the services are so traditional, yet unstuffy, that I like it.

Today I was asked to play an offertory song on my fretted dulcimer. I selected "All Creatures of Our God and King." I assumed most there would know the tune, and since it is from the 17th Century, it appeals to my love of early music.

Imagine how I felt when I listened to the reading from the prophet Amos. He criticizes the rich people in Israel for their luxurious lifestyle:

4 You lie on beds inlaid with ivory
       and lounge on your couches.
       You dine on choice lambs
       and fattened calves.

5 You strum away on your harps like David
       and improvise on musical instruments.

6 You drink wine by the bowlful
       and use the finest lotions,
       but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph.
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There I was, all set to improvise on my musical instrument then and there! Because when I play the dulcimer, I sound out the tune and make up the accompaniment as I go along.

I'd been warned, but it was too late to change anything. I set the dulcimer upon the lid of the grand piano with rubbery cloth to keep it from sliding and to prevent any scratching. I played the hymn twice, once in D and once in A. In between I modulated! Let's hope the prophet Amos doesn't hear tell about that.

I do wonder whether it would have okay with Amos to play musical instruments while following written music. Only written music was not to come for centuries. Or was it?