Jigsaw Puzzle

 

The pastor obviously wanted us to be thinking about the new year.  The reading was to be the beginning of Ecclesiastes 3, the sermon title in the bulletin was "Doorway to a New Beginning", and the first hymn was listed as 'This is a Day of New Beginnings".  I wasn't familiar with this particular hymn but the music is printed right above the words in the hymnal so I was pretty sure I could figure it out.  The church is small.  There is no praise group of singers up front leading the singing.  The deacon at the podium doesn't even count time.  The piano started playing and the congregation began to sing.  Think it was three bars in when I realized I was ahead of the piano.  I stopped singing until I thought I knew where the piano was and started up again.  Nope - lost the beat almost immediately.   I heard a twitter in the pew behind me - maybe more of a nervous giggle.  Realized that no one was singing anymore.  Looked up at the deacon.  He'd given up also.  The pianist continued on for the rest of the three stanzas until the song ended.  "Thank you for that piano solo."  quipped the deacon and the church broke out in laughter.  It became the running joke for the rest of the service.   Once home I checked YouTube to see how the song should be sung and found there are different versions of a hymn w/ that name.  Wondered then if the pianist was playing the tune from a different version - or - maybe the pastor was just trying to show that this year should be filled w/ laughter.