Edwin Starner, who has played for services in many churches in the United States and is now organist at The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, shares his thoughts on the prelude and the postlude as they relate to congregational worship.
With few exceptions, as Christians enter their churches for worship and as they leave at the conclusion of the service, they will hear music being played from the organ or piano.
The practice of using musical instruments in the worship of God, however, predated the Christian era. It is recorded in the Bible that the purpose of the music was "to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord."
IIChron. 5:13 This was music with a purpose.
