Ours is not a “Hallelujah! Praise Jesus!” kind of church. We tend to be a little less vocally dynamic in our method of worship. Lately, I have had the desire to incorporate this kind of energy into our congregations. More specifically, I want to stand up after someone gives a talk and shout…
“Brothers and Sisters, Can I Get an “Amen?”
But I won’t. I will say “Amen” respectfully, and clearly. And I might even parrot “Ah-men” should someone pronounce it that way.
What I won’t do is what I hear a lot lately:
Speaker: “Amen”
Congregation: “mumble”
Yes, it is rude, and I feel for the person who receives that sort of reaction after sharing what may have been very personal feelings. I think we are calloused to the courage we expect of each other in baring our souls when we stand and share, only to be thanked with a wimpy “amen” that carries all of two pews. If that.
The basic idea behind the word “Amen” at the end of a talk or prayer is to publicly demonstrate that we are in agreement with what has been said. For example, a speaker gives a talk on whatever subject he/she has been assigned. At the end, he/she says “Amen.” In return, we say “Amen” to let them know we were listening, and to show that we are in agreement. Easy – right?
This isn’t a Mormon thing. The idea and word “Amen” harkens back to Latin and Greek. The dictionary meaning of the word is “So be it.”
Encyclopedia of Mormonism goes a bit further:
Among Latter-day Saints the saying of an audible “amen” is the seal and witness of all forms of worship and of priesthood ordinances. The Hebrew word, meaning “truly,” is transliterated into Greek in the New Testament, and thence to the English Bible. It is found many times in the Book of Mormon. The Hebrew infinitive conveys the notions “to confirm, support, uphold, be faithful, firm.” In antiquity the expression carried the weight of an oath. By saying “amen” the people solemnly pledged faithfulness and assented to curses upon themselves if found guilty (Deut. 27:14-26).
It is about more than manners. If you attended your meetings today, as I’m sure you did, think back to the sacrament prayer that was recited. It is a very precise prayer. In fact, if the priesthood holder gets it wrong, he has to do it again. It has to be just so. Why? Because the sacrament is a sacred ordinance, and the person reciting the prayer is doing it as proxy for all of us that are planning on partaking of the sacrament.
At the end of the sacrament prayer we hear, “that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.“
That is the ordinance. Now we have a choice: Do we choose to say “amen” and ratify that ordinance and participate in the sacrament? Or do we say nothing, fail to ratify the ordinance for us, take the bread and water without renewing our covenants?
Saying “Amen” is our consent – our verbal expression of commitment to the renewing of our covenants. It is not merely a formality, or a habit, or a tradition. It is us, engaging in the ordinance. What kind of commitment does a mumble carry? (Remember – to say “Amen” carries the weight of an oath.)
Does it start at our kitchen table? Do we mumble an amen when we bless the food? Or in the morning, after family prayer, do we have enough oomph to say “amen” loudly enough for our family to know we are there, and engaged?
There are probably a lot of reasons for not saying amen audibly – distraction, disinterest, shyness – but reverence is not one of them. Saying amen at the right time is the one opportunity for everyone in the building to be talking at the same time and still be reverent. (Those who don’t join are actually the irreverent.)
Next week at church, and during the week, listen to how you respond to the word “Amen.” Do you notice it? Do you mumble back? Do you respond with your own “Amen” worthy or on oath or praise?
I figure that I can start tonight, at dinner, and help myself, and my family try to reverse the slide that is leading towards the death of amen.
Here are my two cents, (maybe four cents): I’d been a ‘lifer’ and lived in one ward my whole life. I then moved to the next town over at age 42. I was taken aback by no one singing the hymns OR saying AMEN at the end of prayers or talks in my new ward. I began to wonder if perhaps I’d come from an extraordinary ward… In all truthfulness, I feel I did. In my old home ward, the chorister was such a huge part of what we all looked forward to on Sundays. She was a special and talented person who led the music in each of the different meetings at one time or another throughout her adult life. (She was given a special 35-year pin for all those years leading the kids in singing their hearts out in Primary, too.) She taught our whole congregation all four verses of, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” when we attended Sunday School in the mornings (before three-hour blocks). All who knew her remember her to this day. Her exurberance and cheerfulness added so much to our meetings. It’s no wonder EVERYONE sang out loud and clear AND participated in firmly saying AMEN when appropriate in meetings. No, our ward was not shy! I have never visited any other ward in any other state or country that could sing out and say AMEN like my old ward. Now I have to wonder if there is a correlation between a gregarious music chorister and wards that boldly say AMEN… I’m sure there was in mine.
Gods approval is of utmost important then mens approval, when the spirit is present the heart is elevated the amen is loud and clear, I’ve witnessed it many times in my lifetime membership in the church, when I go to church prepared I came out edified, no amount of amen can do that for me but my preparations and the spirit of the Lord accompanied.
Thank you for the post.
I had a Seminary teacher who gave us a lesson on the power of “amen”, and I always remember her voice loud and clear in Sacrament meeting giving her amen. She was such a cheerful and enthusiastic person, that I couldn’t just let her “amen” alone, so I got in the habit of an audible and clear amen as well. I graduated from Seminary about 15 years ago and I’m not in that ward anymore, and she actually passed away from cancer several years ago. But I always think of her when I say it. Amen!
We really need a LIKE button.
Very timely topic for me. Just this past Sunday I was noticing how lackluster the Amen-ing in our ward has been lately. I’m not sure why — are people shy? Not paying attention? Asleep? Self-conscious? I don’t know.
I’ve also had the opposite experience — just a week or two after returning from my mission I attended the wedding of young man from our neighborhood in a different church. Early in the service the pastor offered a fervent prayer, closing with an energetic “amen.” I responded enthusiastically — but was the only one in the congregation that did so. I guess in that church only the pastor says “amen?”
For many yrs my family lived in a branch, meeting in a “phase 1” bldg, where sacrament mtg was held in what would some day be the Primary rm. When a speaker stood at the moveable podium and said “Good morning!”, we all said “Good morning!” back. It seemed rude not to answer a person speaking to you from just a few ft away. If someone in the branch had been to Hawaii recently, the opening and response was “ALOHA!”. I think it was welcoming, got our attention, and reminded us that we were participants.
When we moved to a real ward, our family still answered “Good morning” to the speaker for a few months, until we learned to behave ourselves!
I remember our amens as being similarly appropriate.
I have been a member all my life and honestly did not know I was suppose to say amen at the end a talk. Dead serious! However, I heard beautiful and animated amens while visiting Africa in 2012. I miss the vocalized love for the gospel! 🙂
I think this speaks to a deeper problem. Most people are disengaged from their spiritual renewal and Sacrament experience. I spent two years as an High Councilor and as I traveled from ward to ward, I noticed that sadly more and more adults and children are distracted by technology, food, talking and just plain looking like they can’t wait to be onto second hour, or home. If the connection to Christ isn’t in the heart, then no amount of exuberant “Amen”ing will fix that, nor should we expect one from the moderately interested. Sometimes I deliberately withhold my Amen, if a talk, or “testimony” is self-serving and doesn’t offer worship to the Lord; which sadly is far more often than it should be.
I agree. My simple hope is that those who are engaged will be a bit more vocal, and hopefully pique the interest of those who don’t quite get it.
Thanks for the really good food for thought.
I agree with this whole-heartedly, and since others are recommending similar topics, perhaps you could expound on proper use of “in the name of ‘thy’ son…”–appropriately said in prayers, but nonsense when said at the end of a talk. When speaking to a congregation we should not say “in the name of thy son…” because our Savior is not the son of the congregation, right? “In the name of Jesus Christ, amen” is all that needs to be said.
Already did – ran it twice in fact.
http://middleagedmormonman.com/home/2011/05/ending-prayers/
Good to hear. I’m new to this site.
I’m guessing that ending with a rowdy “COWABUNGA, DUDE!” is out of the question?
That’s very appropriate at a campfire, or perhaps a dance festival, but I wouldn’t recommend it to close either a prayer or a talk. Points for creativity, though.
Amen!!
If you go listen to General Conference, you can hear some of the Apostles (routinely Elder Holland) say amen loud enough to be picked up by the podium mike!
Seems to miss the mark. The “Amen” is a tradition, not a gospel principle, nor an ordinance. It’s more important to worship the Savior than get hung up about the traditions of how that worship is expressed. We could also say why don’t we cover our heads when praying as was tradition in Christ’s time. Why don’t we say alleluia and amen during talks we agree with as was common in the beginning of the church.
It would seem that the tradition which you think “misses the mark” was endorsed by the brethren. I think we can follow that counsel and worship the Savior AT THE SAME TIME! They are hardly mutually exclusive. Here is the Priesthood bulletin that went out to the worldwide church – I have never heard of it being rescinded:
The presiding Brethren of today have counseled as follows: “A noticeable decline in voicing the word amen at the close of prayers and talks is apparent among congregations of the Church. Amen should be voiced audibly by all members to indicate their agreement and approval of what has been said. A re-emphasis on joining in the amen is needed in all meetings and gatherings throughout the Church.” (Priesthood Bulletin, October 1973, Vol. 9, No. 5, p. 4.)
AuntSue
When I read this post, I realized how much I miss the AMEN. AMEN was very much a part of my youth in the Church in Murray Utah. It seems to be getting lost lately. Next week I will add my AMEN to the service. Thank you for bringing this lapseto our attention.
As for SINGING the hymns, that is also important to our worship. A good enthusiastic chorister (and a SINGING Bishop) can make a difference, especially with an organist who is following the chorister and playing with feeling, loudly enough to encourage the congregation. My mother was an exceptional organist for over sixty years in the same ward. She had learned to play the hymns all the way through for the prelude. It takes that long for most people to get out their hymnals and get ready to sing. It also helps with the less familiar hymns. When I hear the people really singing the Sacrament hymn, I know they are getting spiritually ready to partake. And when I see the Aaronic Priesthood young men really SINGING the Sacrament hymn, I know that they are getting ready to administer the symbols of the Atonement of our Savior to their Brothers and Sisters.
Waiting for your next post, but very glad you had wonderful family time to celebrate.
And could you please write about the words before the “Amen”? I know it isn’t necessary to close in the name of Jesus Christ, but when we do, I wish it was expressed more clearly and not mumbled through as an afterthought.
We need some lessons from our Baptists friends how to get excited about our religion. we have all become people not wanting to make a commitment so when we saw amen we just mumble so no one we think we have really committed our selves to that amen.
Now write one about pianist/choristers who cannot/will not comply with the tempo notations at the head of every hymn. In Zion it is one dirge after another
AMEN!!!!
I live in a ward that has very few Aaronic Priesthood members. Melchizedek Priesthood holders are frequently called on to assist. When I was called on one Sunday to assist, I learned a lesson about gratitude of the Sacrament. When starting it down a row, I had two different people look up at me and very audibly say THANK YOU. That certainly made me ponder.
Our ward is pretty good about the “amen”s, but I’ve noticed a real lack of congregational joining with the hymn-singing, especially from the “younger generation” and this bothers me a great deal because that is truly part of our worship and invites the Spirit. I often feel like a soloist on my row…But perhaps that will be another post….
Aw rats! My clip of Sidney Poitier singing “Amen” didn’t link.
I agree Elisabeth. I attended a ward in Bountiful this past January. I actually felt like I was singing a solo in this very large congregation. I looked around and most people were actually not singing. Not just singing quietly, just not singing!
Our wards were realigned a couple of years ago and my counselor, who was from the other ward, one day mentioned that you never got taken by surprise by the Sacrament prayer being redone or had to check for a nod from the Bishop- their former one always said a loud AMEN! if it was right.
I haven’t really noticed this problem in our area- maybe because we’re in the Bible belt, where plenty of converts are used to calling out amens?
Ditto on the running the last phrase of the prayer all together, though Does anyone else also hear a lot of “In the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.” to end talks, where they’re not addressing Heavenly Father, but the congregation?
MMM, I have wondered if this is just a local phenomenon. I’m not from this area, and where I grew up, we all said a hearty “A-men!” So I have wondered if Arizona saints just have never been loud “Amen-ers.” What do you think?
Or do you think it’s generational??? Maybe society has just lost its enthusiasm in general???
Whatever it is, it has been really bugging me, too! Thank you for “raising awareness.” 😉
Down here the bible belt, we get a few shouts of “Hallelujah!” and “Praise Jesus!” every now and then in our sacrament meetings. As well as some boisterous Amen’s both in the middle and at the end of the talks. And quite frankly, I LOVE it!
Being a generational Mormon raised in Utah and Arizona, I hadn’t ever really thought about the Amen at the end of a talk. But I’ve found that these little expressions not only acknowledge the spirit, but also help other recognize the spirit when it is present. Now sometimes I’ll find myself wanting to mumble “Amen” during a particularly moving talk. I agree with you that it an important part of our participation in the meeting.
Add to that the word “inthenameofJesusChristamen”…drives me crazy when people rush through that.
My goodness this is too spooky. Today I noticed that I was the only one that I could hear saying Amen.and it made me feel sad. And then I thought that maybe a new suggestion had come from Church headquarters advising us to say our Amens quietly.
When I was a child I had parents who were not religious and so I never went to church with them but I had a dear and wonderful Grandmother who did and when I got to stay with her I would get to go to her little Evangelical United Brethren Church. If I close my eyes I can see her there next to me as we sing The Old Rugged Cross. One of the things that would happen during every sermon that I ever attended, was that old brother Brown at some point would loudly exclaim, AMEN BROTHER. I loved when he did that. So almost 20 years later, when I joined the Church, I loved that we all gave our Amens to the Sacrement and peoples talks.
Thank you for your insight and ability to share with us.
My son-in-law from North Carolina always says “Amen” loud and clear–and now his son (my adorable little 4 year old grandson!) does the same. I agree that it seems more heart-felt and conscientious when we speak it out with real intent.
My grandPA used to lead the congregation in practice amens. some timesoon you’ve gotta warm up the crowd!! 🙂
While serving a mission and being with the young missionaries every week for district meeting, we noticed that the amen was becoming boisterous. We asked them to politely say Amen rather than booming it out. So there can be the opposite problem, too.
Would rather have it too loud than nonexistent
AMEN!!!
This was good. I can’t remember if I said Amen today at the sacrament prayers, mostly because my 3 year old decided it was the perfect time to play, “punch mom in the face.” 🙂 But next week, we’re going to work on this.
We had a 3-year old like that. And she had, at three separate times, 3-year olds just like her. By 2035, you may have a similar “revenge.”
Oh,thank you, thank you, thank you! This is been a bugaboo of mine (that and hearing “testimonies” on fast Sunday which aren’t testimonies at all..but that’s another subject..) as many times after the sacrament or a talk,I feel like I am a chorus of one saying amen.
I too, have wondered where all the amens have disappeared to. I like your perspective, that not vocally adding an amen to the sacrament prayer, in some ways negates your participation.
There is an older brother in my ward who is a convert of two years, who when he actually takes the sacrament,will say an audible “amen” as he takes it.I was a little taken back at first, especially since like I said, it is quiet, then all of a sudden JoJo distinctly says “amen” in the middle of passing the sacrament..but the next week, I was sitting behind him a few rows to the left,and was able to observe the context of his “amen” and saw he was saying it as an acknowledgement, or praise in taking the sacrament.
So it made me think about the ordinance of the sacrament,and our part in it,and how we are sometimes passive, or not in tune with what is really being offered to us.
I choose to add my amen at the end of the prayer…but his heart is in the right place, rejoicing as he takes the sacrament. It is obvious that he is considering and grateful for the ordinance he is receiving..and not just taking it out of habit,or without acceptance of what it means.
We all need to be thinking of the sacrament in similar ways,if it is something we treasure,and reflect about the promises and opportunities the sacrament gives us each week.
And so to your thoughts… I give them a big and hearty “amen!”
Amen!!