The Yellow Chair: Our Chief Celebrant OR My Turn to Write About Dylan and Embarass His Mother

Every winter brings its round of colds, flu and other incapacitators. This year was different only in that it seemed to take a couple extra days to shake the sinus infection when I’d started treating it early. Anyway, if I am honest, the reason the “doldrums” hung on a little longer than usual this year was because the Smiths (a family of four) were passing the bugs around and weren’t in church as often. So I missed Dylan. Dylan is about to turn five and I call him our chief celebrant because he is always visible up front during worship and is so intent on everything going on around him that he helps me focus. He is comfortable participating in worship and I miss him when he is not there.

As much as is possible in a t-shaped room, we have worship in the round. Because of past retreats and seminary classes, I have come to treasure in worship being able to see shining faces of people I care for rather than the backs of heads. From the front wall we have a one-step thrust platform. Probably one of the reasons the yellow chair has become my perch is because it gives me the best view of Dylan in the spot where he begins worship. He will spread out his coloring book or what ever holds his interest in that moment on the stage left lip of the thrust. Often he is there during our opening songs, and if he isn’t singing with enthusiasm, he is keeping the beat with his head. It’s easy to make the connection that his dad is our drummer.

Dylan understands the rhythm of worship. We have Communion every week and as soon as Rodger begins the Words of Institution, Dylan pops up to stand only partly patiently, mostly wiggling with anticipation, right beside Rodger to be the first in line. Since we usually use intinction, Dylan has developed a fun little left-hand-palm-up-over-the-shoulder-don’t-let-the-grape-juice-drip-on-the-floor technique.

And here I need to say that all the Smiths are leaders. Mom, Alice, sings in the band with husband, Todd, the drummer. And Dylan’s big brother, Christopher—well, he's the host mentioned in the previous entry.