Coming Home for Christmas

How Amy Grant and Vince Gill gave me the gift of coming home

I sat in the back, on the next-to-last wooden pew in the Mother Church, finally listening in person to songs from the Christmas album that graced my teen years all the way to my present. I’d seen Amy Grant and Vince Gill in concert before, but never their show, Christmas at the Ryman. Back in October, I remembered to snag two of the last tickets available to their sell-out shows. So there I sat, four days before Christmas day, not feeling too much in the holiday spirit despite the trees and lights and songs.

But then, Vince Gill tenderly sang O Little Town of Bethlehem, and suddenly, memories and nostalgia — years of singing carols in church — flooded my eyes. I remembered the feelings of comfort and joy when a chorus of voices joined in harmony.

By the time Amy sang Sing Your Praise To the Lord, well, I sang along with every word a little too loudly. But goodness, how could I not when the lyrics are “sing, sing, sing,” and there I am in my favorite city, Music City, listening to one of my lifelong-favorite singers?

Even when I left the church, abandoned my faith, and could no longer tolerate Christian music, I still listened to Amy’s songs. In a way, her music saved me when I decided to get lost.

At the close of the show, the audience stood and joined together to sing a few carols, and I was reminded of Christmas Eve services when the preacher finally quit talking and let the music do the speaking. Those were always my favorite moments — an unrehearsed choir of hushed voices lifting together by candlelight without production or scripted emotion. While there were no candles at the show, the spirit was the same: peace and goodwill to all.

Christmas at the Ryman was the highlight of my holiday season. Being in Nashville always feels like coming home, and so did hearing the songs I’ve been singing along with for over forty years. If Christmas is about coming home, then I experienced a little bit of that spirit Saturday night.

I hope you get to come home (whatever that means to you) this Christmas.