They always say that Pentecost is the birthday of the Church. Maybe it’s all those paintings of the apostles and Mary sitting around with flames on top of their heads, like human candles. It reminds me of the candles on birthday cakes, anyway.

What happens on birthdays? At least in this country, you have certain ritual foods—cake and ice cream, possibly the honoree’s favorite meal. But it would seem every strange to us if we skipped singing the “Happy Birthday” song. Someone always launches into it, and everyone joins in—sometimes pretty tunelessly, but they join in anyhow!

(Mind you, I’m talking about the one the wait staff chants in restaurants that don’t want to pay the copyright fee. That’s right: “Happy Birthday” is under copyright, but don’t let that stop you; you’re not doing public performance for profit, as a restaurant would. But I digress…)

The thing is, “Happy Birthday” is nearly the last manifestation we have of spontaneous a cappella singing. Our national anthem, which we used to sing with gusto in spite of its range, has been co-opted by soloists who often make it unrecognizably stylized; and the people don’t sing it anymore. They just wait for it to be over. That’s sad.

But spontaneous a cappella singing can occur. At the Kentucky Derby, thousands of gathered racing fans sing “My Old Kentucky Home,” in spite of the changes in its lyrics.

The rest of the Triple Crown races has the same spirit: “Maryland, My Maryland” for the Preakness, and “New York, New York” for the Belmont.

So when I hear people lamenting that their congregations don’t sing, I wonder how we’re getting in the way of their congregational singing.

Look for more on this subject in the weeks to come.