Church in my car...Avalon Christian Fellowship

This morning I listened to a Gospel song by Fred Hammond as I drove Davis to Nana's and headed to the church. Over the last few years I have downloaded a lot of "Black Gospel" (for lack of a better word) onto my Ipod. I want to know what it is that evokes such a sense of emotion in some of my African American friends when they hear these gospel songs. It just seems to "take them there". Many of my questions have been answered over the last year or two as I have had some HEAVY worship experiences in my car...almost to the point of needing to pull over. This morning was one of those times. I was listening to Fred Hammond's "You Are My Song." What a powerful expression of worship! I will share the lyrics below because they touched me this morning...but you need to know that the audio dimension (what they do with the sound and their voices) is equally as powerful. There is a sense of rising, building, and crescendoing praise. Here are the lyrics:

You are my symphony, perfect in harmony.

You are my melody forever, that’s why I sing…you are my song!

Lord no other song, no other song compares to you.

No other praise, no other praise is as strong as you.

Your spirit speaks to my soul and that’s why I sing…Lord you are my song!

You're the tone of power in the key of honor filled with glory, Lord you are my song!

For you endless mercy and your loving kindness pull my heart strings daily, Lord you are my song!

If you would have been with me at church in my car this morning, we could have called it "Avalon Christian Fellowship!" (Incidentally, I drive an Avalon, which means "heaven"...pretty appropriate for my line of work.)