Closing Chapters: Heart Songs

The pandemic experiment that was Heart Songs is now complete as of the summer of 2026.  

To everything there is a season ... turn, turn, turn.

We're so grateful for everyone's loving and graceful presence as we have lamented and longed on zoom together over the last six plus years.  We remember many of the faces and voices who have dropped by in the past.  We believe you are in the right place wherever you are. 

If you're interested in continuing to sing with others online/on Zoom, please check out the following!

• Fellow regular Heart Songs attendee Nancy is willing to organize some future Heart Songs like gatherings.  Please email her at nancyjw@aol.com.
• Monday Morning Grounding - Music that Makes Community's weekly community song and poetry space.  10a Eastern/7a Pacific
• This Google doc of online song circle spaces shows us you could sing every day of the week!  Last updated in 2024

If you'd like to relive songs through past songlists, you can see a short archive of follow up emails here or by following this tag on the PLM blog.  

If Heart Songs has been a benefit to you, you are invited to make a donation to Music that Makes Community.  

Summer 2026 Heart Songs (Jun 15, Jul 6, Aug 3)

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love

(an online community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: 6:30-8p CDT 

(05-UTC until Daylight Savings Time ends)

Dates for Summer 2025:

• June 15
• July 6
• August 3

Where: Online: 

https://zoom.us/j/431161455 

(see call-in options on Heart Songs' main page)

Gather for an informal singing time to re-center our hearts in community. Simple songs will be led paperlessly/taught by ear by C. Onyx Li, Nancy W, Sarah M, other song leaders, and you, if you have a song to share.

Join us. Bring friends. (Signup for the email reminder here; select Heart Songs)

Songs will be about the human experience and in that way, spiritual in nature, but not specifically religious.

This is a space intended for self-care, however that shifts for you in every moment. Bring water. Come and go. Sit in a chair, lie on the floor, or stand as you need to.

Fall 2025: Heart Songs (*Nov 3* 17 Dec 1, 15)

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love 

(an online community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: 6:30-8p CDT (05-UTC until Daylight Savings Time ends)

Dates for Fall 2025:

• September 8, 22
• October 6, 20
• November 3, 17
• December 1, 15, 29

Where: Online: https://zoom.us/j/431161455 (see call-in options on Heart Songs' main page)

Gather for an informal singing time to re-center our hearts in community. Simple songs will be led paperlessly/taught by ear by C. Onyx Li, Nancy W, Sarah M, other song leaders, and you, if you have a song to share.

Join us. Bring friends. (Signup for the email reminder here; select Heart Songs)

Songs will be about the human experience and in that way, spiritual in nature, but not specifically religious.

This is a space intended for self-care, however that shifts for you in every moment. Bring water. Come and go. Sit in a chair, lie on the floor, or stand as you need to.

Summer 2025: Heart Songs (*July 7*, August 11)

 

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love (an online community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: 6:30-8p CDT (05-UTC until Daylight Savings Time ends)

Dates for Summer 2025:

• June 9
• July 7
• August 11

Where: Online: https://zoom.us/j/431161455 (see call-in options on Heart Songs' main page)

Gather for an informal singing time to re-center our hearts in community. Simple songs will be led paperlessly/taught by ear by Conie Borchardt, Nancy W, Sarah M, other song leaders, and you, if you have a song to share.

Join us. Bring friends. (Signup for the email reminder here; select Heart Songs)

Songs will be about the human experience and in that way, spiritual in nature, but not specifically religious.

This is a space intended for self-care, however that shifts for you in every moment. Bring water. Come and go. Sit in a chair, lie on the floor, or stand as you need to.

Winter-Spring 2025: Heart Songs Schedule

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love (an online community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: 6:30-8p CDT (05-UTC until Daylight Savings Time ends)

Dates for Winter-Spring 2025:

• January 13, 27
• February 10, 24
• March 10, 24
• April 7, 21
• May 5, 19

Where: Online: https://zoom.us/j/431161455 (see call-in options on Heart Songs' main page)

Gather for an informal singing time to re-center our hearts in community. Simple songs will be led paperlessly/taught by ear by Conie Borchardt, Nancy W, Sarah M, other song leaders, and you, if you have a song to share.

Join us. Bring friends. (Signup for the email reminder here; select Heart Songs)

Songs will be about the human experience and in that way, spiritual in nature, but not specifically religious.

This is a space intended for self-care, however that shifts for you in every moment. Bring water. Come and go. Sit in a chair, lie on the floor, or stand as you need to.

Fall 2024 Heart Songs Schedule

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love (an online community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: 6:30-8p CDT (05-UTC until Daylight Savings Time ends)

Dates for Fall 2024:  

• September 9, 23
• October 7, 21
• November 4, 18
• December 2, 16, 30

Where: Online: https://zoom.us/j/431161455 (see call-in options on Heart Songs' main page)

Gather for an informal singing time to re-center our hearts in community. Simple songs will be led paperlessly/taught by ear by Conie Borchardt, Nancy W, Sarah M, other song leaders, and you, if you have a song to share.

Join us. Bring friends. (Signup for the email reminder here; select Heart Songs)

Songs will be about the human experience and in that way, spiritual in nature, but not specifically religious.

This is a space intended for self-care, however that shifts for you in every moment. Bring water. Come and go. Sit in a chair, lie on the floor, or stand as you need to.

Summer 2024 Heart Songs

 

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love (an online community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: 6:30-8p CDT (05-UTC until Daylight Savings Time ends)

Dates for Summer 2024:  over the summer we meet less frequently because Mni'sota summers are amazing and it's hard to be inside!

• June 17
• July 8
• August 19

Where: Online: https://zoom.us/j/431161455 (see call-in options on Heart Songs' main page)

Gather for an informal singing time to re-center our hearts in community. Simple songs will be led paperlessly/taught by ear by Conie Borchardt, other song leaders, and you, if you have a song to share.

Join us. Bring friends. (Signup for the email reminder here; select Heart Songs)

Songs will be about the human experience and in that way, spiritual in nature, but not specifically religious.

This is a space intended for self-care, however that shifts for you in every moment. Bring water. Come and go. Sit in a chair, lie on the floor, or stand as you need to.

Winter/Spring 2024 Heart Songs dates

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love (an online community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: 6:30-8p CDT (05-UTC until Daylight Savings Time ends)

Dates for Winter/Spring 2024:

• January 1, 15, 29
• February 12, 26
• March 11, 25
• April 8, 22
• May 6, 20

Where: Online: https://zoom.us/j/431161455 (see call-in options on Heart Songs' main page)

Gather for an informal singing time to re-center our hearts in community. Simple songs will be led paperlessly/taught by ear by Conie Borchardt, other song leaders, and you, if you have a song to share.

Join us. Bring friends. (Signup for the email reminder here; select Heart Songs)

Songs will be about the human experience and in that way, spiritual in nature, but not specifically religious.

This is a space intended for self-care, however that shifts for you in every moment. Bring water. Come and go. Sit in a chair, lie on the floor, or stand as you need to.

Fall 2023 Heart Songs Dates: biweekly resumes Sept 11!

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love (an online community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: 6:30-8p CDT (05-UTC until Daylight Savings Time ends)

Dates for Fall 2023:  

• September 11, 25
• October 9, 23
• November 6, 20
• December 4, 18

Where: Online: https://zoom.us/j/431161455 (see call-in options below)

Gather for an informal singing time to re-center our hearts in community. Simple songs will be led paperlessly/taught by ear by Conie Borchardt, other song leaders, and you, if you have a song to share.

Join us. Bring friends. (Signup for the email reminder here; select Heart Songs)

Songs will be about the human experience and in that way, spiritual in nature, but not specifically religious.

This is a space intended for self-care, however that shifts for you in every moment. Bring water. Come and go. Sit in a chair, lie on the floor, or stand as you need to.

Summer 2023 Heart Songs Dates: Jun 26, July 10, *Aug 7*

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love (an online community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: 6:30-8p CDT (05-UTC) on specific Mondays during the summer

• June 19 26 - Changed!
• July 10
• August 7

Where: Online:

Heart Song Setlist from May 8, 2023

 Here's the list of songs we sang virtually on May 8, 2023. 

1. Come, come whoever you are* (Rumi/Dale Zola)
2. The Ocean Refuses No River** (traditional Sufi text & Lila Flood/Yakzan Valdez)
3. Holding Song (Ian Carrick)
4. God is Here Today (from Guatamala) - led by Nancy
5. Cultivate Courage*** (Casper ter Kuile/Liz Digitale Anderson)
6. Now the Day is Over (Kerri Meyer) - led by Nancy (scroll halfway down)
7. Sending You Light (Melanie DeMore)
8. Put Your Roots Down (Molly Hartwell)

* Click on "Attached Resources" button

** We've haven't found an online recording of the same tune yet.  If you find one, let us know in the comments!

*** Liz has a recording of a live sing that we're hoping they put on SoundCloud soon!

Want to know when we are gathering next or what we sang or how to join us? Visit this page about Hearts Songs for more details.

Jan-May 2023 Heart Songs Calendar

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love (a community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: every other Monday, 6:30-8p CDT (05-UTC)

• January 2 & 16 & 30
• February 13 & 27
• March 13 & 27
• April 10 & 24
• May 8 & 22

Where: Online:

Fall 2022 Heart Songs Calendar!

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love (a community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: every other Monday, 6:30-8p CDT (05-UTC)  

• September 12 & 26
• October 10 & 24
• November 7 & 21
• December 5 & 19

Summer 2022 Heart Songs Dates

   

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love (a community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: 6:30-8p CDT (05-UTC) on specific Mondays during the summer

• June 20
• July 11
• August 15

April-May 2022 Heart Songs Dates

  

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love (a community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: every other Mondays, 6:30-8p CDT (05-UTC)

• April 11 & 25 
• May 9 & 23

Heart Songs Setlist from Dec 20, 2021

Here's the list of songs we sang virtually on Dec 20, 2021. 

1. Come, come whoever you are* (Rumi/Dale Zola)
2. Welcome to the table/zoom call (clb)
3. You are in the right place (Martha Burford)
4. What we need is here* (from The Wild Geese by Wendell Berry/Music: Amy McCreath) - led by Nancy (Also some thoughts from Ana Hernandez.)
5. Sweet Surrender (text: Saint Symeon/music: Sophia)
6. Honor the Dark (Lea Morris) - Previous link is YouTube; here's a link to Bandcamp.
7. Now the Day is Over (Kerri Meyer) - led by Nancy (scroll halfway down)
8. We were made for these times (Clarissa Pinkola Estes/Linda Noonan)

* Click on "Attached Resources" button

Want to know when we are gathering next?  Click here for the latest post OR here to sign up for the reminder email (Select Heart Songs from the list).  

Want to know what we sang at other gatherings?  Click here for a list of posts on the blog and here for a list sent to the email list.  

We're holding the possibility of other local in-person song circles that are BIPOC/mixed-centered, street justice-centered, or queer-centered. If you'd like to hear about those when scheduled, drop us a line on the Contact Us page.

Jan-Mar 2022 Heart Songs Dates

 

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love (a community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: every other Mondays, 6:30-8p CDT (05-UTC)

• Jan 3, 17, & 31
• Feb 14 & 28
• Mar 14 & 28

Where: Online: https://zoom.us/j/431161455 (see call-in options below)

Gather for an informal singing time to re-center our hearts in community. Simple songs will be led paperlessly/taught by ear by Conie Borchardt, other song leaders, and you, if you have a song to share.

Join us. Bring friends. (Signup for the email reminder here; select Heart Songs)

Songs will be about the human experience and in that way, spiritual in nature, but not specifically religious.

This is a space intended for self-care, however that shifts for you in every moment. Bring water. Come and go. Sit in a chair, lie on the floor, or stand as you need to.

--

Winter 2021-22 Heart Songs

What: Heart Songs: Lament, Longing, & Love (a community space for you to bring your heart and your voice)

When: every other Mondays, 6:30-8p CDT (05-UTC)

• Nov 8 & 22
• Dec 6 & 20 

Where: Online: https://zoom.us/j/431161455 (see call-in options below)

Gather for an informal singing time to re-center our hearts in community. Simple songs will be led paperlessly/taught by ear by Conie Borchardt, other song leaders, and you, if you have a song to share.

Join us. Bring friends. (Signup for the email reminder here; select Heart Songs)

Songs will be about the human experience and in that way, spiritual in nature, but not specifically religious.

This is a space intended for self-care, however that shifts for you in every moment. Bring water. Come and go. Sit in a chair, lie on the floor, or stand as you need to.

--
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Heart Songs Setlist from October 11, 2021

Here's the songs we sang in-person on October 11 near Lake Nokomis. Its in no particular order because it was hard to write in the dark lol and it hard to recreate the order after sleeps.

• Come, come whoever you are (Rumi/Dale Zola)
• Light & Darkness (unknown) - haven’t found an online recording yet though they are on the “Coming Home” CD by the Flowering Women & “Morningstar Singers” available from https://www.barbaramcafee.com/store.html
• For all that has been (unknown) - led by Liz DA who learned it from Sarah Jane Bradley - also haven’t found an online recording yet
• Simply Trust (Kobayashi Issa/Harmony Grisman)
• Hymn for the Russian Earth (Yuri Zaritsky and Eugene Friesen) - here's a recording of the Dances of Universal Peace
• The Way Knows the Way (Lyndsey Scott)
• Ridin’ My Bike (Laurence Cole)
• Scramblin’ (Whitney Bembenek) - led by Liz

It's likely that was the final outdoor in-person sing of Heart Songs for 2021. Heart Songs will continue online on alternating Monday nights through the winter.

We're holding the possibility of other local in-person song circles that are BIPOC/mixed-centered, street justice-centered, or queer-centered. If you'd like to hear about those when scheduled, drop us a line on the Contact Us page.

Heart Songs Setlist from August 16, 2021

 Here's the songs we sang in-person on August 16:

1. Welcome to the temple (Doug van Koss)
2. Longing (Orion Mountain Dreamer/Nathan Holst)
3. Welcome to the zoom call (clb)
4. Put Your Roots Down (unknown)
5. Push (Wayfaring Stranger Remix) - Liz Digitale Anderson
6. Always (Grace Lee Boggs as quoted in Emergent Strategies by adrienne maree brown/Nathan Holst)
7. The Way Knows the Way (Lyndsey Scott)
8. Sweet Surrender (text: Saint Symeon/music: Sophia)
9. What we need is here (from The Wild Geese by Wendell Berry/Music: Amy McCreath)
10. We were made for these times (Clarissa Pinkola Estes/Linda Noonan)
11. Lead with Love (Melanie DeMore)
12. Always (Grace Lee Boggs as quoted in Emergent Strategies by adrienne maree brown/Nathan Holst)

Join us in-person on 9/13 (maybe last one?) or on zoom on 8/30 and 9/27.