A New Easter Carol: Lord of the Dance

This year I got encouragement from Brene Brown to create another Easter dance.  Our church was reading her book, Gifts of Imperfection, where she names "Laughter, Song, and Dance" as one of 10 guideposts to cultivate.  And knowing this community usually sings "Lord of the Dance" at the Easter Sunrise service, it seemed a no-brainer.

Not having a lot of capacity to do exhaustive research, I took to my personal mobile research unit and intuited my way to something that felt natural and meaningful.  Here's the write-up; a video from the service is at the end.  Let us know what you think.

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Refrain:  Instructions first with (accompanying words from the song in parathesis)

1. Standing in a circle facing in, take hands with your neighbors and take four steps in (Dance then)
2. Step back 4 steps (wherever you may be)
3. Turn in place to the right (I am the Lord of the Dance said he)

Socially Distant Easter Dance: In the Bulb There Is a Flower

A angular sketch of
Tom Vetter's Flower in the Seed labyrinth
in prep for a large outdoor installation.

Early last week, I was starting to settle some ideas for the outdoor Easter Sunrise service the current congregation I serve has every year.  (Except last year, my first year with them.  Last year, we suspended it because it was the first month of pandemic life and we didn't know what we didn't know...)

One of the traditions I heard was the use of Natalie Sleeth's 1986 strophic text "In the Bulb There Is a Flower."  (New Century Hymnal #433)

Singing with other people during this respiratory pandemic honestly gives me the willies.  It's not quite rational and I'm sure some of it has to do with the ways that some of my ancestors have been tricked and hurt by oppressors.  Beside that, I'm interested in reducing paper waste and embodying our songs.  It didn't take long for the germ of an idea to bloom into something fully formed (ahem) that could be used for all verses ... and guide our social distancing.  :)

Here's the write-up: