Orlando Eucharist: A Service of Lament and Prayers for Peace

Tonight, Tuesday, June 14, 2016, 7 p.m.

 

St. Mary's Episcopal Church

1895 Laurel Ave, St. Paul, MN

 

Join us in prayers of lament and peace.

Upcoming Dances of Universal Peace: May 21-June 31

I'll be leading my first circle as an all-but-the-official-paperwork-certified Dances of Universal Peace leader this Saturday, May 21, 2016!  Join me in the Undercroft (fancy term for Lower Level) from 7-9 p.m. at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 1895 Laurel Ave, St. Paul. 

The theme I'm working with is growing and we'll have dances that incorporate beauty, lotus, breaking open (like seeds, ya know!), water, light, and more related things.  It'll be a nice follow-up to my temporary labyrinth installation of Tom Vetter's Flower in the Seed design for The Trust for Public Land at Frogtown Park & Farm's Backyard Farm Fest. 

Can't come?  Here's some more upcoming Dance circles you can attend: 

• Sat, May 21, 7-9p @ St. Mary's
• Sat, May 28, 7-9p @ Center for the Performing Arts, S. Mpls (I will be attending my 2nd of 3 Full Voice training retreats this weekend so I won't be present.  Hakim is the host and long time dance leader)
• Sun, Jun 5, 7-9p @ Holistic Gateway, NE Mpls with host Saleem Adam
• Sat, Jun 11, 7-9p @ Center for the Performing Arts
• Fri, Jun 17-Sun, Jun 19:  A weekend long retreat at the Villa Maria Retreat and Conference Center in Frontenac, MN.  More details at PeaceDanceMN.com (No 3rd Sat Dances in St. Paul and Duluth due to this)
• Sat, Jun 25, 7-9p @ Center for Performing Arts

Location details for Holistic Gateway and the Center for Performing Arts is available at PeaceDanceMN.com.  Click on the links for the regular dance circles. 

That moment #201604271940

I seem to be having a flurry of *those* moments. You know, those moments when everything magically aligns more perfectly that you could have imagined or planned.

Tonight's I was part of a prayer vigil for the AME 9. The organizers asked the local AME church to preach.  They responded with "Yes and can we bring a choir?"  We said yes!  So there was awesome gospel sung, honest prayers, an inspiring message ... And me with two paperless chants.

The... first was after the message with its reminder that "The struggle isn't over." As one who doesn't like to rush things, I announced there would be a moment of silence before the chant because well, how does one compete with a fiery message? Then I taught the two lines of the chant and let it take over. Thank G-d because I almost missed the cue for the second voice. That chant knew how long to run, knew more than I how much the people needed to sing it, to let the psalmist's words become their words, a promise deepening into a vow and vision of trust. 

The second chant was after some more prayers. "Spirit of Peace" is from the Dances of Universal Peace canon and is a simple walking meditation with arm movements. Since the list of typical liturgical movement is quite small (sit, stand, kneel maybe, I invited those who felt compelled to join me in the movements if they wished. Sing, hands moving outward like a bird in flight, joining hands, turning, bowing, we walked around. The round started. Quite a few folks joined in. But what really floated my boat was the ending. I started in the middle, walked the perimeter, and then went back into the center again. The attendees were mostly white Episcopalians. There were a few attendees from the AME church. At the end one of the AME women was in the center with me. We processed down the center like equals, turned and bowed to each other as folks sang "Mir, Miru, Mir" (Russian play on words for "peace on earth). We held that wish for each other a long moment. And then she gave me a big hug.

This is a moment I have wished for and didn't know how to authentically make it happen. I'm so glad that I just to put it out there and trust that all the stars will align. 

 

Putting this experience to words only describes a tiny part of what happened.  I can't sing and dance these things by myself to the same effect. The love and longing from all the hearts present added so much. Experiences like this is strong evidence of what we do together is more powerful than what we do alone.

 

After the service there were many hugs and greetings that I'm grateful for and connections and dreams shared and enthusiastically embraced and supported that I want to share. But for now I will dwell in the beautiful moment of shared coming together in the struggle of dismantling racism.

Sing Solstice Songs!

Are you interested in singing some songs about darkness and light? 

I posted on facebook a few months ago this soundcloud track by my friend and sparklighter, Barbara McAfee, and some of my church-y friends got excited when they listened to it.  They offer a winter solstice service and are always on the lookout for fresh music.  I volunteered to teach it at the service. 

Fast forward a couple months.  We are planning the service and I realize there's a few other darkness-light songs floating in my head.  One is definitely not northern European, another is has a rich texture, another a dance.  All are beautiful.  Me thinks, I'd like to plant a few singers in strategic congregational spots to ensure their success. 

So!  Consider yourself invited to the service (yummy poetry will be featured in addition to candles, quiet, and singing!) and to as many song practices you wish to attend.  I'm offering 4 times: 

1. Mon, Dec 14, 5-6 p.m. at St. Mary's Episcopal, 1895 Laurel Ave, St. Paul - probably meeting in our new chapel space at the back of the sanctuary (beyond the altar)
2. Wed, Dec 16, 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary's Episcopal (same as above)
3. Sat, Dec 19, 10 a.m. at St. Anne's Episcopal, 2035 Charlton Rd, Sunfish Lake - we'll be in the sanctuary while pageant rehearsal is going on in the fellowship hall
4. Mon, Dec 21, 6 p.m. at St. Anne's Episcopal - probably meeting in the choir room; watch for signs.

The Solstice Service is at 7 p.m. at St. Anne's Episcopal (2035 Charlton Rd, Sunfish Lake, MN) 

A Liturgy of Darkness and Light: honor the nurturing quiet of God found in the darkness, and celebrate growth and the return of the Light. A contemplative service of candles, music, poetry, silence, Scripture, prayer. Stay after the liturgy for cookies, cocoa, and an celebratory outdoor bonfire to welcome the return of the light! Family friendly, all are welcome.  (From Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/events/481133388678627/)

What songs are we singing? 

• Light and darkness, a 3-word, 3-part round by a wonderful soul we'd love to acknowledge and thank
• To know dark, go dark, a fun 4-part layer song by Barbara McAfee adapting the words of Wendell Berry
• Jewels, a gorgeous 3-part layer song by Barbara.
• Turning towards the light, a Dance of Universal Peace I learned from fellow dance leader friend, Zahir. 
• and maybe Thy light is in all forms; Salaam aleikum/May peace be in our world; and other things that find their way to us...

I hope you join us! 

Upcoming singing events: September 2013

There's lots of singing opportunities available.  Here's my recommendations for the month!  -Conie
--
Sun, Sept 8, 4-6p: Singing in the Light with Barbara McAfee. Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Minneapolis.  Suggested donation of $10-20, but please don't let money keep you away!  More details here. 

Sun, Sept 15, 2-4p: Sing Heavenly Harmony Home (SHHH!) in the Library. Rondo Community Library, St. Paul. NOTE: this is during Open Streets St Paul so University Avenue will be closed between Hamline and Marion Avenues.  The library is open, but the parking ramp will be inaccessible.  Plan to park on the surrounding streets ... Or ride your bike or walk and be part of open streets before and after.  See more sing details here.

Sat, Sept 21, 9a-1p: Sacred Harp Convention.  The Landing - Minnesota River Heritage Park, Shakopee. This is the first morning of a two day gathering of shape note singers.  I plan to attend this portion of it and hope you will try it out with me!  Learn more about this annual event, other weekly events in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, and the basics of this unique American singing tradition made famous in the movie Cold Mountain at http://www.mnfasola.org/. 

Sun, Sept 29, 12n-1p: Dances of Universal Peace  (DUP)focusing on the Aramaic Lord's Prayer. Saint Mary's Episcopal Church, Saint Paul. The Dances are simple circle dances while chanting the sacred words from the world's religious traditions. Lead by John Hakem Bushnell, this monthly series will examine  the 8 lines of Christianity's widely recognized Lord's Prayer in the language of Aramaic.  This language was commonly spoken during the time Jesus was alive and has many layers of meaning. Dive in with us. Come with open eyes to the various possibilities of Jesus' words.  Watch this space for details on this event and other DUP events.

--
 

Upcoming October events:

- Sun, 10/6, 2-4p - SHHH in the Library

- Sat, 10/12, 7p - MN Community Sings

- Sun, 10/20, 12n-1p - DUP-Aramaic Lord's Prayer

- Sun, 10/20, 4-6p - Singing in the Light

Encouraging new seeds to be sown

Due to social media barriers, I'm reposting my response to a Facebook conversation on the Progressive Christian Artists Network (PCAN) about Brian McLaren's Open Letter to Worship Leaders for non-Facebook folks. 

I hear two challenges for the pcan community: One is to get the songs written by this community out to more people. The other is how can we help foster more song writing, creative music and worship making? 

• Can we host concerts in our local communities with a discussion component?
• Would you be willing to share the songs (and their sources) you use on a Sunday or season?
• How about an annual songwriting challenge?
• Or something really radical, like giving songs (scores and audio) away? I appreciate intellectual property rights for acknowledging the source and giving the owner some rights. I think this system is now too cumbersome and limits the spread of good songs or liturgy. What would Jesus do to spread good songs?

The overall conversation focuses on the PR/marketing problem that all of Progressive Christianity seems to have. 

So ... what do you hear in Brian McLaren's words?  Do you sense other challenges?  And what role can you play in this?  (cuz we all want to enjoy some sunshine!)

In a stroke of coincidence or providence, The Gospel Coalition posted this tongue in cheek article about How to Discourage Artists in Church. 

For you clergy and lay folks in church leadership, where do you see yourself or your church doing good work?  How would you like to take one little step of change (cuz we want to create something sustainable longterm!)

The floor is open...

Call for new text: general farewell-well wishes-Godspeed on tune of OLD 100th

We have some special people in our community who will be moving away soon.  Wanting to give them a special St. Mary's sendoff, the rector asked if new texts could be written to a familiar tune so we have something we can pickup to sing when this happens (hopefully rare!). 

You're up for a challenge, aren't you?

So sharpen your pencils, open up your rhyming dictionaries and put on your wordsmithing caps.  Your mission is to write a verse about wishing good people Godspeed on their journey and with fond wishes that we'll meet them again some day.  The tune to fit these words into is OLD 100th, which is also known as "Praise God from whom all blessings flow" or the Doxology.  For those of you who know poetic meter, Old 100th is LM (long meter).  Translation:  four lines with 8 syllables each.  Wikipedia has a nice & short article on hymn meters you can read up on, if you wish. 

The deadline for this challenge is next Sunday, April 15, 2012, noon.  Please email your entry(ies) to conie at saintmarysepiscopal dot org, hand it to me at church, or post it here if you wish.  We'll premiere the finest verse the following week.  (and if your holy muse is opposed to things like deadlines and other logistics, feel free to drop a note any time:). 

Blessings on the final day of the Triduum!

Woyaya, part 1

For the folks from St. Mary's --

Someone suggested we sing this song to our High School graduates on their Send Off Day.  The words fit the occasion filling them with confidence without the sugarcoating.

We are going,
heaven knows where we are going,
but we know within.

And we will get there,
heaven knows how we will get there,
But we know we will.

It will be hard, we know
and the road will be muddy and rough,
but we'll get there,
heaven knows how we will get there,
but we know we will.

Woyaya (translation of African:  So be it!  Amen!)

Many of you may know the Art Garfunkel version, http://youtu.be/viwERI295zU.  Did you know there's a wide variety of versions on YouTube?  Check out these...