SHHH! Is that the sound of fireworks about to pop?

Tonight is a celebratory observance of rebellious colonists breaking free from monarchy rule. The party includes food, friends and family, and fireworks fueled with fabulous patriotic songs. Will your music be piped in or live?  If its the former I hope your finding some time to make some live sounds!

Like on Sunday. Join me and others at Rondo library from 2-4p to sing songs of rebellious patriots from then and now (among other sounds). We'll create fireworks that won't damage your hearing. We'll share time and space with others that creates deeper meaning without widening our waistlines. 

More details here: http://pointsoflightmusic.blogspot.com/p/sing-heavenly-harmony-shh-in-library.html

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...

SHHH! Need to escape a dark and rainy month?

Has it been a dark and dreary month for you? 

You and me both! 

Let's get together and sing songs to lighten our souls!  Here's the details: 

• When:  Sunday, June 2, 2013, 2-4 p.m.
• Where:  Rondo Community Library, in the Youth Meeting Room.  Address is 461 Dale St, St. Paul, MN
• More details:  http://pointsoflightmusic.blogspot.com/p/sing-heavenly-harmony-shh-in-library.html

See you there! 

Hamba Nathi - Come walk with us the journey is long

I don't often get the opportunity to share the story about a song or go in-depth about it.  Sound like a good blog topic?  I think so too!

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to lead some songs for Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light's Prayer Circle after a rally at the Capitol.  The organizer attends the church I work at (Hi Julia!) and already had ideas of what songs and vibe she wanted to create.  This was on some short notice, so we agreed on songs me and my amazing guitarist and right hand man, Jim, already knew.  Julia promised to make song sheets and away we go. 

Cut to the prayer circle.

After listening to poetry, singing prayers from Jewish and Christian traditions, and taking part in a loving kindness Buddhist meditation, we are at the point of sending ourselves out into the world.  Julia selected a song from South Africa, Hamba Nathi, whose catchy rhythm and simple melody have a way of imprinting itself on people's hearts & souls that they find themselves singing or humming it days later. 

I started with having people echo the Xhosa words in short phrases after me.  As I'm about to tell them about a new verse we made up for the day ("Climate justice for all living things" - you're welcome), someone asks what the translation is.  In that moment, I couldn't remember if the English verses on their piece of paper is a close translation or something completely different, so I just affirmed it was the poetic translation of the first English verse:  Come walk with us the journey is long.  Cross fingers and toes and promise to check when I get home (and thank you for blogging to correct my mistakes and ask forgiveness!). 

I am here to tell you it is a poetic translation!  (Phew!)

Check out a little bit of the song here. 

This gave me an opportunity to learn a little about the translator and song pollinator, Anders Nyberg.  Please checkout this Swedish conductor's mission of bridging one of the most Northern countries with the world's most Southern.  It is inspiring to me.  You may recognize one of his songs.  "Freedom is coming" is one from my college years.  It's another amazing catchy tune full of hope that will carry you through a number of days.  Do watch the YouTube video at the end of the page (after listening to the embedded songtrack) for a performance with great hand and foot choreography.