Yesterday I ended my time at Pilgrim UCC with a music-full, worship-full service celebrating the amazing journey of the last year and a half. As the time came to leave, it was the choir I most regretted leaving behind. We have come so far: musically and spiritually in such a short time. Their recordings are all over the music page, with more to come. Give them a listen and hear what a choir that sings from the soul sounds like.
Monday morning at 11:08am, Asher Christian, our second child was born! Happy day!! Check out Facebook for photos and more.
I joined 300+ youth in Defiance, OH last night in my first gig as band-man. I taught 6 instrumentalists (grades 9-12) a 5 minute group-improvisation-prayer with less than an hour of rehearsal. A raucous experience and a kinetic evening with the young generation of the UCC. We have much to look forward to...
Last night I had a rich conversation with the worship committee of First Church Oberlin. We talked about their January workshop, how it has impacted their worship, and their plans for the future. It was a great joy to me that our time together has born fruit and continues to be helpful in the life of their church.
Over 44 musicians assembled to give praise to our God this morning @ Hudson UCC. All the hard work was transformed into lesson after lesson on the rich variety of God's rich blessings. I cannot put THANK YOU into large enough caps to express my gratitude to all. Re-live the audio/video next week...
I have been seriously stretching my creative muscles organizing the music for a joint meeting of the Western Reserve and Eastern Ohio Associations of the United Church of Christ. (Thank goodness we usually use abbreviations...) So far, First Congregational Youth Choir - Hudson, Dekiru Daiko drumming group - Cleveland, Campanella Ringers - Elyria, and Solid Brass - Lorain, along with a number of other musicians are combining forces for a morning to remember. Check back to experience to video/audio.
All the hits from the last 400 years in worship last Sunday... Francis Couperin's - 1600's - Kyrie, beautifully sung by the choir. Philip Glass' - 1990's - Metamorphosis Five on the Steinway. A setting of the Lord's Prayer by Rimsky Korsakov -1890's- for choir, organ, and sign language. And a cover of the Youngblood's -1960's- "Get Together", which also ended up as an organ postlude. I think it's safe to say that it's the first time Pilgrim's organ has played that particular piece, a premier of which I'm proud. ;-) 2010