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I was at a meeting with a group of folks from Park Avenue Christian Church and our interfaith partner, Congregation Da’at Elohim, tonight and heard about Joshua Nelson, a Jewish Gospel singer. Check out his website.
There is something fascinating to me about folks who integrate what appear to be disparate styles, ideas or even spiritual traditions. After listening to some Youtube clips, I’m not sure exactly how I feel about his music (whether it rings with a sort of deep authenticity) but I love the way he challenges my preconceived notions about who sings what kind of music. It’s great to know that Gospel music (or any other style of music, for that matter) can become a medium for communication in different spiritual traditions.
Take a listen and let me know what you think.
It has been a busy month and I keep chiding myself for not posting much but I find that blog writing ebbs and flows for me. I’ve also been thinking that I will try to make shorter posts rather than feel that I have to write an essay each time. So, stay tuned.
Last week I had the opportunity to travel to Middletown, NY to lead worship with the Hudson River Presbytery. The featured speaker of the morning was Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, the President of Union Seminary here in NYC. She’s an incredibly articulate and pastoral theologian (that is rare in my experience) and gave three stunning reflections on the theology of John Calvin, who turned 500 this year! Three themes – messy/broken/glorious – were explored through scripture, the writings of Calvin and music. I performed three improvisations on the hymn I Greet Thee Whom My Sure Redeemer Art (which is the only hymn attributed to Calvin) and we sang a setting of Psalm 98, New Songs of Celebration Render, which I arranged for flute, violin and organ in an attempt to bring lightness and energy to this beautiful, rhythmic tune.
I also composed a simple response based on Calvin’s “motto”: Cor meum tibi offero, Domine, prompte et sincere (My heart I offer to you, O Lord, promptly and sincerely. I have added it to the Music page and invite you to download it and try it out with your congregation. It is like a Taizé chant, which is repeated until it has become a prayer of the heart. It would work well in a contemplative prayer service or you could even consider using it as a Response to the Assurance of Pardon or a Doxology for Reformation Sunday at the end of October. Either way, let me know if you use it.
I’ve been teaching a small group singing class at church over the past weeks and it has been a joy. The experience is geared toward individuals who simply want to improve their singing voice, not for folks who aspire to be professional singers. This is the third time I’ve presented a class like this and each time I am humbled by the opportunity and reminded just how important it is.
Some folks have been told again and again, or have been telling themselves again and again, that they can’t sing. In the class, we try to dispel the myths that we have chosen to believe about our voice and unpack the fears and doubts that may keep us from singing with others. Each week we reaffirm that everyone has the ability to sing and it really matters if we do or don’t. We also talk about our experiences as singers, about the sort of feedback and critique we have received about our voice as children and adults. Sometimes this involves acknowledging the wounds and bruises that have been inflicted on us by parents, spouses/children, teachers and folks in the church. But it also involves moving beyond those hurts and trusting that God calls us good (and calls our voice good) and that, like any other human activity, singing is something that we can learn to do better with time and practice.
And so that’s what we do. We sing hymns, spiritual and chants that are learned by rote. We talk about breathing and learn about how to tap into it; we talk about the vocal cords, vowels and the mechanics of the voice and practice vocalizes that help build an awareness of the tongue and throat. And we talk about little details like how to hold a hymnal or a songbook when singing. And there are one-on-one sessions with individuals who want to work a little more, who seem to be struggling, or who really want and need to tell you about their joys and struggles as a singer. In it all, I am reminded just how personal and how precious the voice is, and how deeply connected it is to other parts of our life. As Helen Kemp quips, “body, mind, spirit, voice – it takes a whole person to sing and rejoice.” It is a truly holistic activity and teaching singing, especially to those who have been told that they cannot, is a pastoral activity for me, something that gives me a deep sense of fulfillment and of purpose.
