Mood: Joyful
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STLT#392, Hineh Mah Tov
As frequent readers know. there are many days … sometimes weeks… in this practice when the hymn is so opposed to the events/mood/weather of the day that it seems almost ridiculous. Christmas in May… morning songs after the election… happy spring in a snowstorm… Today is most assuredly NOT one of those days. Our round,… Continue reading
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STLT#390, Gaudeamus Hodie
As the Gish gallop of terrible politics, violence, natural disasters, and a shocking lack of compassion continues to fill our news feeds, we turn now to this canon by Methodist composer Natalie Sleeth. Whose lyrics, when translated from the Latin, mean “let us be joyful today.” Joy is hard to find some days – harder… Continue reading
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STLT#385, Gloria
I feel like I should be writing something elegant and insightful and perhaps a bit humorous about Taizé , about glorias, about chants and canons. Just yesterday I spoke of how this practice has never (except around the election) felt like a chore. And truly, the practice itself – singing – has never felt that way.… Continue reading
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STLT#384, Alleluia
Yay! Another alleluia! Today’s is made better for two reasons: First, my colleague and friend Amy Zucker Morgenstern wrote this in the comments for yesterday’s Alleluia: The word doesn’t really mean “praise the lord.” It means “praise Yah,” one of the many Hebrew euphemisms for God, since God’s name is unpronounceable. Some of them do translate… Continue reading
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STLT#383, Alleluia Amen
I love alleluias. Sure, the word means “praise the Lord” and I’m not big on the word “Lord”, but as a word of praise, it’s gorgeous and lyrical and pretty much no matter how its sung, I am in. This one’s in a pretty round from an unknown source, one that I wish all choirs… Continue reading
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STLT#381, From All that Dwell Below the Skies
Last week when I started into this doxology section, I ran to the internet to find out a bit more about doxologies – where they come from, why they are used, etc. Of course, I stopped by Wikipedia to see what they had to say, and I discovered a section on Unitarianism. In the text… Continue reading
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STLT#380, Rejoice in Love We Know and Share
This one seems very familiar… No, I’ve not sung it before, which surprises me a little. If I had, I hope I’d sung it to Vom Himmel Hoch, because that seems the best pairing to my ear. But it seems very familiar. They certainly are a sentiment that makes sense to me – one I’ve… Continue reading
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STLT#377, In Greening Lands Begins the Song
I’m beginning to wonder why congregations only sing one doxology throughout the year, year after year. Is it because of habit? Because in Protestant churches that sing “Praise God from whom all blessings flow” that’s how it’s done? Or because that’s one more thing the minister and music director have to think about? I admit,… Continue reading
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STLT#368, Now Let Us Sing
It’s 24 hours since nearly five dozen people died and nearly 600 were wounded by a single gunman wreaking terror in Las Vegas. And I still don’t have words, only the heaviness in my heart that is both sad and outraged. That is, I suppose, why the Universe keeps doing this: putting cheerful, aspirational, hopeful songs… Continue reading
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STLT#367, Allelu, Allelu
I need to begin with a prayer for those harmed by the mass shooting in Las Vegas – I don’t have words yet for my sadness and rage. I only have this Kyrie. Please take a moment to listen with me: Amen. — Okay. Now on to today’s hymn, which is a shocking juxtaposition: it… Continue reading
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