Mood: Strong/Resilient
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STLT#114, Forward through the Ages
Blech. Seriously – it was like I had bit into a sour lemon or sipped some turned milk when I sang this. I honestly don’t know when I’ve ever had such a reaction to a song as I have sung; I’ve had lots of “um…what” and “dang, I cannot get this” moments, particularly the first… Continue reading
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STLT#112, Do You Hear?
It is two days after the incredible Women’s March – one day after many ministers, including me, took to the pulpit to talk about our faith’s all to resist and rejoice, to do what’s next. And what is so very clear is that the people at and supporting the Women’s March, and the folks sitting in the… Continue reading
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STLT#110, Come, Children of Tomorrow
Another one of those “hymns that make you go ‘huh’.” I read the first two lines and thought “yes! A fight song! And then I read on…and found myself disappointed. You see, as soon as I hit publish, I’ll be heading out to NYC for the Women’s March, where New Yorkers will march in solidarity… Continue reading
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STLT#109, As We Come Marching, Marching
The synchronicity of this song being today’s hymn, on the eve of the Women’s March, is not lost on me. Thus, I was going to do a bit of digging to learn more about the background of the phrase “bread and roses” and the poem, knowing it all sprung up a little over 100 years… Continue reading
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STLT#108, My Life Flows On in Endless Song
This is one of those cases where, given the times in which we live and the still unbelievable event about to happen on Friday (the inauguration of Donald Trump), all I can do is let the lyrics of this beautiful song of joy and resistance speak for themselves. This song has shaken me to my… Continue reading
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STLT#107, Now Sing We of the Brave of Old
Each morning, as I sit down to write about my singing experience, I sometimes find poetry flows out; other times theology or history; other times musicology; often humor and snark. This morning, only one thing came to mind: “For God’s sake, let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories of the death of… Continue reading
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STLT#106, Who Would True Valor See
One of the tropes in musical theatre is the ‘my way’ trope: somewhere in the first act (usually toward the end of the act), a major character sings their song of defiance – the song that tells the audience they’re going to go against the grain, take the journey, follow their quest, follow their love. They’re often… Continue reading
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STLT#105, From Age to Age
I swear I didn’t set this up this way, but I am so glad that I’m singing this hymn today. It’s not my favorite melody (as much as I love Tom Benjamin and have waxed poetic about him before). But if we don’t sing a paean to the prophet souls on Martin Luther King Jr.… Continue reading
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STLT#104, When Israel Was in Egypt’s Land
I’m going to let you down, dear reader, because there is a distinct lack of content today. I feel like I have a lot more work to do to understand this song’s actual origins, the history of its use by Harriet Tubman as a code song for the Underground Railroad, and its use today. I… Continue reading
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STLT#103, For All the Saints
File this under Hymns that Make You Go ‘Huh.’ Sometimes these things begin with the ‘huh’, sometimes they begin on a joyful note and then somehow turn. I opened the hymnal and smiled because I love this one. As regular readers know, I love hymn tunes by Ralph Vaughan Williams, and this one is particularly… Continue reading
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links
Learn more about my ministry at The Art of Meaning
Read my thoughts about congregational life at Hold My Chalice
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