Singability: Simple/Easy
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STJ#1003, Where Do We Come From?
Throughout this practice, I’ve happened upon many hymns that were inspired by (or were outright settings of) poetry; that makes sense, as lyric forms seek out one another naturally. But this is the first time I’ve encountered one inspired by paintings. As noted on the UUA’s Song Information page, The lyrics of this song come… Continue reading
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STLT#415, Hevenu Shalom Aleychem
Despite the gloomy morning… despite the terrible news… despite this head cold… this one makes me feel like dancing. And not just because it’s a joyful song that people dance to, but because I’m a bit delighted by this choice as the final song of this hymnal. You see, for all the seriousness of the… Continue reading
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STLT#413, Go Now in Peace
If you are a fan of a film or tv show with highly quotable lines, you may find yourself giving the next line almost out of habit: “Inconceivable!” “You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means.” “To make a long story short…” “TOO LATE!” “My father hung… Continue reading
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STLT#412, Let Hope And Sorrow Now Unite
Gentle readers, there is a chance I will let you down today. You see, I am feeling utterly and totally uninterested in where this hymn came from, who wrote it, and why we sing it to this tune. Which is kinda funny, because that’s exactly what my mom would have me do: activate another part of… Continue reading
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STLT#411, Part in Peace
Hmmm. I really don’t have much to say, because I don’t know how I feel about this one. (Also, I’m squeezing this reflection into a day full of fall house cleaning.) What I can tell you is the lyrics, by Sarah Flower Adams (of Abide with Me fame), set to the Charleston tune (which you… Continue reading
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STLT#409, Sleep, My Child
When I was a little girl, my mom would come to tuck me in every night and sing lullabies to me. Now I’m pretty certain some of the songs weren’t actually lullabies, but many of them were. She had a rich alto voice, and she loved to sing. At one point, she put the songs… Continue reading
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STLT#407, We’re Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table
Use this hymn with great care. I cannot stress this enough. Use with care. Really. Give context. Use it in the right context. This lesson is one I learned thanks to friend and colleague DC Fortune, a white minister whose allyship shone brightly the day we sang this at a collegial training as though “the… Continue reading
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STLT#406, Let Us Break Bread Together
I need more opportunities for communion in my life. This is not my way of declaring myself in a particular theological camp. What I am declaring, however is that I recognize the power of what Jesus called for us to do – gather together, with intention, to eat, drink, and remember. To pray together. To work together.… Continue reading
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STLT#404, What Gift Can We Bring
This song is making me angry today. Normally, I like it – a sweet song for a stewardship campaign, for mitten tree Sundays, for services about mission or honoring our ancestors or gratitude. But today, after another white man with a history of domestic abuse and an AK-15 murdered 26 (or more?) people, including young… Continue reading
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STLT#403, Spirit of Truth, of Life, of Power
Programming Note: Look for a short Hymn by Hymn Extra later today. Last night, I attended a concert, honoring 50 years of folk music at the Eighth Step in Schenectady, NY. The show was – if you’re into regional and national folk – rather a star-studded event: Reggie Harris, Annie and the Crackpots, Brother Sun,… Continue reading
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