Thursday, July 24, 2008

Between the Banks

Our little band, Between the Banks, took another step in advancing the cause of beautiful music and social consciousness tonight by doing a taping with the local cable access TV. I needed to ply my sweetie with a pomegranate margarita, but it was worth it - and she sang like an angel! So did my other band mate - who nailed her vocals on "Lone Wild Bird" and "I Wonder as I Wander" (our intro to Joan Osborne's "One of Us.") Tonight's gig - and our daughter's recent wedding - has underscored two abiding convictions: there is a deep hunger in this land for a spirituality that is deeply ecumenical and honest, and, connected to a liberating encounter with the arts. So many of the young 30 somethings from Jesse's wedding spoke to me afterwards of how their hearts were touched by the way we conducted the wedding. To be sure, there was a LOT of feeling there as I LOVE that girl more than life itself - and that came out in spades. But so did the way we carefully reflected on welcoming all - Muslim, Jew, Christian and others as well as Gay and Straight and everyone in between. It was a little Pentecost for us all - and so was tonight as even the techie guys wanted to know more about how and why we do church.

I think of Joel 2: I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions... upon women and men I will pour out my spirit.

1 comment:

Nick Coke said...

What you say about welcoming 'all' is such a key part of church. It's so easy to be exclusive about church but with a little bit of thought its possible to allow for everyone to feel a part of it. The wedding sounds great!

trusting that the season of new life is calming creeping into its fullness...

Earlier this week, when the temperature was a balmy 65F and the skies sunny and blue, I began my annual outdoor spring cleaning: piles and ...