New possibilities...

Last night our band, "Between the Banks," practiced for a local TV shoot. A colleague minister from another town wanted to join us - she's always wanted to sing in a rock band and heard us at a recent gig - and asked if there was room for another female vocalist... so I invited her to stop by and she did. Lots of fun and she fit in with our odd little group pretty well so I think she'll be joining us from time to time when her schedule allows.

We'll be doing a set of mostly songs we've worked on before - Cat Power, Joan Osborne, U2, Over the Rhine, Josh Ritter, Paul Simon and the Eels plus a few country gospel tunes and Rumi poems - so maybe I'll finally have a cut or two to finally post here. Great fun. Even one of my own tunes, too!

One of the blessings that came about, however, had to do with the insights and songs a new person can bring into the mix. Our new mate asked about Belle and Sebastian, Peter Gabriel and others... taking me back into new songs and out of my comfort zone. Thanks be to God!

This song by Belle and Sebastian, for example, is a very interesting take on how most young, hip, educated folk find most of what happens in the church. It's called "If You're Feeling Sinister" and includes the line: But if you are feeling sinister go off and see a minister he'll try in vain to take away the pain of being a hopeless unbeliever.

THIS is part of what the still speaking God is saying to the church if we had ears to hear! I hope to be including songs like this on a new local TV show I'll be starting soon about music and spirituality. More as it unfolds at the start of Advent.

After we got home - and I reviewed and revised our set list - it hit me that we had to include this poem followed by Josh Ritter's incredible, "Girl in the War." Di and I will do it as a duet. It has to be one of the best ever written.

I AM NOT – Anja Sladek

I am not a pessimist
But this work is dark
And I do not see the dawn.

I am not a traitor
But I cannot love my country
Whilst friends are being killed.

I am not optimistic
But I cannot help but feel
That there must be something better.

I am not a believer
But I find myself praying
For God in the evening.

I am not a poet
But I must write this down
And make somebody read.

I am not a coward
But I am very afraid
Of what will happen next.