That was true for us today: heading out to Berkshire Community College for our conversation and presentation about a spirituality of rock music, it was snowing BIG old white flakes. What a trip!
Things went reasonably well - although I started out a little tense and uncertain about the students - but here's the thing: good and generous music always communicates and that was true again today for us. We sang four songs - Shine, Reason to Believe, Things the Grandchildren Should Know and One of Us - then talked about the difference between a self-centered spirituality and one that lead us into compassion and our best selves. I think it opened the door to exploring a spirituality grounded in the ordinary as well as the importance of getting outside of our own fears and pain.
Afterwards, it was fun to take comments and questions and I learned a few things doing this gig:
+ My new inner mantra needs to be: just trust the music - because if the song is real and true it will bring out the heart and hope in most people. That was something I experienced today. A variety of young people talked about music that calms them - or music that gives them perspective - and that music speaks beyond religious differences. And after our formal presentation a few folks asked, "Just play some tunes you like, ok?" So we did: "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" by the Georgia Satellites and Bill Monroe's "Blue and Lonesome."
+ It would help to have a few stand-by tunes always ready to go beyond the prepared songs. When folks wanted to hear more music, we weren't really prepared. Better to leave people wanting more than bored senseless, but there are so many lovely songs we could share that we need to be ready to go next time. Reflecting on the whole thing later I thought of Joni Mitchell's lovely lament, "Marcie," as well as Bob Franke's "Thanksgiving Eve," Carrie Newcomer's "Gathering of Spirits" or even some of the songs by Over the Rhine. We could have also done Sarah McLachlan's "Angel" or U2's "When Love Comes to Town." Time to load up the working music notebook and be ready for the unexpected should we get another shot.
This gig also helped me focus on what is really important in this teaching/learning/performing interaction: making connections in a culture that works so hard to keep us a part. I am grateful for the chance to
share - and play music - and discuss deep things and want to keep finding ways to do it better, too. Church can't be the only place we bring this experience - it is our home base, to be sure - but how does the gospel put it? "Hide it under a bushel? NO!!" Time has come to find other venues for this stuff I am certain.
2 comments:
I think that this is an experience that needs to be brought to church, come to that.
Let's hope we can do both, yes?
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