A double whammy of blessings...

Today I experienced a musical-pastoral double-whammy.  Unbeknown to me, a BIG picture of me showed up in the local paper as part of our jazz in the schools education gigs throughout Berkshire Country.  It was sweet - and set up these unique outreach events in a pleasing and insightful way.  (And the video clip of the band playing with some young students was rockin' and righteous!)

Not only is this wonderful public relations about our congregation's commitment to the artistic and creative renewal of our region, it also creates unplanned and unexpected pastoral moments.  Yesterday, when this story was created, we met with young musicians before our show and spoke with them about what it means to work together.  We shared personal stories about how to get centered and feel the groove.  And we listened and responded to their questions about music, getting over the jitters and so much more. (check out the story @ http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_19101151?IADID=Search-www.berkshireeagle.com-www.berkshireeagle.com)

This morning - we played in a much poorer hill town where the children were so attentive and beautiful it made me weep - and afterwards different classes wanted their pictures taken with the band.  When everyone had gone, the school's principal spoke with Andy and myself about how meaningful it was to bring music into the lives of her students.  They don't have the funds for a band and the community is too small and isolated for much local entertainment - so this was a special event. 

And then, as she was speaking about how much she loved the story of jazz - how it began in New Orleans and moved all over the world - she said that she had been to New Orleans a few times when her son was in law school at Tulane.  They both celebrated that wild and crazy town.

I asked her where her son was now and she paused and then started to softly cry saying, "He died three days before passing the bar exam last year."  We embraced and shared a  gentle word of prayer for both her dear child and herself. Then she said, "Who knows what the music will bring up, right?" 

Damn straight, madame principal, damn straight!  Time and again music evokes joy as well as grieving. It helped us create new friends in the Muslim world this summer - and who knows where it will take us next. I just know that this was a double whammy day for me that underscored how important it is to keep sharing the music for it opens important doors for some ministry in some unexpected places.