Some beautiful things are brewing...

Some very sweet things are brewing these days and will rise to the surface over the course of this next month:

In addition to celebrating Eucharist every week this summer, next Sunday we'll begin a "Spirituality of Jazz" worship series emphasizing three key jazz components:  a) syncopation b) call and response  and c) improvisation. I am indebted to jazz theologian, Robert Gelinas, as well as Peter Goodwin Heltzel, Bruce Ellis Benson and Ted Gioia for their comprehensive and loving explorations of jazz theology and history. 

I'll get to work with one of the most creative jazz musicians working in the church - Carlton Maaia II - as well as my bandmates in Between the Banks.  It will be a gas.  I've already outlined session one - syncopation - emphasizing how the offbeat is essential to making life and music swing.  (My focus is that a rich spiritual life cuts below the surface and brings our unexpressed tensions to God - the offbeat - for this is where healing, hope, humor and humility really take hold in our lives.)  We'll bring some reworkings of Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen and Mason Jennings to worship as well as some new Taize/jazz settings, too.

 

Next Sunday, while worship is taking place, our friends at Live Out Loud in the Berkshires - a LGBTQ youth support group - will be sharing the premiere of their new film resource for young people in our area.  A few of us were blessed to be included in some of the filmed discussion and our moderator and a few others will represent us at the opening.  (check them out @ http://www. affirmative counseling.net/liveoutloudyouthgroup.html)

+ The Jazz Ambassadors will play a gig this Thursday, August 1st at Patrick's Pub in Pittsfield starting at 6:30 pm.  It has been a while and it will be fun to rock the house - I'll be bringing the new upright bass, too just to add to the fun. And then at the end of August I'll be going on retreat and then vacation before the new program year starts.  We've got a lot of things happening in the realm of music, spirituality, solidarity and celebrating God's grace. 

And even though my guitar is STILL AWOL... life is good.

credits
1) godspace.wordpress.com