Just around the corner to the light of day...

Tomorrow a small band of musical co-conspirators will join me on a road-trip and continuing education event in my old stomping grounds of Cleveland, OH. We will be attending the "Jazz for the Journey: Jazz as Liturgy" symposium both to network and to learn.  Truth be told, I LOVE this town - I love the grit and the urban gothic beauty of the rust, I love the sounds that have sprung up here from the first rock and roll Moondog Coronation Ball in 1952 to Pere Ubu as well as the tunes Joan Jett and Michael J. Fox did in "Light of Day" - I love the food and the people and the crazy politics of a place that has a profoundly peasant soul. (Check out this clip from the Euclid Tavern as they cover a Springsteen song the Boss wrote for Paul Schrader after he stole the film maker's title, "Born in the USA!")
My children grew up in this city and came of age. I worked my first solo gig as an urban pastor here, too and was elected twice to the Cleveland Board of Education. I came to know what it means to love a church from the inside out here - and was divorced and married again in Cleveland.  I cherish the architecture, marvel at the challenges and celebrate a spirit that never quits even when the river catches fire.  It will be a gas to return to the United Church of Christ headquarters and be able to share a few of the old sites with my new friends.

Who knows how much time I will have to blog over the next few days, so let me share with you three items for your consideration.

First, one of the artists on our stewardship team made the following film to give shape and form to the new story of our church.  Once we were of the elite but not so any more - and the change fits us perfectly!  I love the choice of music and pictures and give thanks to God that Kim knows how to share beauty with technology.

Second, please check out this link with Carrie Newcomer - one of my all time favorite singer/song writers - who is a woman of peace, poetry and possibilities.  I rejoice in her music and want to call her current fund raising project for a new recording to your attention (and possible support.) In this brave new world, artists with integrity have to stay on ahead of the marketing curve - and like Anne Heaton and others - this is a grassroots chance to make a difference.  Check it out @ http://www.carrienewcomer.com/ 
And third, these words from Fr. Richard Rohr ring true to me - and may strike a responsive chord in you, too.  He writes:

Three times in the Gospel of Mark Jesus prophesies his necessary rejection and persecution by “the chief priests, scribes, and teachers of the Law” (8:31). There should be a message there, somehow.

Then the first time Jesus tells the disciples that “The Human One”—as he deliberately calls himself—will suffer grievously and be rejected and put to death (Mark 8:31), Peter totally rejects this path. Jesus strongly rebukes him—and this is the only person that Jesus ever calls a devil (Mark 8:33). For some reason, Roman Catholics are never told that the first “Pope” also got the strongest reprimand and directly rejected the necessary path, and is the only one who later denies Jesus three times.

This is good news for the possibility of conversion, but bad news for those who think that religious authorities are always right. In Mark’s account, they show themselves to be unbelievers until the very end of the Gospel, guardians of their own security and status more than any message of resurrection.

Ok, it is time to get ready for tonight's band practice ~ we have a Jazz Vespers gig to rehearse as well as early tunes for our Thanksgiving Eve show ~ and then a few pints with friends before the night comes to a close.  In the morning, we drop off the puppy, Lucie, for her vacation and we head of to contribute to the jazz as liturgy symposium in a place of still often think of as "my home town."