keep on rockin' in the free world...

Sometime about 25 years ago an elder, learned colleague of mine in ministry told me something like: "Savor and cherish those times in parish ministry when you have an excellent staff, a dedicated group of lay leaders and the opportunity to worship, serve and witness in the world with creativity and depth. It only happens once or twice in a life time." Today, first at lunch with a long time friend and member of my former congregation and then this evening making music with old friends, I was awash in emotion giving thanks to God for the fact that in each of the four congregations I served over the past 40 years I have had holy and sacred seasons where everything lined up and clicked.

This afternoon I had lunch with a faithful and humble lay leader. I have loved his young family from the first day I met them. At lunch we talked about how that once very young family is now maturing with one child heading off for college in the fall and the other achieving local accolades in sports. Later this evening, that same child we were talking about joined me at band practice. He will be a part of the benefit show we're doing on Saturday, June 15 for the homeless shelter in town. I gave him his first guitar lesson and helped his father purchase his first serious instrument. Now 11 years later he is enrolled in one of the best regional music schools as a 2019 fall freshman. He can play any style with verve and grace. We both agreed that there was something magical about having this chance to play music together once again one last time.

And the gig will be in my old church. It is a grand old building - every time we did a show in those hallowed halls, it reminded me of "the Last Waltz" - and this performance won't be any different. Tonight we reworked some tunes, added new ones and switched around the instrumentation. And talk about blessing upon blessing: the current interim minister - an accomplished musician - has joined up with our ensemble. What a cosmic resolution on so many levels. And he is a KILLER player on keyboards, guitar and bass! And he sings like one of the Beatles. In fact, we're doing "The Word" and in addition to the piano part he sings the weird, high third harmony. He told me tonight that a number of the old folk at church are excited to have us return to rock and roll the Sanctuary once again. 

One of the insights that has emerged for me in setting up this gig - in which my new band, Famous Before We're Dead, plays alongside my old band, Between the Banks, with one of my favorite local singer/songwriters, Linda Worster - is that once again we're sharing beauty and solidarity on behalf of compassion and justice. For the past four years I have been listening, reading, praying and studying with Jean Vanier and the L'Arche Ottawa community. And one of the key insights of this movement is embracing small acts of love consistently in a local setting. Like Jesus said, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34) The late Vanier used to teach that if we each do small acts of love consistently where we live, not only will be bring a measure of joy and hope to those who need it the most, but we will also avoid getting lost in despair. One of his oft quoted insights was: "We are not called by God to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things with extraordinary love."

For the past 16 months, Di and I have been committed to what we have called a "year of beholding." An extended time of watching what God brings into our lives and responding with gratitude. This gig - and all the sweet people involved in it - feels like we are closing an important chapter even as a new one starts to take shape and form. Tonight's practice was a gas. We've put together a show with Duke Ellington and Neil Young, the Wailin' Jennys and the Beatles, original and new songs mixed with beloved favorites. My deepest hope is that we will create a small and safe place of beauty and love for a time as we share our gifts in gratitude. This concert in all its manifestations is how I express this insight from Jean Vanier:

It is my belief that in our mad world where there is so much pain, rivalry, hatred, violence, inequality, and oppression, it is people who are weak, rejected, marginalized, counted as useless, who can become a source of life and of salvation for us as individuals as well as for our world. And it is my hope that each one of you may experience the incredible gift of the friendship of people who are poor and weak, that you too, may receive life from them. For they call us to love, to communion, to compassion and to community.