This, I Believe

Being back on our fall schedule means that I no longer get to hear Liane Hanson host Weekend Edition Sunday during my morning drive.  For NPR fanatics like me, the hosts became old friends, so I miss hearing her voice, her humor, and her wit during the puzzle segments.  In exchange, I get to hear Bob Edwards, and in particular I'm back to hearing the series "This, I Believe."

I've always proclaimed that my ultimate vision for the blog and Bethany's music ministry stems, in part, from this series, based on the work of Edward R. Murrow.  The radio series has moved on from sharing the historic essays to covering recently submitted work.  They share brief statements of beliefs (not necessarily theological), in the same way that I continue to invite your opinions and thoughts and feedback about music and, in particular, our fall theme of Make Joyful Noise.

Pondering and sharing our beliefs is such an important exercise that Kent State University this year required all incoming freshman to read the book This I Believe.  The opportunity to read and reflect during formative years is an important part of maturing, but it is vital that we all have ongoing outlets for such meditation.  Let the music and the conversation help inspire you during worship and during your daily life, seek out other venues as well (Bethel Bible study is one great possibility, of course), and continue to engage in conversation about belief.

He's baa-aack

Where has your church music blogger been?

Well, quite frankly I was burned out from Lent and Easter. I've been busy and tired with schoolwork as we near the end of the semester. And I've been wondering about the value of my blog.

I heard once that almost anyone could write a newspaper column for a few weeks. Everyone has a great story or two to tell. The daily grind can become drudgery, however, and I found myslef with less to say for a bit.

I've heard from some readers encouraging me to write, though, and I've been feeling more refreshed and inspired. In particular, it was an episode of "Glee" that reminded me of the power of music. Fans of the show might think it was the Madonna-themed episode with its production numbers. The moment of inspiration, however, was the quiet duet of Lionel Richie's "Hello." It reminded me of the intimacy, connection, and communication that takes place when music is performed superbly by musicians in perfect harmony.

Church organ music is a much less intimate experience than accompanying recitals, performances, or even musical theatre. In those settings, the performers collaborate and give back to the keyboardist so that everyone involved is providing support and encouragement for an excellent performance. I realized that among the motivations for my blog was to have another outlet for connection and conversation about church music, a chance to come out from behind the altar to talk about music.

So I'm back...hopefully without having lost or offended too many of my readers. I truly want to encourage your comments and dialogue. I'm thinking about some upcoming projects and revamps to the blog and to my music, and I hope that you will feel my renewed energy and join in wholeheartedly in the ongoing music and ministry at Bethany.

In the meantime, what tune is it that revives your spirit? Not a church hymn, but an anthem of your own. Lately, mine has been "My Life Would Suck Without You" (the Glee cast version). It has helped me push the pace when I'm out for a run; it's been getting me out of bed in the morning; and it's inspiring me to keep blogging. I'd love to hear about the music that's doing the same for you.

My Sally Field moment

"You like me, right now, you like me."

I'm bursting with a little bit of pride right now, for two reasons. The first, is that this humble little blog has now had three weeks in a row of more than 100 hits. I hope all my visitors enjoy what they find and keep coming back. Your participation is always welcome as well, of course.

Second, my friend Liz (a college classmate, all-around wonderful person, and mother of the cutest baby boy ever, in my unbiased opinion) drew my attention to the July/August issue of "Seeds for the Parish," a resource newsletter for ELCA church leaders. A significant portion of the issue is devoted to online ministry, and they kindly included this blog in their list of Lutheran blogs. (If you're a first-time visitor who read the article, I'd love to hear from you in the comments or by email!)

It is so important that all churches seek to connect with multiple aspects of people's lives. We've all heard the cliche that the Internet is like the American frontier of the Wild West - a free-wheeling place of immorality, crime, and vice. That may represent the early stages of development, but I think it's time to extend the metaphor. As soon as the frontier towns were settled and families began arriving, churches were built to minister to the community. The newsletter does a great job of reinforcing the idea that churches need to be online, reaching out to people in that familiar environment and engaging them in a modern way.

I'm so glad that my little effort can enhance the outreach mission of Bethany as well as give me an outlet for my Lutheran church music geekiness.

Milestones and movies

First the milestone: this past week, our little "Music at Bethany" blog had 50 unique visitors for the first time. I hope that all you readers are enjoying what you find here, that you're learning a bit more about Lutheran church music, and that you visit often in the future. You can help us continue to grow by becoming a follower, linking to us at your own blog, Facebook, or Myspace page and in general just helping spread the word. Also, join in the conversation anytime with email or comments (online or in person)!

Now for the movies: I've been at the movie theatre more than is typical for me lately, having seen both Star Trek and Angels & Demons. This isn't meant to be a review, but I did enjoy them both. They're what you expect in a summer blockbuster - fast-paced fun, adventure, etc.

I was just reminded again how much the soundtracks of summer movies rely on big Carl Orff-style vocals to underscore their most dramatic turning points. There's no particular reason that a big choir should signal the major fight scenes of Star Wars or the infinity of space in Star Trek, although I suppose Angels & Demons has a better claim for relying on such "church music" since it is set in Vatican City. However, I think that these movies are relying on our collective cultural heritage of meaning and emotion that stems from the hymns we hear and sing.

Open your ears if you're at the movie theatre this summer. See if you don't hear some "hymns" in the background. If you think of other great examples, leave a comment. I'm always curious to hear where other people hear the influence of church music outside of the santuary on Sunday mornings.