Consider how much effort we, as a society, invest in supressing or removing and extricating many of the God-given gifts and abilities within others, including our children. Sir Ken Robinson presents an entertaining and sound argument for the reform of how we approach life and learning. At great risk to future generations, he says, we have adopted a model of education that often punishes for what is actually healthy creativity. It seems to me, on this topic, humanity has become – in at least some instances – inhumane.
As stated on the TED website:
Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating… Continue reading
I can no longer avoid the topic and would appreciate hearing from you. The past couple weeks have brought me into the midst of a number of different conversations on the subject matter: preludes, postludes and conversations during. I’ve decided to do some informal research and invite your participation.
Please respond to these questions:
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What is your view of Postlude and Prelude in worship?
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Should there be talking during pre/postlude or not, and why? (Please give more than a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer.)
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What is your understanding of the purpose of a
A typical approach to developing and building worship, in early postmodernity, has been to label it as one of three styles: traditional, contemporary or blended. Here’s how those models have developed in my own mind:
- Traditional worship is high church stuff. It is the vestments, ornate icons, high level decorum, proper gestures, an organ leading hymns from an approved hymnal played by an appointed organist, clergy directing worship, and it is structured with church-ordained liturgy. In traditional worship you’ll typically see the credentialed people as principal leaders.
- Contemporary worship is typically
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
Merry Christmas, 2011
May the Source of love bless you this Christmas,
Dave… Continue reading
I am blessed to live within a 30-minute drive of Glacier National Park. Added to that is the blessing of the larger community of humanity that makes up this area.
Each December, with lots of help from some good friends and volunteers, I produce a Christmas concert for the community that we call The Spirit of Christmas Concert. There’s more information about it in my blog post Spirit of Christmas: Giving is About the Giver. The financial beneficiary of the concert in recent years has been Flathead CASA for Kids
The period from Thanksgiving to Christmas has developed into one full of social expectations; we end up overextending ourselves with hosting and attending all the gatherings and special events, shopping, writing and mailing cards, shipping and delivering gifts, baking and people. In the midst of the increased stress of all that we feel the unspoken assumptions of needing to be filled with joy and love. That in itself – being filled with joy – can be difficult for those who have experienced loss in grief, especially in the past year. Recent technological developments tell us ?there?s an app for that?, signalling instant… Continue reading
I am thankful for:
- The feast our home will enjoy today;
- Communities of compassion, including mine, that seek to provide a harvest feast for all;
- Worms and animals, swimming fish and soaring birds;
- The splendor of the mountains;
- Rolling plains of waving, dancing and singing crops;
- The vastness and beauty of space;
- August Rush, Sam I Am, Fiddler on the Roof;
- Farmers and ranchers, gardeners and gatherers;
- Virginia O?Hanlon who asked, and editor Francis Pharcellus Church who answered;
- Authors, poets, composers, arrangers, dancers, visual artists and musicians;
- The basic framework of structure
I had to visit my own blog to see how long it has been since I last wrote and posted anything. Oops, it?s been four months. I see a need to improve my discipline for setting aside time for reflecting, creating and writing. That?s for another day. To the subject at hand.
I, together with a caring group of volunteers, am making preparations for an annual Christmas concert. It has become an annual tradition here in northwest Montana. What started as a simple Sunday afternoon in 2004 with just me at the piano, a few charts (music scores), and… Continue reading
A recent blog post at the Rethink Church (a United Methodist Church initiative) website challenges traditional approaches to music within the context of worship. Entitled ?Music that?s authentic, not awkward? is centered on a church in Knoxville, Tennessee that has initiated a worship service with music led by professional musicians; some of them famous and maybe even chart-topping. The post is causing reactions in various networks and online social media groups.
In one online group, a friend of mine asks, ?Is the only real difference between authentic and awkward that the people know how to perform the music… Continue reading
To my friends and colleagues of the Yellowstone Conference of the UMC, and everyone else who wishes to utilize the song:
I have re-notated and reformatted the music for ?Harvest Time.? There are three different scores available on my Musical Arrangements page, each available in both Scorch and pdf formats:
- Piano/Vocal/Guitar
This music is now spread over two pages, which enlarges the staffs, notes and lyrics. I?ve added chords. - Vocal/Guitar lead sheet
This is a new offering of just the melody and guitar chords, contained within one page. - Piano/Vocal ? formatted for hymnal and bulletin inserts
