Music is absolutely critical to a worship service.  It is the second most important reason that visitors come back (good preaching is #1).  My feeling is that music needs to be well integrated into the service.  I have found any number of churches that pick hymns, choral pieces, special music seemingly at random.  I like to have a theme then music that either supports the theme or moves it along from point a to point b.

In stepping in to the pastor position at this church, I found the music director had already chosen music based on the lectionary.  So, if I wanted the music to fit, I had to go along with the lectionary.  Now lots of folks think that a particular passage only has one theme or direction.  That is absolutely not so!  Any given piece of scripture can go in a number of different directions, so it is important that all the people bringing pieces to the worship service are on the same track.  Once I got copies of the actual music, I could see Linda's line of thinking, and then could build a service around the music.  This way the choral music is helping develop the theme and not just a nice break.

I also use music to raise or lower energy levels.  At the beginning of a service folks are coming in from a variety of situations with a wide range of energy.  Many are not particularly morning people, so they are dragging, others are bouncing with excitement.  The gathering music or prelude needs to have a lively energy to it, but not be too lively so that it is distracting.  We do a "centering" piece following the announcements.  The announcements can get a bit raucus, so the centering helps folks ...ummmm...center - get focused.  The first hymn needs to be something that is upbeat and either well-known or easily learned.  This gets some focused energy going.

Other pieces of music in the service will raise or lower energy levels as needed.  A song just before a prayer needs to be more meditative.  Songs sung as the offering is brought forward need to be joyous and, oh, yes, thankful!  The final song needs to get people feeling like they are ready to take whatever the world might throw their way.  Again, it should be well-known or easily learned.  It should be strong and memorable - you want folks singing it as they go home!

Don't let music become just an add-on!  It needs to be well-integrated into the worship service so that it becomes a worship experience!

Various "Sheriff and police" related agencies call.  I am amazed that, being supposedly connected with law enforcement, they are unwilling to to reveal anything about their agencies!

The second call I tried a different approach.  I asked the woman how much she had donated to the organization.  I figured that,, if she really believed in what she was doing that she would have made a donation.  She claimed she was donating her time.  I asked, "You are not getting paid to do this?"  "Oh, yes," came her reply.  "So, how much have you donated?  You expect me to donate, but yoou have given nothing!"  "I'll get my supervisor..."

If you have an entertaining way to deal with solicitation calls, I'd be interested in hearing about them.  I I put yours in the blog, I will send you a CD!

Spread your wings

And fly above the mountain tops

Where the sun

Breaks through the clouds.

Soaring high

Far into the atmoshpere

See the world

In holy beauty crowned.

Carrying upon your back

The troubles of the world.

Lift them to a higher plane

And release them to the sun

In your beak

Bear again the olive branch

An offering

Of tomorrow's hope.

Let your song

Gently float back to earth

Beckoning forth

The heart's own tones

Join the choir of heaving sadness

Lifting up their mournful song

Add your voice in deep compassion

Til you and they are one.

Then spread your wings

Carry them above the mountain tops

Where the sun

Breaks through the clouds

Soaring high

Far into the atmoshpere

See the world

In holy beauty crowned.

It seems to me that one of the primary functions of an artist -- performing, visual or lliterary is be the conscience of society.  Artists should be commenting on how they see the world.  We should be commenting on problems and priorities.  We should be giving our opinions about what we think the moral and ethical dilemmas and directions should be.  We do this in a way that attracts the senses and engages those senses in conversation with the brain.

Unfortunately, too much art has moved in a direction of being little more that entertainment.  And, when it comes to budget crunches, entertainment is a prime target.

As artists, we need to take the work we do far more seriously.  We have a responsibility to be the moral and ethical compass of the communities in which we live.  That is a large burden to carry.  Are we up to it?  Are we willing to really dig into oour own moral and ethical foundations and see what they are made of?  Are we willing to go out on a limb for a cause?  Can we do more than just point to problems - do we have reasonable solutions?  Do we have a clear and compelling vision for the future - of our families, our communities, our nation, our world?

Politicians have, for the most part, failed to lead us into a better future.  The mess that now threatens the Gulf Coast is a good indication of a failure of government and corporations.  They have long touted a "get whatever you can as quick as you can" mentality that leaves people and the environment in a mess.  Our government was set up to be "of the people, by the people and for the people."  It is hardly that anymore.  It is up to us artists to put that out.  It is up to "the people" to reclaim the vision originally intended for this country (and for this world). 

A good leader is one who enables others to realize their full potential and, at the same time, moves the whole group towards a common goal.  In contra dancing, every person has the potential for being a leaderr and is, infact, called upon to lead at various times in the dance.  To observe the behavior of an individual in the dance is to see how they behave as leaders and, I theorize, would say a lot about how they act as leaders in their family, community and business. 

There are dancers who think they are far superior to anyone else in the group and they are going to show that.  They are annoyed at the mistakes of others, sometimes going so far as to refuse to dance with those people in the line!  They are arrogant and fussy over details and make those with lesser experience feel foolish and awkward in the dance.  This is not good leadership.  This is self-centered and sellf-serving.  They deny others the fun of dancing and often will cause more chaos, especially amongst the inexperienced.

There are dancers who are good, but don''t want to take charge.  They hold back, hoping that others will somehow follow along.  They simply ignore the misteps and remain detached from the group.  They often feel that mistakes should simply be expected and accepted.  This also is not good leadership.  There is a rythm and flow in dance.  There are specific steps at specific times which,, if executed properly, keep the whole dance moving along, much to everyone's enjoyment.  Good leaders will take the time and make the effort to make sure that everyone is "on board" with the movement and dynamics of the dance.  Folks will make mistakes, and a good leaders knows this.  He/she is willing to gracefully fllow over the mistake, but also is willing to help the person do better next time. 

With each new person one encounters in the dance a new leadership style must be used.  Some people need a strong hand to guide them through, some people need verbal instruction as the dance progresses, some people need an equal force through swings, circles and promenades.  A good leader is able to make those judgments quickly and provide exactly the level of authority necessary for each dancer.  This is true in any organization.  Different people need a different style of leadership in order to help them do the best they can.

A good leader knows the vision.  In a contradance, there is an expected outcome, probably several.  Dances are community builders.  That is the larger purpose.  There is also the more technical purpose which the caller has envisioned - the completion of each round.  A good leader keeps both those things in mind as he//she moves through the dance.  How do we build the community through our leadership?  Are we helping others have fun?  Are we teaching others the joy of the dance?

More on this later!