[Dialogue] question to ponder

Thu Jun 25 11:33:43 CDT 2009

Thanks for the question and responses!
Ellie

-----Original Message-----
From: Charles or Doris Hahn <cdhahn at flash.net>
To: Colleague Dialogue <dialogue at wedgeblade.net>
Sent: Thu, Jun 25, 2009 10:42 am
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] question to ponder

Dear Nancy and Fred,

?

Here's to you both, to your many colleagues and caregivers, to "communitarians" wherever you are, and to those who continue to experiment with life-giving spirit exercises.

?

I don't have anything definitive to offer regarding singing, but here's my take on it. JWM came out of a long tradition of singing for the sake of individuals and their greater world--there is the Psalter, and of course, John Wesley wrote more hymns than any of us has ever sung. Then, there was the whole camp meeting phenomenon and early evangelists in this country, which Joe was close to in his youth; that is, he knew first-hand how enlivening singing can be. I don't know how much singing occurred with troops during WWII, but I can imagine him humming to himself out in the Pacific Islands between burials of his comrades in that fierce horror-filled fighting. Bob Fishel once came up with a story about Joe (who, as a chaplain was not allowed to carry or use weapons) finding a wrecked piano (or some such musical instrument) and during his long hours of solitude, carefully reconstructing that instrument out on some shell-strewn beach. No doubt, he hummed tunes and reconstructed familiar hymns as he worked. After his work at Yale and Perkins, he moved on to The Christian Faith and Life Community in Austin. While at Perkins he used secular music (e.g., Rite of Spring) in his classes to address the deeps of his students there. By the time he got to Austin, he came up with several experiments using secular art forms to touch the spirit deeps. One such effort involved a movie of some of the CFLC staff having a conversation about a Hollywood film of note (can't remember what it was). But that never did fly. However, they used local artists' paintings and developed the "art form conversation" method for conversation with student, clergy, clergy spouses (read, wives) and lay seminars. That one did fly and is still flying in TOPS, etc. At the same time, they began to set familiar liturgical phrases to secular music. But, it wasn't just any music. They looked for music that in its own right (or association) dealt with life's deeps. And they always introduced those songs so that people?could quickly grasp the whole of the eff

ort. One of the earliest ones was singing the Lord's Prayer to Waltzing Matilda, but the intro tied the music to the movie depicting the end of the world with a barren landscape and some scraps of paper blowing toward the sea (maybe? -- name?). Joe Pierce was always trying to find the right tune for "I believe in God the Father Almighty and in His only son....." And of course, there was Grace and Peace be unto you etc. That was about as far as things had progressed by the time we moved to Chicago. I think the summer programs beginning in 1965 produced a different genre, writing our own songs to familiar tunes. There were the ones that used the Meditation-Contemplation-Prayer constructs, etc. Then, the "cubicle" crew, including Mary Warren and sister Kay came up with some wonderful goldie oldies that we sang pretty much straight out of the book. Summers 71 and?72 produced the Waltzes and Marches and lots of other wonderful stuff. Then, there were the songs written to other movie themes and pop songs that carried their own authentic message. The Town Meeting and HDP campaigns added their own genre of music, celebrating local community.

?

All of these efforts put "spirit" words to familiar tunes so that lives could be rejuvenated as people found themselves singing the words when the tunes wafted past them, no matter what the setting.?JWM was never very interested in any efforts to write our own tunes; that would have been an entirely different endeavor. Our passion was renewing individual lives and the world they?live in, and we did lots of kooky/wonderfilled things to accomplish the task.

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Anyway,?singing did fly and is still flying as you mentioned in your note. Keep up the fine work and the singing.

?

Grace and Peace (another really wonderful secular phrase)

Doris Hahn

From: Nancy Lanphear <nancy at songaia.com>
To: Colleague Dialogue <dialogue at wedgeblade.net>
Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 12:48:05 AM
Subject: [Dialogue] question to ponder

Dear Ones, 

WHERE DID OUR SINGING AS AN ORDER COME FROM ?? WAS IT THE CHURCH?? WAS IT FROM MOVEMENT BUILDING ACTIVITIES?? One of our Songaians asked that question of us - he had given a tour today and was asked?? Please respond with answers or just your own stories.? I would love to hear from you about a spiritual practice that has opened so many hearts and places of energy, and at times literally kept us alive.

This has been a big week here at Songaia!? The national Cohousing conference is being held in Seattle this year and the executive director lives here.? He has enlisted most of us to contribute in one or many ways during the week.

On Monday night we hosted the International Summit group from the conference which translated into 38 folks from the group at dinner in our common house along with the 30 of us Songaians.? Of course we were our authentic selves and had singing, introductions, a birthday celebration with questions, and a fantastic meal -? a joyful time was had by all.

I led the singing and included Consider Yourself, This Little Light of Mine, and Oh, Mr. Sun and Russian Hymn for the Earth - the first was a song of welcome and the others, in acknowledgement of Summer Solstice and the wonder of gathering as Earthlings.? We ate in honor of communitarians and those who had not yet found themselves enveloped in a welcoming community.? 

Following the meal we celebrated one member's birthday.? His name is Nartano and as he has been so moved by the ritual around each members birthday, he wanted to share the ritual with our guests.? Fred asked the questions of him and then shared words that recognized Nartano's role in the community.? 

We closed the evening by singing the Irish Blessing to our guests.? They left with tears and smiles of joy and hope that if we could share the values of our community lifestyle with the world, it would be a more peaceful place to live.

Yesterday, Fred was awarded the Geoph Kozeny Award for a life of communitarian activities.? Our friend Geoph died a year ago with cancer.? Fred was so honored to be the first recipient of the award.

Today, we hosted 40 people who were on a cohousing community bus tour.? They came for lunch and a tour of Songaia.? Again, we sang before lunch, they joined in with great gusto!

Fred continues to be his spirited, wonderfilled self.? The huge limitations of movement and dextarity frustrate him but he keeps finding new ways to type - he now uses his thumbs and a voice activated computer program.? SINGING here at Songaia and at church is a lifeline for him.? Somehow with his breathing capacity greatly diminished, he still sings with joy and twice as many breaths.? At his ALS diagnosis 1 1/2 years ago, he promised me we would still be together to celebrate the journey of the 2 of us and the life of our family. We are celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary on July 4th with family and our community. 

We are so very grateful to be living in our community of Songaia.? And we are grateful for you,? our spirit community of many years.? Take care and remember that you are all loved, 

Nancy

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