Martin Luther, during some of his darkest days said, “I feel like a solitary bird warbling in the wind. No one hears my song, but I will continue to sing for a song keeps me going.” Then he wrote, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” His inspiration was found through...
The father of cellist Yo-Yo Ma spent World War II in Paris, where he lived alone in a garret throughout the German occupation. In order to restore sanity to his world, he would memorize violin pieces by Bach during the day and then at night, during blackout, he would...
Imagine the Olympic Games without music. Bleak. Recall moments of the Olympic Games with music—competition is transcended, common humanity and achievements are celebrated. I captured the following moment while watching 2004 Olympic Opening Ceremonies, televised from...
Last Sunday, we stood for a hymn. I opened my mouth to sing and found a sob. Soon, I was weeping from the sheer joy of being there, my wife and son on one side, three friends on the other, and around us good-hearted and faithful people drawing close to God. I am sure...
Years ago, while presenting a piano program to senior citizens, I suggested that we have “request time.” A dear woman sitting close to the front asked to hear “Amazing Grace.” Being certain that I could impress her I sat down at the piano and played a rather...
Pentecost is Babel turned right side up: all speech is unified because it is God, no longer people, who is building toward the heavens. The story of Pentecost goes further than its historical reality. It is also a parable that urges us into the knowledge that the...
Years ago, I was in England at a large Christian conference. During one seminar, we were led in corporate worship by a guitarist whom I thought was average in every respect. As he finished what I would describe as a sorry time of worship in song, the elderly gentleman...
“I mean,” I’d told Steve once, exasperated after listening to Donald talk about institutional growth and how to attract new members with our innovative liturgy, “the point of church isn’t to get people to come to church.” “No?” said Steve, cocking an eyebrow. “What is...
Lent is a time to take the time to let the power of our faith story take hold of us,a time to let the eventsget up and walk around in us,a time to intensify our living unto Christ,a time to hover over the thoughts of our hearts,a time to place our feet in the streets...
The story is about Jesus but is also about each of us. Palm Sunday asks what Jerusalem is for you and me. What in your life and mine is the walled city where we must ultimately go if we are to find life? What is the Jerusalem that awaits our arrival, where we will...