The Blog: ministry, music, media
Can music be a simple invitation? posted on April 26, 2012
I was always a singer, I think. It was simple. Still is.
I remember singing in church as young as five years of age in my church dress with my church shoes, my mouth and five year old heart filled with church songs. Sometimes it was in the pew with family, sometimes in the choir, sometimes by myself, upfront. I just always remember singing - at school, home - just everywhere. It is still a part of who I am, and a part of me that I really love, feel blessed to know and cultivate.
I know this is not a typical experience of life in our culture - partly because of recorded and digital media. We do a good bit of listening and let the ones who did the recording, do the singing, or playing, for us. I think that is a shame; singing is not only for the artists who make a living at it - though I did it and was grateful for the chance. I still write and record, play my stuff on our programming line-up. 
But rather than being something separate from everyday life, I think artists are purveyors of the invitation to sing and be involved in music - not be alone to the experience for us to witness. Professional musicians can be the leadership of arts and sound - helping us to explore new ways to shape sound and rhythm for expression which is a blessed gift! I like to think of musicians like chefs - all the ingredients are all around us - but some of us feel called to more fully explore the use of the materials and share that experience. Some of us play flute or harp or percussion - and we share that to be an invitation to others for music experiences. And, we get to learn and sing, play, move and make music right alongside. Just like we learn to cook with ingredients that we never thought of till we read a cookbook or watch a cooking program on TV. We learn to make music our own in the community that is digital, recorded, and especially live, by the example, inspiration and invitation of those around us - or, perhaps, on Common Good Radio!
I hope you hold Common Good Radio as an invitation to singing - to participate and learn new songs to sing together as a family - especially as a way to support hope and love in your life. All our music supports positive energy, loving purpose, or hopeful expression in someway. We offer this as who we are and what we do - so that you will find the sifting for music for your children, easier.
Singing is a full body experience - breath, voice, muscles, spirit, expression, emotion - all folded into melody and lyric, or, melody and vowel sounds. Add some meter and speed and you have created a body memory, an imprint on your whole being. Music is a way to fully express life - music is something you take with you wherever you go - if you have a song.
For a simple example of music that suggests simple melody and purpose, listen for Make New Friends - sung for us by Sweet Honey in the Rock.
Make new friends
but keep the old
one is silver
but the other gold.
Simple, clean, adventurous, honoring, relationtional, loving and as Christ said in John’s gospe (15:15), sacred, for he calls us all, friends.- Imagine all that packed into 14 easy words and a melody so simple you can sing it in a round, with a group, by yourself, and with your kids; sing it with your kids and they will remember not only the song, its message and how you brought them this gift - but that you brought them this gift and sang a song, together. Make a shining moment in your life today. Sing something.
Music contributes to the common good, we hope you love it like we do for we are delighted to share it with you, 24/7.
blessings for the common good,
Pastor Robin
p.s. I was deleting spam from the blog recently and somehow, deleted 3 years of blogging. sigh. Thanks for reading and checking in.
