Come, Sing a Song with Me!
I’m very happy to say that the UUCC Chancel Choir is returning to regular practices next week on Wednesday, August 28th. The choir will be singing with Moises Borges and Friends during our September 8th Ingathering Service and on several other upcoming Sundays. UUCC’s Chancel Choir is open to all adults and high school youth who are interested, regardless of experience. Rehearsals are at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday evenings in the Worship Center (Room 208), and professional childcare is available for any who need it. If you have any questions, please get in touch with UUCC Music Director Mike Carney. I hope to see you at choir!
Music Notes – Sunday, August 25th:
This Sunday’s musicians are Amy Collins and UUCC Pianist Karin Tooley
Opening Song: #389 Gathered Here – Porter
#389 in our Singing the Living Tradition hymnal, “Gathered Here” was written in 1990 by Phil Porter (b. 1953), an artist, dancer and arts educator and United Church of Christ lay minister who is known for his work as an LGBTQ+ activist. The simple, overlapping melody and haunting harmonies have made “Gathered Here” a longtime favorite in both UU and UCC worship services.
Song: #347 Gather the Spirit – Scott
#347 in our Singing the Living Tradition hymnal, “Gather the Spirit” is one of the most familiar and well-loved hymns of our UU faith. The song was written by UU composer, performer, activist, and friend of UUCC Jim Scott (b. 1946), who also wrote and arranged several other songs found in our hymnbooks, including “May Your Life Be as a Song” and “Nothing but Peace Is Enough”. Save the date: Jim Will be here at UUCC at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 22nd presenting his new music and multimedia project The Year to Save the Earth. You won’t want to miss this amazing event!
Centering Music: (Something Inside) So Strong – Siffre
Labi Siffre (b. 1945 as Claudius Afolabi Siffre) is a British singer/songwriter, guitarist, and author. He rose to success as a musician in the 1970s, then pivoted to writing, becoming a well-respected poet and playwright. In 1984, Siffre ended his self-imposed retirement as a musical artist, composing and recording “(Something Inside) So Strong” after seeing a documentary on South African Apartheid. Siffre explained in a BBC interview that the song is meant to celebrate his identity as a queer black man, and to inspire other members of marginalized groups to find their inner strength and persevere in the face of prejudice and inequity.
Offertory Music: Make Them Hear You – Flaherty and Ahrens
“Make Them Hear You” is a song written by lyricist Lynn Ahrens (b. 1948) and composer Stephen Flaherty (b. 1960) for their 1996 Tony Award-winning musical Ragtime. Flaherty and Ahrens are also the songwriting team behind several other Broadway musicals, including Once on This Island (1990), Seussical (2000), and the 1997 animated film Anastasia, which was adapted into a staged musical in 2017.
Closing Song: Here on the Paths of Every Day – Markham and Ingalls
#312 in our Singing the Living Tradition hymnal is a lesser-known hymn for most UUs, but one that definitely deserves a second look. The words come from “Earth Is Enough” by American poet and educator Edwin Markham (1852-1940). The tune, called “Fillmore” is believed to have been written by New England musician and composer Jeremiah Ingalls (1764-1838).
Postlude: I Sing the Body Electric – Gore & Pitchford
“I Sing the Body Electric” was the closing number from the 1980 film musical Fame. The music was composed by Michael Gore (b. 1951), who wrote the film’s soundtrack and songs, and the lyrics were written by Dean Pitchford (b. 1951), inspired by the poem of the same name by legendary American poet Walt Whitman (1819-1892). This Sunday, “I Sing the Body Electric” will be performed by two of UUCC’s own: soprano Amy Collins and pianist Karin Tooley.
-Mike Carney, UUCC Music Director