It seems that we are at a political intersection that has brought us to a place of either turning away and staying silent and being complicit in perhaps total destruction and negation of our country’s promises and values as we have known and experienced them and leading to the end of our democracy. Or … we can choose to head straight into the light and joy that has recently emerged into our political universe and use our strong spiritual beliefs, our choices and most of all our voices to engage a diverse community of citizens to support a common interest of a shared, compassionate, free, equal, hopeful and energized population. This could insure the survival of not only our founding agreement, The Constitution, but also the belief in and the perpetuation of this great experiment called “The United States of America.” It is a place that began with “Out of many, one” and was born from a dream that extended the invitation that all are welcome to help build this dream of a new land … whose shores would welcome all cultures, religions, ethnicities, sexualities, genders, ages, colors and really anyone who shared the belief that … Out of many … we can become ONE.

We the People … we the people … we the people … ARE the United States of America.  Our votes select people to represent us in the community at large and we hope that they vote to support ideas and policies and laws that a MAJORITY of the constituents support.

For this year’s September Music Series I have deconstructed and adapted a concert event that I produce called “Shout Sister, Shout!,” which showcases artists, composers and writers from the past century casting focus and light on many subjects such as:

•    Freedom
•    civil rights
•    indigenous people
•    democracy
•    LGBTQ+
•    racial inequality
•    “Unwed” mothers
•    Joy for life
•    Bravery in adversity
•    Children
•    Animals
•    Kindness
•    Struggles

Over the course of the month, the musical journey will begin with Sister Rosetta Tharpe and travel through time to today featuring such vocal phenoms as Laura Nyro, Carole King, Nina Simone, Joni Mitchell, Brandi Carlile, Alicia Keys, Karen Carpenter, Oleta Adams, Dolly Parton, Emmy Lou Harris, Linda Ronstadt and Lady Gaga.

The services will also be interspersed with words from some well-known writers and celebrities such as Maya Angelou, Terry Tempest Williams, Winona LaDuke, Coretta Scott King, Mary Oliver, Amanda Gorman, Lily Tomlin, Minnie Pearl and more.

Please join us in September as we go on a journey through the joys, struggles, loves, losses, social concerns and causes of our time using powerful and tender melodies along with words by some of our greatest writers, artists and leaders.

Along this month long journey, we will be reminded of the resilience of the human spirit and our community of shared dreams. I hope we may we be brought to a place where we celebrate all that binds us together and join in a shared chorus to speak, live and promote loudly our prayers for justice, kindness, freedom, equality and humility and continue on the path to create a land where “We the People” get closer to the dream of forming “a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”

Join us September 8 - 29 during the 11:30 Sunday Services. Available in the Sanctuary & Livestream.