Good deed for the day, sort of ...

Covenant MCC

There is a convention of Blind folks in town staying at the Sheraton. One of the guests was Rev McDermott from Cape Cod. He was very instrumental in getting the gay marrriage law passed is Massachutes. He was a older man, probably 70 at least. He wanted to attend the Covenant Church here in town. We went for the first time a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. There are a few things I would like to be different, but over all, I like it. We escorted Mr. McDermott to church this morning.

Ironicly, there has been a song in the back of my mind from the Crossroads AG time, * I want to go where the milk and honey flow, ... by Gerod Davis (I think). Well that is what the Choir sang this morning, and they sang their ass off. This will be the closest thing to a gay mens chorus that is here in Birmingham. I think I will join and start singing with them. I know if I become a regular, I will eventually be in a worship leadership position ... which is one of the things I would change.

They should reduce the bulletin to announcements, and who is doing what. The bulletin is 4 pages long. One of the pages is a usually dredfull hymn. There do a few choruses, which I like, but they are interrupted with other recititations or stuff. I would encourage them to have a musical worship service that flows. That prepares the spirit for what the preacher has to say. Normally, the first part of the worship service will be upbeat. Encourage the congreation to clap, put out a few tamberines, and put together a praise band.

All the recicitations, and choruses can be tranferred to transparances or slides. This gives the worship leader much more flexibility to direct the worship service. Take a break, with the keyboard playing and work in the recititations, and move the music into a slower more intimate worship experience.

This gives folks an opportunity for introspection.

Once that portion of the service is done, give announcements, promotions, etc, then the choir sings one or two, and then some special music - soloist or the like.

A children's moment, then the sermon.

Now that I am past that, Let me tell you about the good deed. After church, there was a blind sub-group of gay folks having a reception and I was ask to help get everything set up. Sure, I thought. 15 - 20 min, then home to chill.

Turns out we were having to serve. I hate if this is bitchy, but I was over it. I was ready to go. It didn't take long for Patrick to figure that out, so eventually we finally got out.

I did feel honored to be able to assist the Rev. McDermott. The work he did is no less substantial than anything Benjamen Franlkin wrote when this country was founded.