JAN 2010 ~ MLK Celebration and Call to Action

Here's the invitation extended by the community of Redeemer Lutheran Church, where we got to celebrate Dr. King this past weekend: "Celebration and Call to Action: Join us as we celebrate the life, work and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with music, song and spoken word. Together we will vow to not keep silent, to not rest until the dream of justice and freedom becomes each one of our personal dreams."

We gathered Sunday afternoon in a beautiful dark wood and stain-glassed sanctuary as a truly diverse, integrated and united community. In some ways, our modest gathering epitomized the vision of Dr. King: Black and White presenting together in rhythm and spoken word, singing as one chorus together, break-dancing together, rhyming together. All voices were honored. All belonged.

The deep soulful expression; the rich, rhythmic exuberance and passionate calls for justice that have long characterized the Black American church culture was in full resonance that afternoon. And I, a small, pasty white woman, experienced swells of emotion as song after song and rhyme after poetic rhyme, beat after beat, electronic rhythm and African drum, gospel piano and tambourine, seemed to press and call and draw upon the depth of humanity within us all to never give up until all God's children have joined the dance of justice, freedom, peace and equity.



Only a couple people in this community knew me and I'm honored to have had the opportunity to contribute to this celebration and be so warmly received, welcomed and embraced! When I Dream, Dreams (MLK verse) and Put on Your Climbing Shoes were the song-gifts I had to share with a group of people that gifted me over and over. They were an incredibly responsive crowd, and I'm sure this is the only rendition of Put on Your Climbing Shoes thus far that includes full on singing from the audience, clapping, tambourine and axatse (ah-hatch-ee: a gourd shaker from Ghana)!!

We are excited to have gotten some really great video of the songs Heatherlyn presented and are happy to share them with you! www.youtube.com/heatherlynmusic (or click on the song titles above!)