I'd like to introduce Sandra Smeltzer, the amazing woman who is creating the liturgical dance* for our Easter Service at 11:00 am on March 31st! It's been a joy to work with Sandra in creating something new this year - we are truly lucky to have her professionalism, dedication, and beautiful talents as she works with some of our own members on this year's celebratory service! She and her dancers, Misty Vickers, Rhonda Banner, and Maddie Wurth, have been rehearsing nonstop this month, and it promises to be an uplifting experience you won't want to miss!  

Sandra's professional background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Ballet Pedagogy from Virginia Intermont College and a Master of Arts in Dance from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Formerly, she held the position of Assistant Professor of Dance at Virginia Tech, as well as Washington and Lee University. Sandra owned New Castle School of Dance and The Dance Centre of Southwest Virginia. Ms. Smeltzer is also former Associate Director of the Southwest Virginia Ballet Company.

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

* Liturgical Dance, or sacred dance, is spirit-led movement, both choreographed and spontaneous, that is a form of prayer and communion with God. Historically, liturgical dance has been an important part of cultures and religions around the world and is even found in the Bible. It can be found on many platforms outside of the church, including schools, weddings, public festivals, and the theatre.

A musical highlight in last week's Palm Sunday service was the song Goin' Up Yonder by Walter Hawkins. For a deep dive into the origins of this song, here is the original recording as sung by his Love Center Choir on the 1975 album, Love Alive. 

One of gospel music's most legendary figures, Bishop Walter Hawkins, is one of the most beloved figures in contemporary Gospel Music today. Besides founding the Love Center Church in Oakland, California, in 1972 and, a few years later, the Love Center Choir, he created one of the most prolific and outstanding catalogs of hit gospel recordings and published songs. Here is a wonderful documentary that delves into his 30-plus-year career as a minister and musician.

In an interview for his Kennedy Center bio, Bishop Hawkins explained the far-reaching spiritual impact of music: "Early on, I thought my ministry and my music were apart from each other. But now I see they work hand-in-hand", he observed. "I can go a lot of places with my music that I can't go as a pastor and vice versa." 

Sometimes, a song is birthed from a composer's creative imagination with the indescribable power of universal appeal that transcends the boundaries of religion, ethnicity, or tastes and speaks to people worldwide. While we have performed this song at Unity during the Easter season, choirs of all ages and ethnicities worldwide program this song throughout the year for all kinds of occasions. That's quite notable as many "Easter" themed pieces wouldn't work at other times during the year. 

Special thanks to my Unity Singers for their beautiful, heartfelt performance, which featured our own Hampton Kier, David Overstreet, and Stephanie Robinson as soloists. We loved gifting the congregation with the message within Hawkin's choral arrangement.

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

I'd like to introduce Sandra Smeltzer, the amazing woman who is creating the liturgical dance* for our Easter Service at 11:00 am on March 31st! It's been a joy to work with Sandra in creating something new this year - we are truly lucky to have her professionalism, dedication, and beautiful talents as she works with some of our own members on this year's celebratory service! She and her dancers, Misty Vickers, Rhonda Banner, and Maddie Wurth, have been rehearsing nonstop this month, and it promises to be an uplifting experience you won't want to miss!  

Sandra's professional background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Ballet Pedagogy from Virginia Intermont College and a Master of Arts in Dance from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Formerly, she held the position of Assistant Professor of Dance at Virginia Tech, as well as Washington and Lee University. Sandra owned New Castle School of Dance and The Dance Centre of Southwest Virginia. Ms. Smeltzer is also former Associate Director of the Southwest Virginia Ballet Company.

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

* Liturgical Dance, or sacred dance, is spirit-led movement, both choreographed and spontaneous, that is a form of prayer and communion with God. Historically, liturgical dance has been an important part of cultures and religions around the world and is even found in the Bible. It can be found on many platforms outside of the church, including schools, weddings, public festivals, and the theatre.

Louis Landon is a Steinway artist and prolific composer.

He composed the Namaste piece I played this past Sunday, March 3rd, after Rev. Marc Silva's talk with the same title.  

Enjoy the Namaste music video here.

Louis Landon's logo, Piano for Peace, immediately drew me in!

His mission is directly in line with mine - to create music that calls attention to the present moment and to create a more loving and peaceful world by writing, recording, and performing music from the heart.

Click here if you'd like to treat yourself to exploring more of his beautiful piano compositions.

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

Song of the Week

Many of you have reached out about the songs after a Sunday service. I will highlight a song from a previous service each week - enjoy!

From the February 18th service - Click here to listen!

If I Were Brave by Jana Stanfield (2005)

Lyrics (condensed)

What would I do if I knew that I could not fail?

If I believed, would the wind always fill up my sail?

How far would I go?

What could I achieve trusting the hero in me?

If I were brave, I'd walk the razor's edge (if I were brave)

Where fools and dreamers dare to tread

I'd never lose faith (never lose faith) even when losing my way

What step would I take today if I were brave?

What would I do today if I were brave?

What would I do today if I were brave? (If I were brave)

What would I do today if I were brave? (If I were brave)

What would I do today if I were brave?

What if we're all meant to do what we secretly dream?

What would you ask if you knew you could have anything?

Like the mighty oak sleeps in the heart of a seed

Are there miracles in you and me?

If I refuse to listen to the voice of fear

Would the voice of courage whisper in my ear?

What would I do today if I were brave?

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

I hope you’re proud of yourself for the times you’ve said ‘yes,’ when all it meant was extra work for you and was seemingly helpful only to someone else.

As I think with anticipation about Rev. Luz's talk on living in sacred service coming up this Sunday, I remember one of my heroes, Mr. Rogers, and all he contributed to children and adults alike. 

I've always loved and admired his spirit, his songs, and his lessons, so I thought I'd share a few of my favorites with you today!

If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.

This is Just the Day

We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to say ‘It’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.’ Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people my heroes.

I Like To Take My Time

Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero.

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

We can all probably agree that Carol of the Bells is one of America’s most famous Christmas carols. You probably remember it from the 1990 movie Home Alone, where John William’s arrangement is heard in the scene when Kevin leaves the church. Click here to listen.

I think it has something to do with the epic four-note ostinato motif, often perceived as haunting and mysterious. It might also have something to do with the fact that this carol wasn't composed in the US - actually, it wasn't even written as a Christmas song!

"Carol of the Bells" started as a 1904 Ukrainian folk chant named "Щедрик (Ščedrik)" that told of the coming New Year, which pre-Christian Ukraine celebrated in April.

Click here to listen to Katie Melua and the Gori Women's Choir performing the original 1914 Ukrainian Shchedryk (The Little Swallow).

It's absolutely ethereal. The Ukrainian lyrics describe a swallow flying into a household to sing of wealth that will come with the following spring.

Щедрик, щедрик, щедрівочка,

Прилетіла ластівочка,

Стала собі щебетати ...

Bountiful evening, bountiful evening, a New Year's carol;

A little swallow flew into the household

and started to twitter ...

The composer, Mykola Leontovych, was born in Ukraine into a family of Orthodox priests. His birthday was a few weeks ago, December 13th. His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were village priests, but he broke with tradition and became a musician after completing seminary in 1899. Leontovych was not only a composer, choral conductor, and renowned teacher, but he was also a civic activist who supported Ukraine's political independence. He specialized in a cappella choral music, church music, and elaborately arranged folk music.

Leontovych's arrangement of Shchedryk (1916) demonstrates his style of layering the performance of a choral song through repetition and timing of segregated elements.

So how did this Ukrainian New Year's song about a bird, written by a graduate of the Russian Orthodox seminary in Kamianets-Podilskyi, become one of America's favorite Christmas carols?

Ukraine gained independence in 1919, a few years after Leontonych composed his choral arrangement of the song. As part of the celebration, the newly formed government sent the Ukrainian National Choir worldwide as its goodwill ambassador. They toured for five years, singing a repertoire of Ukrainian songs. Leontovych's song Щедрик was a part of this program.

The song Shchedryk was catapulted to international fame after being performed in Carnegie Hall in 1922. Tragically though, the year before, Mykola Leontovych was assassinated by an undercover Soviet agent in his hometown. He was only 43. (The truth about his death immerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union.)

After hearing the song in Carnegie Hall, Peter Wilhousky (who worked for Radio NBC and was of Ukrainian descent) published the new arrangement in English under the name Carol of the Bells in 1936. That same year, the premiere occurred at a national music teachers' convention in the old Madison Square Gardens. Nearly 20,000 music teachers heard a choir of 1500 children from all over the country perform it in unison. They were stunned by the song. The new lyrics shifted the chant's meaning, and it became a Christmas standard here in the U.S. Leontonych's music became his legacy and continues to be heard to this day all over the world.

As for this carol being spooky, well, you'd be surprised how often it's described that way. Amidst hundreds of arrangements in different languages and countries - there are many dark and mysterious versions - it sparks my imagination!

I leave you with one of my favorite versions that’s not spooky. It’s from the Virtuosic Christmas album and features pianist Jarrod Radnich. All I can say is WOW. I think Franz Liszt would have approved. This arrangement will undoubtedly breathe new life into an old standard - be sure you’re sitting down for this one!

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

The ancient Christmas song The Cherry Tree Carol tells the story of Joseph's emotional angst as he struggled to understand how Mary could be with child and yet never have been with him or any other man. Historically, during those times, that would have been a serious issue between the parents of Jesus. Even if you include Bible stories only symbolically or metaphorically in your spiritual practice, it's fascinating to study the history depicting how this family crisis played out through this beautiful carol.

While the tune dates to medieval England, the story can be traced back to the 12th-century early Christian communities of the Middle East, where it has been found in Aramaic, the language of Jesus. A version of it was discovered in the Appalachian Mountains and is now included in the major anthologies of North American folk music by Alan Lomax and Cecil Sharp, which is where I found it!

As a bit of background, keep in mind that the news of Mary's pregnancy would have set off a five-alarm disruption in their relationship. Joseph would have felt personally betrayed by Mary, and women were killed for even the suspicion of infidelity during those times.

So as the song/story goes, the two pause in their travels in an orchard. Mary asks Joseph to pick her some blood-red cherries because she's with child. He responds bitterly: "No way! Let the father of the child pick cherries for you!". Jesus, in the womb, commanded the tree to "bend thy branches and refresh my mother with thy fruit" when she grows faint.

In some versions, when Joseph witnesses the magical fruit tree bowing down, he apologizes for his rudeness immediately. In other versions, he continues to wrestle with his anger for some time, accusing Mary of lying about her angel visitation, and he even dismisses an angel who later appears to reassure him of the miracle! Eventually, he can see beyond his anger and assumptions and humbly apologizes to Mary.

Here is The Cherry Tree Carol recorded by Sting as part of his 2009 "A Winter's Night Concert" at Durham Cathedral in England.

And here is Judy Collins' pristine and exquisite performance during her Christmas concert at the Biltmore in 1996.

We rarely hear this carol, but it is indeed a treasure - I hope you enjoy it!

Keep A Song in Your Heart,

Janice

The Birth of Jesus: A Children's Christmas Play

It's that time of year again!

Please join Rev. Luz and all the rest of us this Sunday for the 2023 version of our annual YFM Christmas Pageant featuring Aurora Landry and special musician Jimmie Landry playing some tunes of the season.

I took these pictures of last year's pageant, and Google Photos created a cheery animation for you! Enjoy in joy and ...

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

This week, I'm offering a little more info about one of the songs, Fragile, from last Sunday's service, when we welcomed Arlene Prieto who helped us with emotions. Here is the original!

Sting wrote Fragile after the assassination of Salvadoran Archbishop Óscar Romero in 1980. He was struck by the tragedy of a man who had dedicated his life to helping others, only to lose his life in the process. Sting (who was the frontman, songwriter, and bassist for the UK band The Police) performed this at the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize concert.

At the core, the song expresses so poignantly the fragility of life and urges us to cherish every moment that we are given. It's become one of the most iconic and timeless songs worldwide as it reminds us of the interconnectedness of all people all over the globe. This poignant, almost hypnotic song urges us to remember that even though we may come from different backgrounds and have different beliefs and ideologies, we are all fragile human beings who are prone to making mistakes and experiencing pain.

As Unity is a worldwide institution, I'd like to take a moment to make a global musical connection and mention the Persian musician Farhad Besharati, who recorded this version of Fragile and dedicated it to Sting. Originally from Tehran, he was forced to flee Iran after the Islamic revolution forbade him to pursue his music. Farhad is a virtuoso Kanun (qanun) player known for fusing traditional Persian music with contemporary flair. The Kanun is a rare Persian instrument that is very difficult to play.

Click here for Farhad's dedication to Sting and notice that the Kanun looks very much like an autoharp, often used in Appalachian folk music, but sounds more like a cross between a mandolin and the Greek balalaika, with 78 strings and 30 notes. Please do enjoy!

Keep A Song in Your Heart,

Janice

You Are Invited!

Come on out for the first Christmas concert in the Valley! I'll be accompanying on piano, and Maddie Wurth is singing in this group. Join us for a lovely evening - you will likely see many familiar faces! Admission is free, and donations for all these hard-working musicians are most welcome!

A Jolly Holiday Concert

Monday, December 4th, 2023   

7:00 pm

First Evangelical Presbyterian Church 

2101 South Jefferson Street

Roanoke VA 24014

Oyaheya is one of those call-and-response congregation songs you can really sink your spirit into. Hearing you all sing it with me this past Sunday makes me so glad I decided to bring it out of the dusty COVID-19 storage bin this month!

Rickie Byars, the acclaimed and beloved singer-songwriter in New Thought/inspirational music and founder/director of the world-renowned Agape International Choir, wrote this song in 2000 with her then-husband, Michael Beckwith.

Oyaheya is a word Agape Durango describes as having been derived from the Ancient Ones of Mesa Verde. According to many sources, the word means "Praise the Spirit." The "Ancient Ones" are also called the Ancestral Pueblo people (formerly called the Anasazi) - a society comprised of some 26 tribes who built entire villages in the sides of cliffs in southwestern Colorado. Click here to explore more.

In case you may be unfamiliar with this musician, here is Rickie Byars singing her song live at Mile High Church, a New Thought church in Lakewood, Colorado.

And here is a wonderful recording of the song with all the verses! Listen to how engaging the call-response section is! The song can be found on her year 2000 CD entitled In the Land of I Am, which is a really wonderful CD! Check out the album here! Can't wait to sing this song again with you!

Interesting tidbit for all you West Wing fans out there - this song was used on the West Wing episode called "Undecideds."

Come Sing With Us Thanksgiving Jamboree rehearsals start this week! It's not too late to join us! 

Practice Sessions

• Thursday, November 9th, 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm-ish @ URV Sanctuary
• Thursday, November 16th, 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm-ish @ URV Sanctuary

Performance

• Sunday, November 19th @ URV
• Call time is 10:00 am for sound check

No experience is necessary and all are welcome!  Please email me for the recordings and lyric sheets!

Remember, music is a kind of magic everyone can access - why deprive yourself of it? Plus! Have you noticed it's really not possible to be depressed when you're singing? Hope to see you there and meanwhile ...

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

A quick note of thanks to Azurae and the Redfeather Medicine Singers for a wonderful service last Sunday! I really enjoyed and appreciated working with them and thought I'd share my experience with you.

The group maintained a grounded vibe and were supportive of each other - nine women supporting each other ... so lovely to experience. Each performed in their own way with a heartfelt, authentic expression. The song and the message was always the most important thing and it was clear to me they loved their songs and were devoted to sharing them. From the moment they stepped into the church I experienced a peaceful harmony and focus on beauty, as was evident in their dress, and preparedness.

Thank you Azurae for setting the tone for an effective presentation and for sharing your singers and traditions with us!

Keep a Song in Your Heart, Janice

Magic is essentially the higher understanding of nature.

The Redfeather Medicine Singers with Azurae Windwalker will offer an American Indian Spiritual message and music at Unity of Roanoke Valley on Sunday, October 15th. It is a special Indigenous Peoples Day celebration. The Redfeather Medicine Singers have been together for nearly 20 years, singing and drumming at Local Colors, Women's Indigenous Drum Fests, Amethyst Center ceremonies, Churches, Schools, and Eco-friendly events. Their mission is to honor our Native American Ancestors and culture, bring personal and planetary healing, and promote uplifting Mother Earth to health.

The Redfeathers sing traditional Native language songs and modern spiritual Mother Earth themed music, many from Denean's album, Fire Prayer. Denean was a member of Unity of Nashville. 

The group's founding members are Diane Elliott, Azurae Windwalker, Penny Best, Kris Powers, and Polly Branch. Our newer members are Gena Palmer, Rachael Cook, and Divya Womack. The Redfeather Medicine Singers are initiated members of the American Indigenous Women's Drum Society. The Redfeathers invite you to participate in singing and drumming along to their fun crowd favorites. 

Connect with Azurae on her Facebook page, and click here to listen to one song from Sunday's program!

Keep a song in your heart,

Janice

The flute is one of the most mystical instruments that made a mark on many world cultures. Take Krishna and his legendary flute, or the meditative Iranian and Turkish 'Ney' that inspired the Sufi Rumi to reflect its spiritual message in the opening lines of his historical Masnawi, or the instrument played by the shepherds of Slavic Europe, expressing their innermost realm through it.

We've always included flute in our services here at URV for special music, especially for our special Christmas and Easter services. Menchu Rosal, writing for the website irishflutes.co.uk, beautifully summarizes the role of flutes in the global musical and spiritual landscape:

• Flutes are deeply intertwined in various world cultures, symbolizing tranquility, harmony, and communication with the divine.
• Traditional folk music relies on genre-specific tunings of flutes, creating authentic sonic textures and regional sounds.
• Flutes play a pivotal role in shaping the essence of Classical music and skillfully elicit emotions in its listeners.
• Flute improvisation is notable in jazz, contributing to the genre’s uniqueness and unpredictability.

Rumi was also a musician; his favorite instrument was the "ney" or the reed flute. The reed flute is manufactured by cutting a hollow reed to a specific length and cutting out holes. Rick Steves wrote that the hollow reed symbolizes the soul, empty of ego-centered desires and involvements, which becomes a flute filled with spiritual passion to return to its original closeness to God.

As Stephen Poplin gives his talk this Sunday about transformation and the soul's journey, we also welcome Jim Webb and Brandon Davis playing celtic flutes as part of our spiritual journey this week. Jim's transformation from classical flutist found him playing the flute and whistle in Roanoke Irish Sessions (musical evenings) and he is a founding member of the Celtic Knot ensemble in Waynesville NC. Brandon Davis is a uilleann and highland piper and has been playing pipes since the late 1980's across the US and in Ireland. For the last 13 years he has been hosting the local Irish music sessions in Roanoke VA and is a founding member of the Star City Céilí Band.

Join us on Sunday for some wonderful Celtic flute music, and I'll give this week's closing to Rumi:

Stay where you are inside such a pure, hollow note ...

Rumi

I thought I'd tell you a little about the cajón (pronounced in English as "kah-hoon") in case you've noticed a strange box-like percussion instrument during special music lately and have been wondering what it is.

Skip and Randy used the cajón earlier this month during their special music performance on August 27th, and Tammy and Velvet were accompanied by their cajón player Nancy last Sunday.

If you missed either of these services, check out the videos for August 27th and September 17th posted under Sunday Services on the Unity of Roanoke Valley website!

Cajón is the Spanish word for box, crate, or drawer box-shaped percussion instrument made from thin plywood. It's played by slapping the front or rear faces with the hands, fingers, brushes, mallets, or sticks. The cajón is believed to have originated in Peru when enslaved Africans, brought to Peru from Angola, began using fruit crates as percussion instruments. Displaced from their homeland, they substituted cod shipping crates for their native drums.

In Cuba, small dresser drawers were used for the same purpose. The instrument was refined and became an important part of Cuban and Peruvian music. Early usage of the Peruvian cajón was to accompany dances such as the tondero and, eventually, flamenco. Tapping knuckles on wooden tables may be considered a predecessor to the cajón. This instrument is steadily gaining popularity in all types of contemporary music and has become a favorite for "unplugged" sessions, and is often used to accompany the acoustic guitar.

For a further look into the origins and flavor of cajón, here is a small ensemble performing a Tondero in Buenos Aires last year. A Tondero is a Peruvian dance style and rhythm born in the north coast of Peru. Watch for the Peruvian dancer who comes in about 30 seconds into the performance.

What's exciting is that even though this is not considered a "sophisticated" instrument by any means, there are cajón festivals worldwide. As you will see in this video, the cajon's affordability and accessibility inspire people of all kinds to participate joyously in music who are not necessarily formally trained.

Keep a song in your heart, and keep moving!

Janice

Join us this Sunday, September 17th, when Tammy Mulkey and Velvet Moock gift us with three iconic songs on the topic of Dreams, and our very own Jeremy Johnson presents his talk on the function of imagination in dreaming beyond challenges to navigate change. We'd love to see you there!

I won't reveal the song titles here, but I pulled out a quote from each that might illustrate the day's theme. Each passage is from a different song that Tammy and Velvet will sing on Sunday. Maybe you can guess what song it is just from the lyrics!

"All alone in the universe

Sometimes that's how it seems

I get lost in the sadness and the screams

Then I look in the center

Suddenly everything's clear

I find myself in the sunshine and my dreams"

"Why not think about times to come

And not about the things that you've done

If your life was bad to you

Just think what tomorrow will do"

"Oh, my life is changing everyday

In every possible way

And oh, my dreams

It's never quite as it seems

Never quite as it seems."

Keep a song in your heart and keep dreaming!

~ Janice

Our Unity Ladies, Marjie, Stephanie, and Hannah, sang our featured song, Peace, this past Sunday.

Our newest singer was brave enough to jump in and sing even though she's only been attending for one month! During the pandemic in 2020, Hannah brought her lovely voice and husband, A.J., to Roanoke for a change of scenery. Thank you, ladies all, for working with me and for your gift of music!

Here is a beautiful version of this song written by Ed Cash. It's performed here by We the Kingdom from the Peace album, courtesy of Sparrow Records. You just might find yourself adding this to your regular playlist like I did!

Please email me directly at [email protected] if you'd like to come sing a little with us!

As always, keep a song in your heart!

Janice

I have a special treat for you this week: the music of Denise Rosier! 

A little back story: We welcomed Janet Langmeier this past Sunday, and her talk Maximizing Our Capacity for Joy uplifted so many of us. (If you missed our service, hop on to the Unity of Roanoke Valley website and click on Sunday Services at the top of the page - you'll find recorded services there!)

Before the service, Janet and I had an excellent collaborative conversation, and it really helped us both present a cohesive service for you. When she speaks at churches, Janet offers music recordings in case there is no music director. She was very excited to learn we had a live music guest booked for her talk - Barbara Martin.

The songs Janet shared with me are by Denise Rosier, an inspirational singer-songwriter who received the 2023 Grace Note Award from Unity Worldwide Ministries for lifetime achievement in positive and inspirational music. She shares my philosophy exactly, "Inspirational music shouldn't be tied down to a faith path. It should lift us up from the inside out."

To learn more about Denise, please visit her website at https://www.deniserosier.com

Here are the two songs Janet shared with me that she felt went along well with her talk - I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Spirit is In This Place

Joy in My Day

Little side note: many of you have asked me why we haven't featured recorded music in our services lately. It's a good question to answer here. When livestreaming and/or recording each week, copyright restrictions prevent our sound team from publishing our videos if we use pre-recorded music. But never fear, I'll try to share this kind of music here when it comes up.  

Keep joy and a song in your heart this week.

Janice 

This Sunday, August 20th, I am delighted to welcome singer-songwriter Barbara Martin back to URV for special music! Barbara has been a wonderful colleague over the years and a joy to work with. You are missing something special if you've not heard her sing and play her guitar! A Unity of Roanoke Valley favorite, she enchants us every time!

"Chanteuse, girl-next-door and perceptive poet all rolled into one; the Washington Post calls Barbara Martin’s music “… as American in style as it is universal in emotional intelligence.”

Her music solidly reflects the greats of traditional jazz, never forgets the blues, but relates to the world today. Based in the peaceful Shenandoah Valley, her skillful song crafting and solid guitar chops set her apart. Her performances seamlessly cross genres, reflecting her unique blend of styles."

Follow Barbara on Facebook!

Looking forward to seeing you there! And as always...

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

You are invited!

Our very own Maddie Wurth is starring as Nancy in Attic Production's OLIVER! The musical is being performed at the Geraldine Lawson Performing Arts Center in Fincastle. You are invited to come on out for any of the show dates:

August 17th-20th, 24th-27th, 31st & September 1st-3rd

Thursdays and Fridays @ 7:30 pm

Saturday and Sundays @ 2:30 pm

For tickets, call 540-473-1001 or visit their website for more information!

As always, 

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

Hello, Everyone!

I hear from many of our invited speakers these days what a lovely-sounding congregation we have - and it's true! It's an absolute joy to lead you in song every Sunday; you sound wonderful all together!

Why not Come Sing with Us on Sunday, June 25th - it's Volunteer Appreciation Day! Come sing with us and volunteer yourself for a feel-good musical day while honoring our amazing volunteers! 

Join us for 3 carefully selected songs that not only are so universally appealing as icons of contemporary culture that they practically sing themselves but are heartwarming and perfect for honoring all of our incredible volunteers. Tammy and Velvet and possibly some other musicians will be playing guitars and bass for us, and I promise, you don't have to be experienced or able to read music to join us!

Pop me an email at [email protected], and I'll send out an informational email that contains the song links and lyrics sheets you can practice with at home, along with the rehearsal times.

Practice sessions will be held in the Sanctuary on:

• Thursday, June 15th, 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm-ish
• Thursday, June 22nd, 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm-ish
• Performance on Sunday, June 25th, during the service: Call time is 10:00 am for sound check.

Wear something purple if you can!

Thanks everyone! Sign up sheet will be on the Music Office door this Sunday - or, just email me.

As always, 

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

Hello, Everyone!

I've had a barrage of emails requesting information about the Forgiveness song we played right after Rev. Linda's talk this past Sunday. Here it is!

Forgiveness by Matthew West

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Lu5udXEZI

June is the Month of Singing! We are doing a Come Sing With Us service again on Volunteer Sunday, June 25th - all are welcome! Please save three Thursdays to meet at Unity and practice together from 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm. Remember to send me a note at [email protected] to request more information and music. Put a brave foot forward and join us for some healing group singing! We had almost 15 singers for Easter, including 6 new people, and it was so much fun! Look for a sign up sheet on my door (door labeled MUSIC on the left as soon as you enter through the purple doors) or, just send me a note so I know to send you to songs!

SPECIAL REQUEST: If you sang with us on Easter and still have a black folder somewhere at home PLEASE BRING IT this Sunday so we can put the new music in. Music folders are kept in the upright file cabinet right inside the door next to my desk!

Thank you - and remember ...

Keep a song in your heart,

Janice  

Hello, everyone!

I'm excited to tell you about our music-filled Easter program this year! Our guest speaker is the honorable Rev. Joe Cobb, who will be doing a little singing with a full stage of Unity Singers in addition to his talk. You don't want to miss this inspiring service that also features an original video from our own Bill Stanton. Come for breakfast at 9:00 am, and stay for the Easter egg hunt after the 11:00 am service!

I want to thank all our new singers who were inspired to join us for the first time - it is a wonderful group to work with and I've enjoyed it so much! If you're interested in singing with us next time, please contact me, we'll be gathering again soon!

I also want to thank our Board for all their work during this transitional time. We are all learning so much and helping each other feel supported through the process. A highlight of this week was receiving this lovely Easter candle which I've kept burning on my mantle each day this Holy week. See you Sunday!

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

It's Not Too Late!

Join us for a friendly song-and-bell gathering this Thursday from 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm. Don't waste a moment worrying or being nervous - come on out and add your energy to our music-minded group! We learn together, smile together, and we welcome you warmly as we prepare a wholehearted Easter service.

If you haven't dropped me a note at [email protected] to let me know you're coming, go ahead and do that now. We're saving a seat for you!

Keep a song in your heart,

Janice

We can all probably agree that Carol of the Bells is one of America’s most famous Christmas carols. You probably remember it from the 1990 movie Home Alone, where John William’s arrangement is heard in the scene when Kevin leaves the church. Click here to listen.

I think it has something to do with the epic four-note ostinato motif, often perceived as haunting and mysterious. It might also have something to do with the fact that this carol wasn't composed in the US - actually, it wasn't even written as a Christmas song!

"Carol of the Bells" started as a 1904 Ukrainian folk chant named "Щедрик (Ščedrik)" that told of the coming New Year, which pre-Christian Ukraine celebrated in April.

Click here to listen to Katie Melua and the Gori Women's Choir performing the original 1914 Ukrainian Shchedryk (The Little Swallow).

It's absolutely ethereal. The Ukrainian lyrics describe a swallow flying into a household to sing of wealth that will come with the following spring.

Щедрик, щедрик, щедрівочка,

Прилетіла ластівочка,

Стала собі щебетати ...

Bountiful evening, bountiful evening, a New Year's carol;

A little swallow flew into the household

and started to twitter ...

The composer, Mykola Leontovych, was born in Ukraine into a family of Orthodox priests. His birthday was just last week, December 13th. His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were village priests, but he broke with tradition and became a musician after completing seminary in 1899. Leontovych was not only a composer, choral conductor, and renowned teacher, but he was also a civic activist who supported Ukraine's political independence. He specialized in a cappella choral music, church music, and elaborately arranged folk music.

Leontovych's arrangement of Shchedryk (1916) demonstrates his style of layering the performance of a choral song through repetition and timing of segregated elements.

So how did this Ukrainian New Year's song about a bird, written by a graduate of the Russian Orthodox seminary in Kamianets-Podilskyi, become one of America's favorite Christmas carols?

Ukraine gained independence in 1919, a few years after Leontonych composed his choral arrangement of the song. As part of the celebration, the newly formed government sent the Ukrainian National Choir worldwide as its goodwill ambassador. They toured for five years, singing a repertoire of Ukrainian songs. Leontovych's song Щедрик was a part of this program.

The song Shchedryk was catapulted to international fame after being performed in Carnegie Hall in 1922. Tragically though, the year before, Mykola Leontovych was assassinated by an undercover Soviet agent in his hometown. He was only 43. (The truth about his death immerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union.)

After hearing the song in Carnegie Hall, Peter Wilhousky (who worked for Radio NBC and was of Ukrainian descent) published the new arrangement in English under the name Carol of the Bells in 1936. That same year, the premiere occurred at a national music teachers' convention in the old Madison Square Gardens. Nearly 20,000 music teachers heard a choir of 1500 children from all over the country perform it in unison. They were stunned by the song. The new lyrics shifted the chant's meaning, and it became a Christmas standard here in the U.S. Leontonych's music became his legacy and continues to be heard to this day all over the world.

As for this carol being spooky, well, you'd be surprised how often it's described that way. Amidst hundreds of arrangements in different languages and countries - there are many dark and mysterious versions - it sparks my imagination!

I leave you with one of my favorite versions that’s not spooky. It’s from the Virtuosic Christmas album and features pianist Jarrod Radnich. All I can say is WOW. I think Franz Liszt would have approved. This arrangement will undoubtedly breathe new life into an old standard - be sure you’re sitting down for this one!

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

The ancient Christmas song The Cherry Tree Carol tells the story of Joseph's emotional angst as he struggled to understand how Mary could be with child and yet never have been with him or any other man. Historically, during those times, that would have been a serious issue between the parents of Jesus. Even if you include Bible stories only symbolically or metaphorically in your spiritual practice, it's fascinating to study the history depicting how this family crisis played out through this beautiful carol.

While the tune dates to medieval England, the story can be traced back to the 12th-century early Christian communities of the Middle East, where it has been found in Aramaic, the language of Jesus. A version of it was discovered in the Appalachian Mountains and is now included in the major anthologies of North American folk music by Alan Lomax and Cecil Sharp, which is where I found it!

As a bit of background, keep in mind that the news of Mary's pregnancy would have set off a five-alarm disruption in their relationship. Joseph would have felt personally betrayed by Mary, and women were killed for even the suspicion of infidelity during those times.

So as the song/story goes, the two pause in their travels in an orchard. Mary asks Joseph to pick her some blood-red cherries because she's with child. He responds bitterly: "No way! Let the father of the child pick cherries for you!". Jesus, in the womb, commanded the tree to "bend thy branches and refresh my mother with thy fruit" when she grows faint.

In some versions, when Joseph witnesses the magical fruit tree bowing down, he apologizes for his rudeness immediately. In other versions, he continues to wrestle with his anger for some time, even accusing Mary of lying about her angel visitation, and he even dismisses an angel who later appears to reassure him of the miracle! Eventually, he can see beyond his anger and assumptions and humbly apologizes to Mary.

Here is The Cherry Tree Carol recorded by Sting as part of his 2009 "A Winter's Night Concert" at Durham Cathedral in England.

And here is Judy Collins' pristine and exquisite performance during her Christmas concert at the Biltmore in 1996.

We rarely hear this carol, but it is indeed a treasure - I hope you enjoy it!

Keep A Song in Your Heart,

Janice

Peace on Earth

Season’s greetings, everyone!

Like many musicians during the holiday season, I’ve played in quite a few different settings, both sacred and secular. While the focus is on sacred music in the church setting, I love looking for spiritual treasure amongst the musical tinsel.

Look with me for a minute at the Christmas carol I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day sometimes called, Peace on Earth. This carol is in the Unity hymnal and is a glittering gem in the cultural fabric of our country, but we rarely sing it. I think it illustrates a deep spiritual lesson for us all about transitioning through grief and the hope of peace.

The song's lyrics were based on the 1863 autobiographical poem Christmas Bells by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Once set to music in 1872, this poem became the song we know today as I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. The words do get rather grim but stay with me for a second because the backstory is where the golden treasure lies.

As the true story goes, several years before writing this poem, Longfellow's personal peace was shaken in 1861 when Fanny Appleton Longfellow, his second wife of 18 years, to whom he was very devoted, was fatally burned in an accidental fire.

Tragically, he tried to save her life by covering her with a small rug but, in his desperation, resorted to putting out the flames with his own body. Longfellow's hands were severely injured, so he missed her funeral, which was held on their 18th wedding anniversary.

A friend wrote of Longfellow's absence:

"I have not seen Longfellow. He has seen no one yet, out of his immediate family. I dread to think of him bereaved of Fanny: she was so perfect a companion of his daily existence and sharer of his glory ... God help them all. The world henceforth will be strangely changed for him."

The poet's journal entries on Christmas Day for the next two years expressed his profound sadness: "How inexplicably sad are all holidays," he wrote, and "A 'merry Christmas' say the children, but there is no more for me."

If that wasn't bad enough, the author's oldest son, Charles Appleton Longfellow, joined the Union Army several years later, but he didn't find out until after the fact. On March 14, 1863, Charles wrote his father from the battlefield: "I have tried hard to resist the temptation of going without your blessing ... but I feel it to be my first duty to do what I can for my country, and I would willingly lay down my life for it if it would be of any good."

Charles was severely wounded in the Battle of New Hope Church, Virginia. That year, a widower at only 57, Longfellow's journal remained blank on Christmas day. The bells of Christmas ringing over the battlefields filled him with despair as he watched his son's slow recovery. Verse three of the song describes the situation:

“And in despair I bowed my head./There is no ‘peace on earth’ I said./For hate is storm and mocks the song/of peace on earth, goodwill to men.”

It wasn’t until Christmas Eve the next year (1864) that Longfellow picked up his pen at long last and wrote the poem Christmas Bells on December 24th, thus gifting us with a miraculous demonstration of spiritual healing. As set to music in verse four:

“Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:/ ‘God is not dead nor does He sleep.’/The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,/with peace on earth, goodwill to men” and the carol concludes with the bells carrying renewed hope for peace among us.

Here is a wonderful live performance by Casting Crowns, as seen in a 2008 TBN special. The song can also be found on their Christmas album, Peace On Earth.

I know the Civil War seems like a remote event in history. Still, the fact remains that despite all our technological advancements seemingly designed to bring people together more easily, we are still singing about the hope for peace among humans. Indeed, the inspirational and spiritual lesson in this carol story is relevant now more than ever.

Keep a Song of Peace in Your Heart,

Janice

I've always started the Advent season with It Came Upon the Midnight Clear because I feel the lilting, contemplative melody gently eases us into the Christmas season. But as I studied the text more closely, I was astonished to learn that the historical context for this carol makes it particularly poignant and relevant right now.

Unitarian minister and Harvard Divinity School graduate Edmund H. Sears wrote the poem for this carol, first published in Monthly Religious Magazine in the mid-19th century. 

It was later joined with the original tune by Richard Storrs Willis (1819-1900) and published in The United Methodist Hymnal in 1878, where it can be found today as hymn No. 218.

Although Sears considered himself a preacher of "The Divinity of Christ," it is one of the few Christmas carols that doesn't mention the birth of Christ.

Instead, the focus of this carol is on the song of the angels: "Peace on the earth, goodwill to men" (taken from Luke 2:14). 

This carol is considered by many to be one of the earliest social gospel hymns to appear in the U.S. Sears wrote his original poem in response to the social strife that plagued the country as the Civil War approached. We don't often sing stanzas two or three, but the words get heavy as he describes the bleak situation.

For example, stanza three begins, "Beneath life's crushing load, whose forms are bending low, Who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow ..." The second half of this stanza offers hope that the song of the "blessed angels" who "bend on hovering wings" would soothe the "Babel sounds" of a suffering world ..."

Listen to It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

As Dr. Michael Hawn, professor of Sacred Music at Perkins School of Divinity at Southern Methodist University, wrote in a June 2013 post on the Discipleship Ministries site:

"It is right that we should joyfully sing Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and Joy to the World each Christmas season. But always, there are moments when we realize the message of peace has not yet been fully realized on earth. Then we sing It Came Upon the Midnight Clear, and the power of the Incarnation and the message of the gospel touch us even more deeply."

Keep a Song of Hope in Your Heart,

Janice

My Thanksgiving greetings to you include a giant THANK YOU to everyone who participated in our Come Sing With Us Thanksgiving service this past Sunday!! We all thoroughly enjoyed it, and the sound was a WOW as the congregation joined in! So many of you mentioned that the music helped you feel ready for the gratitude of the season.

In case you missed it, you can view the Livestream or, just click on the links below to hear the songs we sang together. Cody got us set up and Tammy Mulkey and Velvet Moock led the singers as they sat in a semi-circle, campfire style. Singing with guitar and bass was a real treat!! If you couldn't join us this time, join us next time - watch for the next announcement in eNews and Facebook! All you need to do then is email me at [email protected] - no one is excluded who lets me know they'd like to join us! 

The way Come Sing With Us works, once you contact me, you receive a welcome note with lyric sheets and YouTube videos of the songs so you can learn on your own time at home. We offered two gathering times to sing through the songs together - they were easy to pick up because they were repetitive and catchy. Our singers added their own harmonies, just like we tend to do while singing to music in the car. There is absolutely no shame in learning music by ear, it's how most of the world does it - even in remote cultures where the music is incredibly complex! 

The message of the songs is clear in the lyrics, and many of you commented that you felt it fit Unity. It's not to say we won't ever have the more classical and traditional four-part choral ensemble again - I hope we will - but Spirit is calling us to grow through this transition time. I feel that one of the best things we can do to help weather the uncertainty is to just relax into it and sing together. It's very difficult to feel depressed or anxious while singing. If you call to mind those magical campfire sings we've all experienced, you'll remember that singing together provokes a special bond. So Come Sing With Us next time, and bring a friend! You may find yourself experiencing Unity more deeply!  

Here are the songs (see below). I hope they'll help adorn your Thanksgiving table, whatever it looks like, with smiles of gladness and gratitude.

Thanksgiving Song

Mary Chapin Carpenter

Click here to listen!

Thanksgiving Song

Ben Rector

Click here to listen!

 **Stay tuned this week for our first Advent service when Marian McConnell gifts us with her beautiful music and stories on the topics of FAITH and HOPE.

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

So many people wanted the lyrics to our Offertory song this past Sunday; here they are! Sorry, there's no recording, but you could follow along on the live stream!

Janice

Come Sing With Us!

So many of you enjoy the guest musicians we have at Unity each week, but have you ever found yourself wishing you were up there on the platform too? There's no reason why you shouldn't be! I'm excited to invite you to be a part of our Thanksgiving "Come Sing With Us" service on November 20th at 11:00 am - we've got some fantastic music planned!

For Special Music that day, we will be singing two popular, current-day songs by various artists with the same title, Thanksgiving Song. We will be accompanied by our very own Velvet and Tammy on guitars. These are lovely, feel-good songs with a blessed message, are easy to learn, and super fun to sing as a group. Join us! There's nothing to fear, you don't have to wear anything special, and I promise, you don't need to read music!   

If this sounds interesting to you, please email me right now before you lose your nerve at [email protected]. I will send you a friendly welcome note with everything you'll need to participate, including the lyric sheets and video recordings of the songs. All you have to do is listen to the songs at home on your own time and plan to attend our two rehearsal gatherings!

I am providing two rehearsals with Tammy and Velvet playing guitars - Thursday, November 17th at 5:00 pm and Saturday, November 19th at 10:30 am - both at Unity of Roanoke Valley. If you've never had a chance to sing with skilled guitar players, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE - it is SO MUCH FUN. It's a short rehearsal just to run through the songs, make sure everyone is comfortable and pull everything together.   

Go ahead and contact me even if you just are curious about the songs or even if you think you have scheduling issues. Send me an email anyway - we can work something out! As always, I am available after this week's Sunday service to talk to you as well.  

No worries, there is no obligation to participate (but we wish you would), and there is no limit on the number of people who can participate. I hope you will be brave and join Tammy, Velvet, and me, 'cause we want you to ... Come Sing With Us!!! 

Keep a Song In Your Heart,

Janice

Greetings and Happy Mother's Day this Sunday, May 8th! 

I've been busy researching the music for our Mother's Day service this Sunday, May 8th, and it's been quite a journey. There is quite a lot of music on this topic, and I had a hard time choosing just one or two, so I created a unique Unity eNews Youtube playlist, especially for us!

Just click on this link, and one right after another, you can listen to 10 amazing songs that I selected about the Mother for your listening pleasure. These songs can be enjoyed in meditation, while washing the dishes, or just in a pensive moment. At Unity, we are always being encouraged to look at things through our metaphysical eyes, and I think these are all songs that lift the mother archetype frequency to a higher level. I think we all have a connection to the Mother, but through the use of tones, instrumentation, voice, and lyrics, some of these songs can transcend the human aspects and create an auditory bridge to the mystical. Music like this, I think, is most definitely food for the soul.

I'll end it here today by sharing one of my favorite descriptions of the Mother - it's written by Caroline Myss:

The Mother is the life-giver, the source of nurturing and nourishment, an unconditional fountain of love, patience, devotion, caring, and unselfish acts. This archetype is the keeper and protector of life, from children to the family to the greater Mother Nature archetype whose province is the Earth and all life. Mother Nature, also known as Gaia, is the Goddess of Life, the caretaker of the living environment of this planet. - Caroline Myss 

If there is a woman who has greatly helped you on your spiritual journey, take this day to thank her!  And remember ...

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

Greetings everyone! A giant thank you to all the fantastic musical participants of our Easter Service this past Sunday. Your time and talents made this Easter an extraordinary one indeed! You might have seen some new faces on stage - since I forgot to introduce the groups on Sunday, here they are now: 

Unity Ringers (in order from left to right from where they were standing on stage)

Martha Perez

Chelsea Ashe (Chris Camper's daughter)

Maddie Wurth 

Pat Eby

Bill Sapp

Chris Camper (Thank you to Chris for leading the traditional chiming of the hour!)

Unity Voices

Stephanie Robinson

Chris Camper

Marjie Ratliff

Pat Eby

Celia McCormick

Paul Blaiklock

Hampton Kier

Johnny Couch

Dawn Jacobs (Special thanks to Dawn for joining us on Palm Sunday!)

It was remarkable that these groups were able to perform together - it has been six years since the bells have been together on Easter and three years for the singers. To celebrate, we had a lovely lunch together following our dress rehearsal. Special thanks to Rev. Rick for making that possible; it was a welcome treat for us after all the years apart!  

Some of you also missed our beloved flutist Rebecca Meisel (now Wilson), who usually plays for us on special service days. Unfortunately, she's been having some back problems lately and could not join us this year.

Quick note: many of you asked about the special music after the talk entitled You Raise Me Up performed by the BYU all-male group called Vocal Pointe. Here is the video Diane Strickland referenced!

I'll be taking this coming Sunday off and taking some much-needed time away from church matters this week, so thank you in advance to Jimmie Landry, who will be playing the service on April 24th in my absence. We also welcome Faye Cooley on the crystal bowls for meditation that day.  We are so lucky to have so many talented members here at Unity of Roanoke Valley. Please do join us!

Keep A Song in Your Heart,

Janice

I've really enjoyed singing a cappella with you as a group before our meditation this month! We've been singing Morning Prayer: I Will Surrender by Karen Drucker. Sue Frankel shared it with me several years ago, and I really fell in love with it not only for the beautiful mantra-like, repetitious melody but for the message itself.

Listen to the song here. It's a wonderful one to add to your meditation playlist ... a sublime musical prayer to begin your day. 

Many of you have heard the term a cappella here and there - it's simply an Italian term translated as "as in the church" used to denote singing without the accompaniment of instruments. So when I sing a song a cappella with you, I purposely don't play the piano. I know it may feel strange at first, but the experience of singing without an instrument is as old as humanity itself. People were singing together even before the emergence of language through the use of vocables (for ex. fa, la, la).  

Singing is still the most primal of group activities in other countries, but I think here in the US, group singing is not generally encouraged. It's kind of maddening actually. Think about it, where else do we sing in a group besides church? (And I'm not counting singing Happy Birthday to the table next to you at Texas Roadhouse.) We might, every once in a blue moon, sing around the fire while shrouded in the anonymity of the deep dark of night, only to find we just remember snippets of melodies from long ago. I think it's come to a point now where only the upholstery in our cars experiences our vocal offerings!

It is a profoundly sacred and unifying experience to sing together without accompaniment. It's a dance with breath and silence - two of the most primal elements around. The secret to the unifying element is the ability to maintain the same key of the song for the duration of the song without the aid of an instrument.

It took me many years of teaching to be able to do this myself, but there's no secret to it. It's just plain muscle memory - I promise you everyone can learn it to some degree, including the youngest of children. The body remembers the pitch kinesthetically, just like the body remembers how to ride a bike or hold a fork. And like anything else, the more you do it, the better you are at it.

Singing without the comfort of loud instruments backing you up can leave you feeling quite exposed - believe me, I know some of you may have felt that way! However, once you get over that initial feeling of vulnerability, you can begin to relax into the unique experience of hearing your voice amongst others. 

Experiencing your voice simultaneously in the midst of the whole allows you to experiment with placing your attention on the blending, the melding, the adjusting it takes to create something larger than yourself.

It's so exciting when a group sound is developed, and we at Unity of Roanoke Valley do indeed have a beautiful and unique sound when we sing together! It can be a visceral sense of UNITY, of being part of a whole, which is what we're all about, after all!

So, as Spring approaches, let's keep singing together! And while you're at it, join us for the service next week when our guest musicians perform lovely duet arrangements of How Can I Keep from Singing and Down To The River To Pray. 

As always,

Keep A Song in Your Heart,

Janice

Greetings everyone!

This week's service was such a special one for me because it was a combination of the incredible work of Karen Starz and the fantastic music of Rev. Michael Gott! It was a joy to work with Karen, and I'd like to say a big thank you to her on behalf of URV for obtaining permission from Michael Gott and then tracking down the original song files for all the music played in the service.

I'd also like to say a huge thank you to our incredible AV team, Skip, Cody, Samantha, Bill, and Jeremy. They took care of zooming Karen in from New Mexico, recording from multiple cameras, and all the tiniest details in between. I'm always coming up with things and shifting as Spirit leads, and it couldn't be done without their support every week. 

So many of you expressed your appreciation for Rev. Michael Gott's songs that I thought I'd put the links here if you feel inspired to review them at your leisure. Several of these links will take you to his website, where you can read more about his work and purchase the music we heard in this week's service.

Amazing Things is a song written by Megon McDonough and Jana Stanfield from his 2007 album with the same title - it was the one I programmed right after the message. By the way, I must say, I would like to compliment everyone on their beautiful singing during the service! I was so overjoyed to hear it because it REALLY made the experience such a special one. Nothing unites a room like a song sung together - I know you all felt the unique energy it created too!

From his website, Michael wrote of the Amazing Things album: 

"Many, many changes have taken place in my life in that time - all of them good, some of them not easy. This album has taught me patience, trust, and the power of relying on others. Every song here is a collaboration of some kind. All of the original songs here are co-written except for "Do You See?" and that song, more than any of the others, is about the power of pouring yourself into the life of another."

The offertory was a song called Spirit in Me from his Surrender Album. As his website describes, "You'll feel yourself relax and fall into the moment as you listen to "Spirit In Me," as well as each track of this album. There is a sweetness and a power in Michael's voice, an openness that beautifully expresses the Spirit within." 

Our postlude was a fabulous song called I Release And I Let Go, written by Rickie Byars & Michael Beckwith - also from the Amazing Things album. It was more of a social time with everyone leaving the Sanctuary, so you may not have heard it, so please do take a listen if you'd like to. I just love this one!

Looking forward to seeing you all at next week's service when we will be gifted to enjoy some wonderful music by Skip's band live - join us for some pre-St. Patrick's Day fun!  

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

The song called Peace, by Nora Jones, was our offertory last Sunday. The words are so perfect for these times! Hope you can take another listen when you'd like a quiet moment.

There's a place that I know

Where the sycamores grow

And daffodils have their fun

Where the cares of the day

Seem to slowly fade away

In the glow of the evening sun

Peace, when the day is done

If I go there real late;

Let my mind meditate

On everything to be done

If I search deep inside;

Let my conscience be my guide

Then the answers are sure to come

Don't have to worry none

When you find peace of mind

Leave your worries behind

Don't say that it can't be done

With a new point of view

Life's true meaning comes to you

And the freedom you seek is won

Peace is for everyone

Peace is for everyone

Peace is for everyone

Nine-time Grammy winner Nora Jones has had a prolific career - her first album alone sold over 26 million copies.

I loved the pandemic videos Nora put out right from her little upright in her living room.

Nora is one of 2 daughters of the Indian sitar legend Ravi Shankar. Indeed, the same Ravi Shankar whom George Harrison of the Beatles befriended in the '70s. These two musicians had a wonderful collaborative friendship; Harrison even produced the Chants of India record.

Shakar's other daughter, Anoushka, went on to become a stunning classical sitar player like her father. 

Take a listen to Anoushka here ...

Rather than following in her father's footsteps, Nora is an incredible jazz musician. Both daughters were very close to their father who died recently from heart surgery complications at 92.

See you this Sunday, March 6th, for Karen Starz at 11:00 am. Spoiler alert - this service will feature several fantastic videos with inspiring songs directly from Michael Gott! Until then,

Keep A Song In Your Heart,

Janice

Dear Hate by Maren Morris: A Few More Tidbits and Two Great Performances

Thank you to our very own Tammy and Velvet for performing the song Dear Hate by Maren Morris this past Sunday. This song is the artist's ode to the triumph of love over hate. So many of you were touched by that song and hadn't heard it. Here's a little more background to this extraordinary song.

Maren originally wrote this song with Tom Douglas and David Hodges after the 2015 Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church massacre. Still, she had not found the right time to release it because it was such a special song.

After the tragic mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2016, Maren recorded the studio version with her long-time idol Vince Gill. The song was finally released on October 2, 2017, when Maren posted the full track to YouTube as part of her response to the event, writing in a tweet, "Hate is everywhere, and I'm sick of not doing enough. In the darkest tunnel, there is still love & music. That's what it's here for. Here is Dear Hate.

The song received an immediate, overwhelmingly positive response, leading to the track's release on iTunes and other streaming services on Friday, October 3rd. All proceeds went to the Music City Cares Fund - a charity specifically created to help the victims in Las Vegas. 

Here is the song's first performance, which came at the end of a LIVE concert at Kalamazoo State Theatre. In her touching and heartfelt introduction, she explains that it was her first concert since she performed at the Las Vegas Festival that fateful day of the shooting. It's a beautiful pared-down solo performance without Vince Gill and with only one guitar. Here is the studio recording duet featuring Vince Gill (with lyrics).

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

Greetings everyone!

This is a post-Valentine's Day Story about Music as a Synchronistic Carpet between Love and Grief.

The final month of my mother's life began when she went into hospice at the end of February last year. One evening last week I was thinking about how much I missed our phone conversations and the sound of her voice. One of my mother's most beautiful features was her speaking voice. There was just something so elegant and refined about it. Even well into her 80's through her struggles with breast cancer, her voice stayed as youthful as it ever was. 

My mom had always been obsessively in love with singing even though she was not a singer herself. The music of Andrea Bocelli was her lifeline up until the very end. When I was 8 or 9 years old, she would buy me sheet music to popular songs of the day - think early 70's. (I still have my copy of Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head). She'd come up with these songs and beg me to play and sing them into her little battery-operated cassette tape recorder covered with a leather sleeve that snapped closed.

At that time, I had no idea what I was doing, I certainly had no concept of my voice, but in making these little quickie recordings, I realized I could play something at sight with almost no practice. I couldn't relate to popular music as it was miles away from the Bach inventions I loved to learn. But I did notice that for some reason, it would enthrall her to no end when she'd play the tape back.  

Fast forward fifty years, and there we were together last March in the living room of our family home, navigating what was to be the final weeks of her life. Courage became my best friend. I learned to make a fine powder from medicine tablets and measure out doses of morphine that I released carefully and slowly into my mother's body from a syringe every four hours or whenever she couldn't stand the pain anymore. I functioned on adrenaline and worked with a different caregiver around the clock every 12 hours. Trust me when I tell you I am the farthest thing you can get from a nurse or even a candy striper. Phone calls from friends and cups of Midnight coffee from Dunkin Donuts kept me going whenever I could grab a moment. And then there were also my students.

Somehow, in the midst of all this, I continued to teach my voice and piano lessons over Zoom. I hauled my electric piano out of the Jeep and set up shop in the bedroom farthest away so as not to disturb anyone. Mustering the energy and nerves to keep up this obligation was almost impossible, but it was my students that actually saved the day for me. There they were, just trying to learn their assignment and keep their studies up in the middle of a pandemic, but to me, it was like choirs of angels beaming in over Zoom, replenishing my body, mind, and spirit each and every week.  

My mother heard everything from her bed. I was told she came alive when she heard all the music even though it was a lot of modeling vowel sounds and phrases bit by bit as the students sang back. The nurse's aids were all from places like Haiti, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and Turks and Caicos. Devout in their own lives, and reverent in their commitment to end-of-life caregiving, they would approach me after lessons with eyes wide as saucers and in hushed tones tell me they KNEW I was "a follower of God". Even though it was a different caregiver each time, it happened the same way every time. It was quite remarkable. When I asked the ladies about it, all they'd say is they had heard it. They also told me how my mother perked up, sat up, and listened in wonder, smiling from ear to ear during the lessons - something I never would have known otherwise. 

It's so poignant as I remember that even though my entire life's work has revolved around singing - from teaching children to sing, to teaching teachers to sing, to teaching teachers how to teach children to sing, my mother really hadn't heard any singing from me since I was 8. I couldn't have expected then that the first I'd hear from my mother since her passing was through a song last Sunday before our Valentine's service on February 13th. 

Before our service, I went to make changes to the PowerPoint due to snow cancelations. I was still thinking heavily about missing talking with my Mom and how many times I had gone to reach for the phone since she passed.  

Just then, Bill rushed in with a song he'd brought in case I hadn't found a replacement for our cancelation. He went to the computer, coat still icy from the cold winds outside, and told me he'd brought I Just Called To Say I Love You.

I burst into hysterical laughter. There was nothing funny about the song - it's about not needing any special time of year to say I love you. Why it was so funny at the time I didn't know, but my laughter rang through the Sanctuary, pretty much alarming Skip and definitely perplexing Bill. My laugh CAN be a bit voluminous at times, but I'm telling you this was really loud. I couldn't explain it then, but anyone would have thought I had lost my mind to hear the way I laughed. 

Later, I realized that even though Bill had told me the name of the song in a very off-handed way, it had felt like a direct message from my Mom. The more I went over it in my head, the more I saw it and the more real I knew it was. There had been an overlay of my Mom's voice over Bill's as he said those words "I just called to say I love you" and because I was busy at work I almost missed it! The synchronicity of it really impacted me and the importance of paying attention continues to sink in.  

I know many of us are grieving the loss of loved ones. I think we all know deep down that grief is not short-lived. It's not a virus, there is no antidote and no recovery from it. It's funny how we understand that love never ends, but often grief is thought about as something we should bounce back from - like a cold or an infection, and the quicker the better. Indeed, we live in a culture that often penalizes and judges us for grieving.  

When I began studying the work of Stephen Jenkinson, I was introduced to the idea that grief is not the opposite of love or the absence of love, it is in fact, the eternal companion of love. They are intrinsically connected for all of eternity. It makes sense then to suggest as he does, that if we agree that love never dies, we must also see that neither does grief.  

Grief, he says, is a way of loving that which has slipped from view.  

"Loving and grieving are joined at the hip, for all the beauty, soul, and travail that brings. We would do well to say this aloud for many days, to help get it learned: Grief is a way of loving, love is a way of grieving. They need each other in order to be themselves." -Stephen Jenkinson

Stevie Wonder's song I Just Called To Say I Love You was perfect for our Valentine's service because it reminds us that you don't have to wait until Valentine's Day to say those words. You don't even have to be on earth to say it either. So there it is, from my Mom's spirit to your ears.  

And thank you, Bill. 

I bring you this version of the original song performed by the amazing a cappella group PENTATONIX. Enjoy, and remember to,

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

Whenever I turn onto my street lately, I pass a sign that boldly states, "Love Never Fails." I'm not proud to tell you that it irks me every time I see it - who are these people kidding anyway? It bothered me so much that I finally looked it up yesterday - oh, ok, Corinthians. God's love. But what of the love we flawed humans have for each other? What do we do about that?

As Valentine's day is approaching, I thought you might be in the mood for some examples of good old-fashioned human love as experienced through the eyes of some of our greatest composers. It's interesting to read these very personal expressions of love, glimpsing it through their eyes. It appears that love between humans wasn't always a bed of roses, but maybe there's a lesson here if we look carefully.   

Perhaps glimpsing love from these musicians' eyes might remind us that there is nothing mercurial about love; it is not based on whims, feelings, or passing fancies. From their relationships, we can see that love can show up at any time, in any form, and often in surprising ways that are judged harshly. Maybe we can be inspired to reaffirm that, like God's love, the love we experience never really fails ... it never ends either, even if it is not reciprocated or received. The music that lives on is proof indeed.

Thank you to Classic fm for these beautiful images; learn more here.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! And remember, Love is not something to long for or try to get from others; love is something we ARE.  

Be the love you'd like more of. And it wouldn't hurt to also …

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

Greetings, Music Lovers!

I'm sharing the links to the music from last Sunday, January 9th, in case you felt you might like to explore the selections a bit more. This song by John Denver poetically describes how one thing (in this case, the wind, something we take pretty much for granted) can function in so many capacities, both constructive and destructive. The takeaway for me is that judging something as one thing not only blocks all future possibilities but prevents us from experiencing life in its myriad of facets. I am literally mesmerized by this song- I find it simultaneously ethereal and profound all at once. 

Windsong by John Denver (The Unplugged Collection)

The wind is the whisper of our mother the earth

The wind is the hand of our father the sky

The wind watches over our struggles and pleasures

The wind is the goddess who first learned to fly

The wind is the bearer of bad and good tidings

The weaver of darkness, the bringer of dawn

The wind gives the rain, then builds us a rainbow

The wind is the singer when sang the first song

The wind is the twister of anger and warning

The wind brings the fragrance of freshly mown hay

The wind is a racer, and a wild stallion running

The sweet taste of love on a slow summer's day

The wind knows the songs of the cities and canyons

The thunder of mountains, the roar of the sea

The wind is the taker and giver of mornings

The wind is the symbol of all that is free

So welcome the wind and the wisdom she offers

Follow her summons when she calls again

In your heart and your spirit let the breeze surround you

Lift up your voice then and sing with the wind

Then, after the talk, there was this version of Lean on Me by MUSIC TRAVEL LOVE - two brothers from Canada. The video gives a wonderful dimension to this great cover!

And finally, our offertory this past week was this divine selection called Hey Ma Durga - an incredible composition by Sean Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band based on a mantra dedicated to the goddess Durga, implying compassion. I hope you enjoy it!

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

I think we can agree that Carol of the Bells is one of America’s most popular Christmas carols. You probably remember it from the 1990 movie Home Alone, where John William’s arrangement is heard in the scene when Kevin leaves the church. Click here to listen.

Many have described Carol of the Bells as the most intense piece on the Home Alone Soundtrack as it portends Kevin’s heroic fate. Kevin isn’t the reason people feel this carol is spooky, though.  

I think it has something to do with the epic four-note ostinato motif, which is often perceived as haunting and mysterious. It might also have something to do with the fact that this carol wasn't composed in the US - actually, it wasn't even a Christmas song originally!

Carol of the Bells started as a 1904 Ukrainian folk chant named Щедрик (Ščedrik) that told of the coming New Year, which pre-Christian Ukraine celebrated in April. Listen to Katie Melua and the Gori Women's Choir performing the original 1914 Ukrainian Shchedryk (The Little Swallow). It's absolutely ethereal. The Ukrainian lyrics describe a swallow flying into a household to sing of wealth that will come with the following spring.

The composer, Mykola Leontovych, was born in Ukraine into a family of Orthodox priests. His birthday was just this past Sunday, December 13th. His father, grandfather, and great grandfather were village priests, but he broke with tradition and became a musician after completing seminary in 1899. He was not only a composer, choral conductor, and renowned teacher, Leontovych was also a civic activist and supported Ukraine's political independence. He specialized in a cappella choral music, church music, and elaborately arranged folk music.

Leontovych's arrangement of Shchedryk (1916) demonstrates his style of layering the performance of a choral song through repetition and timing of segregated elements.

So how did this Ukrainian New Year's song about a bird, written by a graduate of the Russian Orthodox seminary in Kamianets-Podilskyi, become one of America's favorite Christmas carols?

Ukraine gained independence in 1919, a few years after Leontonych composed his choral arrangement of the song. As part of the celebration, the newly formed government sent the Ukrainian National Choir around the world to act as its goodwill ambassador. They toured for five years, singing a repertoire of Ukrainian songs. Leontovych's song Щедрик was a part of this program.

The song Shchedryk was catapulted to worldwide fame after being performed in Carnegie Hall in 1922. Tragically though, the year before, Mykola Leontovych was assassinated by an undercover Soviet agent in his hometown. He was only 43. (The truth about his death only immerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union.)

After hearing the song in Carnegie Hall, Peter Wilhousky (who worked for Radio NBC and was of Ukrainian descent) published the new arrangement in English under the name Carol of the Bells in 1936.  That same year, the premiere took place at a national music teachers convention in the old Madison Square Gardens, where nearly 20,000 music teachers heard a choir of 1500 children from all over the country perform it in unison. They were stunned by the song. The new lyrics shifted the chant's meaning, and it became a Christmas standard here in the U.S. Leontonych's music became his legacy and continues to be heard to this day all over the world.

As for this carol being spooky, well, you'd be surprised how often it's described that way. Amidst hundreds of arrangements in different languages and countries - there are a good number of dark and mysterious versions - it really sparks my imagination!

I leave you with one of my favorite versions that’s not spooky at all. It’s from the album called Virtuosic Christmas and features pianist Jarrod Radnich. All I can say is WOW. I think Franz Liszt would have approved. This arrangement will surely breathe new life into an old standard - be sure you’re sitting down for this one!

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

Last Sunday, Rev. Rick encouraged us not to feel alone when it comes to navigating tricky family dynamics during the holidays. The ancient Christmas song The Cherry Tree Carol tells of Joseph's emotional angst as he struggled to understand how Mary could be with child and yet never have been with him or any man. Historically, during those times, that would have been a serious issue between the parents of Jesus. Even if you include Bible stories only symbolically or metaphorically in your spiritual practice, it's fascinating to study the history depicting how this family crisis played out through this beautiful carol.   

While the tune dates to medieval England, the story can be traced as far back as the 12th century early Christian communities of the Middle East, where it has been found in Aramaic, the language of Jesus. A version of it was discovered in the Appalachian Mountains and is now included in the major anthologies of North American folk music by Alan Lomax and Cecil Sharp, which is where I found it!

As a bit of background, keep in mind that the news of Mary's pregnancy would have set off a five-alarm disruption in their relationship. Joseph would have felt personally betrayed by Mary, and women were killed for even the suspicion of such a thing during those times.

So as the song/story goes, the two pause in their travels in an orchard. Mary asks Joseph to pick her some blood-red cherries because she's with child. He responds bitterly: "No way! Let the father of the child pick you cherries!". Jesus in the womb then commands the tree to "bend thy branches and refresh my mother with thy fruit" when she grows faint. 

In some versions, when Joseph witnesses the magical fruit tree bowing down, he apologizes for his rudeness immediately. In other versions, he continues to wrestle with his anger for some time, even accusing Mary of lying about her angel visitation and then dismissing an angel who later appears to reassure of the miracle before him. Eventually, he can see beyond his anger and assumptions and apologizes most humbly to Mary.

Last Sunday, I shared this song recorded by Sting as part of his 2009 A Winter's Night Concert at Durham Cathedral in England. Click here if you missed it or would like to hear it again!

Here now, though, as promised, is Judy Collins' pristine and exquisite performance during her Christmas concert at the Biltmore in 1996. We rarely hear this carol, but it is indeed a treasure - I hope you enjoy it!

Keep A Song in Your Heart,

Janice

“And in despair I bowed my head./There is no ‘peace on earth’ I said./For hate is storm and mocks the song/of peace on earth, goodwill to men.”

It wasn’t until Christmas Eve the next year (1864) that Longfellow picked up his pen at long last and wrote the poem “Christmas Bells” on December 24th thus gifting us with a miraculous demonstration of spiritual healing. As set to music in verse four:

“Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:/ ‘God is not dead nor does He sleep.’/The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,/with peace on earth, goodwill to men” and the carol concludes with the bells carrying renewed hope for peace among us.

Here is a wonderful live performance by Casting Crowns, as seen in a 2008 TBN special. The song can also be found on their Christmas album, Peace On Earth.

Join us this Sunday online for the first service of Advent, including songs and carols of the season! 

Our first carol of the 2021 Advent season is It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.

I've always started the Advent season with this selection because I feel the lilting, contemplative melody gently eases us into the Christmas season. But as I studied the text more closely, I was astonished to learn that the historical context for this carol makes it particularly poignant and relevant right now.   

Unitarian minister and Harvard Divinity School graduate Edmund H. Sears wrote the poem for this carol, first published in Monthly Religious Magazine in the mid 19th century. 

It was later joined with the original tune by Richard Storrs Willis (1819-1900) and published in The United Methodist Hymnal in 1878, where it can be found today as hymn No. 218.

Although Sears considered himself a preacher of "The Divinity of Christ," it is one of the few Christmas carols that doesn't mention the birth of Christ.

Instead, the focus of this carol is on the song of the angels: "Peace on the earth, goodwill to men" (taken from Luke 2:14). 

This carol is considered by many to be one of the earliest social gospel hymns to appear in the U.S. Sears wrote his original poem in response to the social strife that plagued the country as the Civil War approached. We don't often sing stanzas two or three, but the words get heavy as he describes the bleak situation.

For example, stanza three begins, "Beneath life's crushing load, whose forms are bending low, Who toil along the climbing way with painful steps and slow ..." The second half of this stanza offers hope that the song of the "blessed angels" who "bend on hovering wings" would soothe the "Babel sounds" of a suffering world ..."

Listen to It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

As Dr. Michael Hawn, professor of Sacred Music at Perkins School of Divinity at Southern Methodist University, wrote in a June 2013 post on the Discipleship Ministries site:

"It is right that we should joyfully sing Hark! The Herald Angels Sing and Joy to the World each Christmas season. But always, there are moments when we realize the message of peace has not yet been fully realized on earth. Then we sing "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear," and the power of the Incarnation and the message of the gospel touch us even more deeply."

Keep a Song of Hope in Your Heart,

Janice

Greetings everyone, 

It's great to be singing We Are Marching in the Light of God again with the addition of the children at the end of our 11 o'clock live service!

Did you know that this song originated in South Africa, probably as a Zulu folk song? It was rewritten as a Christian hymn by Andries Van Tonder in 1952, and in 1978 it was "discovered" and recorded by the Swedish choral group Fjedur. After that recording, the song was widely popularized throughout the world, mostly through churches and schools. 

Unity Voices will be learning the original Zulu and accompanying vocal parts, and soon we'll all be singing this song in both languages! 

There are MANY versions of this song performed on youtube. If you'd like to take a listen, here's just one! Important note: the aesthetics of choral traditions vary tremendously across the world. African choirs' tone quality and pitch are very different from those we attribute to Western music ensembles - different, not incorrect!  

Keep a Song in Your Heart,

Janice

Hello Everyone,

It's been a while since I've written to you and I've really missed it.

I've been struggling a bit to get my energy back from the events of the last year, which included the death of both my parents. In addition to preparing music for two different services every week, I hope I can send a few of these now and then as I do like talking with you!

A couple of weeks ago, at our 50th Anniversary service, I chose a video for Special Music by the group Bread of Stone. They sang their original song, Not Alone.  I loved how this song tied in the messages of Joy and Love we'd been hearing in Rev. Rick's talks on The Book of Joy. Here is the link to that video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3f6kGfQH_w

Bread of Stone is a group from Iowa formed by two brothers in 2004. They are categorized as Christian rock and pop. You can check them out further at www.breadofstone.com.

My idea to include some videos in our Sunday services has been percolating since early summer. Then, I recently started receiving mail from congregation members and visitors looking for a church requesting more contemporary music. Some of those notes were very kind, and some were not - but no hard feelings here - I got the baseline message.

Please have patience as we work on the multiple technical difficulties involved in getting videos to play in our PowerPoint presentations.  Some of the songs I've planned just weren't able to be played on our system, but never fear, we'll figure it out! The main thing to know right now is, I do understand the need for contemporary music to be included as part of the ongoing variety we are providing for our Sunday services. I've heard you and I'm right there with you. Let's continue to dialogue about this as we move forward into 2022. 

Keep A Song in Your Heart,

Janice