To The Tune of a Welcoming God

David Weiss and I have produced an album of progressive worship songs. David wrote beautiful, re-imagined lyrics to traditional hymn tunes. I has the privilege of singing the songs. The songs give voice to spirituality, justice, and inclusivity. The lyrics can be read here. The album will be released this summer! Woohoo! But before we can do that, we need to take care of some of the financial investments of our recording project. So we'd like to invite you to support our project - and get some fun rewards! If you'd like to support us, please check out our KickStarter page.

Here's what others are saying about the project:

"David Weiss has created a resource that yokes familiar hymns to his own original texts. Interpreted through Sara Kay’s clear and beautiful singing, these hymns offer a passionate voice of justice and inclusivity to Christian communities. The very recognizable tunes will make these pieces easy to introduce to congregations. In this collection we experience texts that broaden the circle of our vision and challenge us to a more complete vision of God’s reign. We will never cease to need such texts." - Marty Haugen, Composer of Liturgical Music, GIA Music
 
"These fifteen hymn texts make clear the universal scope of David Weiss’ interests, his biblical knowledge as a theologian, his poetic imagination as a writer, and his passion for justice as a prophetic activist. Singing these hymns myself, following along with the CD recording, and listening to the haunting clarity of Sara Kay’s solo voice, I came to appreciate fully what David Weiss has created. Not thinking the faith, or speaking the faith, or writing books about faith, all of which have been my lot, but singing the faith—that is the surest way to be caught up in what it means to follow in the Way set before us by the life of Jesus." - Lee Snook, Professor Emeritus, Systematic Theology, Luther Seminary
 
"These beautiful hymns are a gift to progressive congregations who long for music that expresses their deepest values: the love of a welcoming and gracious God, the dream of a better world to be born, and the hunger for justice that draws us near to God and neighbor. By combining familiar, diverse, and treasured tunes of the church with lyrics that maintain theological integrity at every turn, David Weiss has given progressives a much-needed resource that will benefit the church for years to come." - Phil Snider, pastor, activist, and author

"David Weiss and Sara Kay's intention is clear: to seed the church with grace. David's ministry of celebrating people of all orientations comes through loud and clear in his texts. Consider this recording a demo for your congregation's leaders as they lead open-hearted worship." - Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan, Composer of Liturgical Music, Worldmaking.net

"This is an exceptional project that welcomes the world to a God who is bigger than we imagine!" - Joretta Marshall, Professor of Pastoral Theology, Brite Divinity School  

"It’s always fun to see what happens when a talented wordsmith breathes new life into old tunes with fresh language, images, and ideas. David Weiss is a gifted poet and a wonderfully inclusive theologian. 'To the Tune of a Welcoming God' will be a helpful resource for pastors and congregations who are looking for expansive language and theology to fit the melodies that have been part of the Church’s life for generations. Sara Kay does a nice job with her vocals of helping us to hear David’s words and to listen for the Word beyond the words. My favorite is track #6, 'Now the Welcome' - very skillful use of inner rhyme and fine lyric-craft." - Bryan Sirchio, singer/songwriter, Sirchio.com

"This collection of new hymn lyrics is just the kind of grassroots creativity that other progressive Christians would do well to imitate. New images for a new era." - Christopher Grundy, Assistant Professor of Preaching and Worship, Eden Theological Seminary

Resigning From (Congregational) Ministry

I am resigning from ministry. A specific kind of ministry: congregational leadership. Actually, I'm running away. At full speed. Think of Usain Bolt.

Don't get me wrong. Ministry has been good to me. Seminary was fun. Ordination was affirming. Serving churches was richly meaningful. Doing weddings was a blessing. Developing programs was a blast. Being a meaningful part of people's lives was amazing. Having my writings published was an honor. Seeing my songs and liturgies used in worship services was gratifying. The list goes on and on. Plus I've gotten some amazing "calls" (i.e. job offers) along the way. But that's the problem. I knew something was wrong when I turned down good positions in interesting places around the country. Congregational leadership just wasn't for me. Here are a couple of the many reasons why I'm leaving congregational ministry:

1. I love my family more than I love being a pastor.

2. My family needs me to work less than 50-70 hours per week.

3. The responsibilities of life with a family requires more than 1 day off per week.

4. I want my family to have adequate health insurance.

5. It's very difficult to pay off student loans from college and seminary with a pastor's salary.

6. I want to retire some day with a sense of financial security.

7. It's difficult to be part of an organization that continually fails young people.

8. I want to be more proactive in addressing issues such as poverty, racism, bullying, etc.

9. I'm better at designing liturgies than organizing meetings (but all too often I did more of the second item in this list).

10. New ideas in many churches are all-too-often seen as a threat to stability instead of an invitation to grow.

11. I got tired of having to explain that I'm not "one-of-those" kind of pastors.

12. I've seen too many congregants who bully pastors - and too many pastors who bully congregants.

13. I've heard too many racist, sexist, and heterosexist comments from behind closed doors in churches.

14. Conference staff are often so overworked that they struggle to adequately support clergy and congregations in the most important areas of congregational ministry - especially in the UCC.

15. It's difficult to hear about fellow clergy engaging in sexual misconduct and then see them walk away from it as if their behavior doesn't have real and lasting consequences.

16. The ordination process has all-too-often been a hazing ritual more than a religious process.

17. The theology in many churches is decades older than the theology that gets taught in seminaries.

18. The schedule/demands of ministry made it difficult to find time to exercise and eat healthy.

19. The search-and-call process is like a combination of American Idol and online dating.

20. Conference meetings are often filled with only one demographic of people.

21. Senior pastors are almost all men despite there being a plethora of outstanding female pastors.

22. Too many gifted young pastors end up in small churches where their creativity and enthusiasm are discouraged.

23. U2 concerts are all-too-often more worshipful and transformational than many "contemporary" or "traditional" worship services.

24. There's only a very limited amount of quality resources for congregations that come from an explicitly progressive perspective (e.g. music, liturgies, novels, devotionals, children's stories, etc.).

25. Too much time is spent promoting politics instead of spirituality in the Church.

26. The level of conflict in the Church is embarrassing.

27. Too many of the most thoughtful seminarians end up in chaplaincy or PhD programs, where their insights sometimes remain cordoned off from congregations.

28. It's more common to hear about social justice from the local bookstore than the local church.

29. The cult of personality in some parts of the Church is comically absurd.

30. I like teaching and I need to focus on that vocation.

For all of these reasons - and many more - I am resigning from congregational ministry. Period. Done. The end. And I have never felt better about a decision. I have been freed from that vocation and freed for my true vocation. I now have the pleasure of being a teacher. With all of it's benefits and pitfalls, teaching is what I do best and what I enjoy most. So it's with great enthusiasm, joy, and humility that I now get to claim the title of teacher.

For the folks who choose to remain in congregational ministry, I wish you well. Thanks for fighting the good fight. Take care of yourself. And God bless.

A Prayer for Boston

Loving God,

Darkness has covered our nation and thick darkness has descended upon the people of Boston. Tragedy has clouded out the light. Explosions rang out at the Boston Marathon. Children and adults were wounded by shrapnel while others were killed. In this time of darkness, Holy God, may your resilient light shine forth.

May your heavenly light and love embrace the victims of this tragedy: Krystle Campbell (29), Lu Lingzi (23), and Martin Richard (8). While we are saddened by their deaths, we trust that you will hold them in your eternal embrace, Gracious God.

May your healing light shine on the many innocent bystanders were were wounded by the explosions. Bring your healing to their physical, mental, and spiritual lives as they travel the road to recovery.

May your light shine on the family and friends of the three people who were killed. There's no way to explain the darkness that indiscriminately murders children, women, and men. They were each someone's son, daughter, mother, or father — and nobody can fully understand the immense grief and righteous anger of their loved ones. They need your light, Loving God. Please pour it forth.

May your light shine on the family and friends of all of those who were wounded. This tragedy has sent ripples of grief and anger through all of these people, as they ask the questions anyone would ask. Why? Why her? Why him? Why a child? Why like this? This is a moment where there is a dark night of the soul for many people. So, we pray that you hold them in your light. Please bless all those around them, not with platitudes, but with authentically comforting words. And in the weeks and months ahead, bless them with a passion for seeking justice and building a more peaceful world.

May your light shine on all of us who are saddened and sickened by the news of this act of violence. We suffer from afar as we hear about this on our TVs and read about it on our computers. In our own work of processing this event, Holy God, bless us with enough frustration to reject acts and symbols of violence in our world. And bless us with enough hope to inspire us to work toward building a better, safer world for all people.

May your light shine on the bombers, Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, whose darkness overcame their light. Perhaps they had a long history of perverse decision making. Perhaps their family history was painful. Perhaps their social life was conflictual. Perhaps their mental health was compromised. Perhaps they community of support was of little support. Whatever darkness overtook these men, may it never drive another person to this level. Shine your light into darkest corners, Gracious God.

And may your light shine on the friends and family of the murderer — who may be asking questions to which there are no easy answers. May their sadness, anger, guilt, and shame be accepted by those around them as they process this situation. And someday, may they be able to see and know that light does shine in the darkness — and the darkness will not overcome it.

Even in the midst of this tragedy, may we hold onto the hope that your light will continue to shine forth in the darkness until we are able to boldly proclaim the words of Isaiah: “Arise, shine; for our light has come, and the glory of God has risen within us.” 

Amen.

(This prayer is based on Isaiah 60:1-2.)

Pray for Boston

Here are two tributes that we designed for all those who have been affected by the bombing at the Boston Marathon:

New Album: To The Tune of a Welcoming God

I (Sara) am working on a new album! It's a collection of familiar hymn tunes with completely re-imagined lyrics by author David Weiss. The songs give voice to spirituality, justice, and inclusivity. The lyrics can be read here. The album will be available in the Spring of 2013. Here is what others are saying about the project:

"David Weiss has created a resource that yokes familiar hymns to his own original texts. Interpreted through Sara Kay’s clear and beautiful singing, these hymns offer a passionate voice of justice and inclusivity to Christian communities. The very recognizable tunes will make these pieces easy to introduce to congregations. In this collection we experience texts that broaden the circle of our vision and challenge us to a more complete vision of God’s reign. We will never cease to need such texts." - Marty Haugen, Composer of Liturgical Music, GIA Music
 
"These fifteen hymn texts make clear the universal scope of David Weiss’ interests, his biblical knowledge as a theologian, his poetic imagination as a writer, and his passion for justice as a prophetic activist. Singing these hymns myself, following along with the CD recording, and listening to the haunting clarity of Sara Kay’s solo voice, I came to appreciate fully what David Weiss has created. Not thinking the faith, or speaking the faith, or writing books about faith, all of which have been my lot, but singing the faith—that is the surest way to be caught up in what it means to follow in the Way set before us by the life of Jesus." - Lee Snook, Professor Emeritus, Systematic Theology, Luther Seminary
 
"These beautiful hymns are a gift to progressive congregations who long for music that expresses their deepest values: the love of a welcoming and gracious God, the dream of a better world to be born, and the hunger for justice that draws us near to God and neighbor. By combining familiar, diverse, and treasured tunes of the church with lyrics that maintain theological integrity at every turn, David Weiss has given progressives a much-needed resource that will benefit the church for years to come." - Phil Snider, pastor, activist, and author

"David Weiss and Sara Kay's intention is clear: to seed the church with grace. David's ministry of celebrating people of all orientations comes through loud and clear in his texts. Consider this recording a demo for your congregation's leaders as they lead open-hearted worship." - Richard Bruxvoort-Colligan, Composer of Liturgical Music, Worldmaking.net

"This is an exceptional project that welcomes the world to a God who is bigger than we imagine!" - Joretta Marshall, Professor of Pastoral Theology, Brite Divinity School  

"It’s always fun to see what happens when a talented wordsmith breathes new life into old tunes with fresh language, images, and ideas. David Weiss is a gifted poet and a wonderfully inclusive theologian. 'To the Tune of a Welcoming God' will be a helpful resource for pastors and congregations who are looking for expansive language and theology to fit the melodies that have been part of the Church’s life for generations. Sara Kay does a nice job with her vocals of helping us to hear David’s words and to listen for the Word beyond the words. My favorite is track #6, 'Now the Welcome' - very skillful use of inner rhyme and fine lyric-craft." - Bryan Sirchio, singer/songwriter, Sirchio.com

"This collection of new hymn lyrics is just the kind of grassroots creativity that other progressive Christians would do well to imitate. New images for a new era." - Christopher Grundy, Assistant Professor of Preaching and Worship, Eden Theological Seminary

New Traditions in the Church

Elaine Pagels has an interesting quote about new traditions in the Church:

"Contemporary Christianity, diverse and complex as we find it, actually may show more unanimity than the Christian churches of the first and second centuries. For nearly all Christians since that time, Catholics, Protestants, or Orthodox, have shared three basic premises. First, they accept the canon of the New Testament; second, they confess the apostolic creed; and third, they affirm specific forms of church institution. But every one of these - the canon of Scripture, the creed, and the institutional structure - emerged in its present form only toward the end of the second century."

Spreading Kindness To Others

West High Bros, a student group at West High School, is spreading kindness through Twitter and Facebook. It's simple. They say nice things to random people. Just to be build them up. May the Bros be a light for the rest of us!

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