The Oasis - June 14, 2023
Author: Rev. Eric Dupee
June 14, 2023
You won’t want to miss the music in worship this Sunday! It is the last Sunday before shifting into summer mode. The Sanctuary Choir will sing for the last time before taking a break. The First Parish Handbell Choir will perform. Sweet Spirit and Gina Connelly will also sing. In worship, we will express our gratitude for all the music we experience here at First Parish Church.
For me, this piece speaks to me of the power that music can have in our lives:
Someday I may get to personally thank Patty La Belle for sharing her magnificent voice and extraordinary heart in song. Until then, this will have to do.
Every week, for two winters and two summers, as I drove to and from the cancer clinic for treatments, I played her renditions of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “There’s a Winner in You” over and over. When I was frightened and thought I couldn’t make one more trip, I played those songs to get me there. Afterward, when I was tired and afraid I couldn’t make the drive home, I played them again. My spirits never failed to recover, and the miles just flew by. I found such courage and hope in her passionate music. In the midst of the darkest time in my life, that voice made me feel grateful to be alive….
There is a song for everyone, one incalculable mix of melody and magic that so neatly wraps the heart that we are lifted out of the here and now. And something in us is healed. Search for your song.
-NANCY BURKE
In Meditations for Health
Over the years, so many of you have shared with me how you’ve been touched by the music in worship. The words of the hymns and the anthems praise God and also convey theological insights. A piece of music can lift one’s spirit. A song can provide space for reflection and contemplation. I encourage you to make a point to be with us on Sunday in order to express our appreciation for all the singers, ringers, and instrumentalists at First Parish.
Blessings,
Eric
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