"Six" at Whitebridge

   The "Six" worship experiment happened with the generous community at Whitebridge UC on Sunday night. The premise is not new to many but was about me choosing six songs that would evoke a response as we gathered around tables, including soup and bread... no communal singing, 'hearing' through group interaction etc. Here's what was planned/happened:

Tables cafe style with various resources for groups, screen and projector, computer and audio

Welcome slide with 'six' graphic

Pre music track if needed "Guitar, Flute & String" Moby

Words of Welcome/Words of Explanation

About the experiment, activity, not worship of songs, to ask what God might be saying to you

SONG #01 “LANTERNS” Birds of Tokyo

“Lately I've found when I start to think aloud

There's a longing in the sound there is more I could be

In darkness I leave for a place I've never seen

It's been calling out to me that is where I should be”

CALL ACTIVITY

At your table group, share what strikes you about the lyrics or mood of this song…

Take turns to finish these [1] line prayers:

Creator God, You are… Today I’m saying ‘thankyou’ for… At the moment my journey is about…

SONG #02 LAMENT/GRIEF “DEPARTURES [BLUE TOOWONG SKIES]” Bernard Fanning

Intro to track + 

As you listen to this song, there is salt and a bowl of water on the table,

Add a pinch of salt to the water symbolizing tears of grief and lament,

What should we lament, what sense of loss is made real for you…

What do we need to ‘own up to’ and be forgiven from…

God’s Spirit speaks on these edges and in these life experiences…

SONG #03 “MEET ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AIR”

Paul Kelly’s song has been covered by Tripod, Megan Washington and others

But this performance at Melbourne’s Bush Fire Relief Concert is transcendent and reminds me of what are sometimes called ‘thin places’

I don’t see any separation between secular and sacred, most of the time,

But ‘thin places’ in Celtic spirituality are those where it almost seems like there’s a muslin cloth thin space between us and God.

When God walks through the room in a U2 concert, the smile of a child, The excitement of winning a grand final, good listening from a friend…

In this case Paul Kelly offers a crowd of 100,000 + the viewers, words of comfort & hope 

from Psalm 23.

You’ll see where the mob get a bit restless and he holds his hands out to still them as he closes out his set with words for all those suffering in the fires…

We hear God’s word in the most surprising places!

It just beat Mumford & Sons to a place in this worship experience…

After we listen, discuss… Where are your ‘thin places’?

Where do you experience God as most real?

SONG #04 “THE DEADHEART” MIDNIGHT OIL

As we think tonight about ‘who is our neighbour’?

I’m reminded of the Awabakal People

And acknowledge and pay tribute to their Elders past and present

Recognising their relationship with the land over thousands of years

It’s interesting to hear a politician in ‘invavded space’ claiming,

“it’s our country, we will decide who comes here and in what circumstances”

When aboriginal people didn’t have the same choice…

We won’t all see that the same way…

- BUT, this next Band is predictable, but the song has a story…

- ‘Diesel & Dust’ 1986 Midnight Oil/Warumpi Band tour West Des/Top End

- indigenous issues of poverty, health & alcoholism

- Book “Strict Rules” Andrew McMillan

- returned to Sydney writing songs addressing indigenous people.

- a worldwide hit with unique blends of rock, folk, didge & brass

-  Still grieve the loss of the transcendent experience of live ‘Oils’

- ‘The Deadheart’ live gig challenge re “duh do do do do do do do do”...

RESPONSE

Talk at your table group about the place of music in your life…

Maybe a favourite style of music or perfomer…

READ the Luke 10 Bible story,

What does “love God” and “love your neighbour” mean to you

And how does it challenge you?

WRITE your answers on the ochre paper/black textas

SONG #05 “WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO NAME” U2

- Turning our attention to the world/others

- Whether Dublin Streets or Ethiopian towns

- Rattle & Hum documentary from b&w to colour RED

- The song & that RED imagery transport us through various tours/contexts

As you listen, explore the photo set on your table.

When the song finishes, TALK ABOUT AT YOUR TABLE and I’ll be asking you to call out aloud

People and places that need our prayer and our action to change the world

How could we act differently to bring that change? [While we make a newsprint list]

NEWSPRINT ACTIVITY

Actually calling out and making the list

THEN

Any local announcements/concerns/thoughts

We cut to the end here and played the sixth song more quietly over chat

SONG #06 “DON’T CARRY IT ALL” THE DECEMBERISTS

- This song SENDS US OUT

- Rustic, pastoral, history inspired folk/rock from Portland, Oregon

- This track feats REM guitarist Peter Buck, released 2011/12

- For me it’s a song that reminds me about the church                             

- [plinth mounted monument] whose future can’t all be on my shoulders

- where is God in the future of God’s church

- I can focus on participating in God’s mission in the world…

SENDING OUT

Go out from here to be the people of God,

Looking, Listening, thinking about being inspired by God’s Spirit

To live as a follower of Jesus in relationships, ethics and actions

Amen

THOUGHTS/REVIEW/EVALUATION:

- People gave plenty of +ve feedback about the idea [whether they got anything out of these songs or not] and could see the potential in six locals choosing one song each in future

- Concerned that people might not 'get it' I took too long over the initial introduction and most songs as well... but I feared that would happen so I had made the notes so I know what to cut at least in half next time

- I wasn't completely happy with the depth of the response activities but that's where my brain went when creating this set. People were happy with them but needed more time at some points. I misread some actions as being ready to move on.

-It's a winner with potential for other places, it went too long this time...

- I wouldn't use U2 next time as it's a better song for use 'stand alone' and this one needs to be more overt about the issues it evokes...