And you thought I was done going to church in Chicago? Well I have, and then after finishing up my last grad course (via distance) in public health ethics at CUE and doing some skiing and participating in pruning four rows in a vineyard, I took a “staycation” (if that is the right term).
Nevertheless, I did attend a third service on Sunday (March 4th) at Fourth Presbyterian. This one was the Jazz at Four and was much different from the Jazz Vespers I often attend at St. Saviour’s Anglican in Penticton. Firstly, there are a good many street people who are welcomed to this service; and the age spread is noticeable from young college-age folk to those of us who remember jazz from when we did go to colelge. Secondly it always includes communion. Thirdly, it tends to follow more the Presbyterian order of service albeit with considerable participation by the congregants. The jazz musicians provide background to all the spoken aspects of the service (with the exception of the sermon) and the singing portions are led by a really good black jazz/gospel singer (Holly McGuire). There is a sermon but it didn’t seem overly long and was very well delivered. Rev. Nanette Sawyer, another Associate Pastor at Fourth — in charge of Discipleship and Small Group Minister — was animated and personable in her sermon which also was based on Mark 12: 1-12. It was not like any of the earlier sermons. It was direct, relevant and thoughtful. It also led nicely into the communion part of the service. She was assisted in some of the spoken parts of the service by Kathi Rodak, the Lay Liturgist. The nice thing about Kathi was that she spoke clearly and with proper emphasis — she obviously had prepared for her role in the service which along with the ever-present jazz ensemble, gave a seamlessness to the entire afternoon.
The key musical selections (the ensemble contained drums, bass, percussion, piano and the vocalist) included regular hymns with a real jazz inflection such as “God of Our Life” and “Take My Life”. The group led us in a version of the Sanctus by Lucy Smith well as her version of the Doxology. The Kyrie was done in a style entitled “Blues Kyrie” which was both unique and inspirational. The group also gave us a wonderful song by Kevin Yancy and Jerome Metcalf, “Sign Me Up”. The Responsive Reading included a sung response which was supported by the jazz group. For the offertory music they played R. Keslo Carter’s “Standing on the Promises”. They were good musicians who seemed to know when to be soft and when to crank it up.
The gathering music included “Actual Proof” by Herbie Hancock and “The Calling” by Pat Metheny. It was delightful to sit in the sanctuary preparing for worship and hear good jazz musicians playing good religious music that was written for the jazz genre. The sending music was more of the same — in fact people seemed a bit reluctant to leave because the music was so uplifting. There was a reasonable turnout for this service, given the cooler conditions of the day — probably seventy-five people took communion (there was no choir).
When I went to get on the “El Train” to O’Hare (I was staying Sunday night again at the Hilton), I was reminded of the Psalmist who said: “I was glad when they said to me, let us go up to the house of the Lord”. My day was complete; there was no need to return to the conference for its closing activities.
g.w.