Music goes to my heart

While the choir rehearsed before the Christmas Eve service, I got a photo of the whole group.  Not possible when the pews are full, which they were just 20 minutes later! The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Swannanoa Valley has Linda Metzner as its music director, what a blessing she is!

Linda played the guitar while the children led the whole congregation in singing Away in a Manger.

The culmination of the service was everyone singing Silent Night.  I know I wasn't the only one who didn't have a dry eye when on the third verse Linda stopped playing the piano, and we sang a cappella.  It was beautiful.

And that's how music should affect us, to open our hearts and enrich our lives.  Thank you so much, Linda, choir, and children.  And Rev. Michael Carter also, who had simple and inspiring words for us that Sunday.

I'm sharing this line-up with Sepia Saturday this week...that choir was 15 strong, all lined up, plus a pianist/leader!

SEPIA SATURDAY 400 : 6 January 2018

1914 Family Group Of Women and Children

FAMILY GROUPS : LINES OF CHILDREN : HATS : HEIGHTS

It is time to get your ducks in a row, time to get the family out onto the parade ground, time to get ahead by getting a hat, and a time to reach new heights; as Sepia Saturday enters its eightieth year (or something like that). Our theme image this week - like all the theme images for January - comes from the Flickr Commons collection of the National Library of Ireland and features a 1914 photograph of the Mote Family. Interpret the prompt as you wish...


Today's Quote:

"The job of the poet (a job which can't be learned) consists of placing those objects of the visible world which have become invisible due to the glue of habit, in an unusual position which strikes the soul and gives them a tragic force." French poet and film director Jean Cocte

 

Festival of Lights - rerun

As the date indicator tells us, this is 2005, a rerun of a celebration with some special grandchildren!

And a great memory of Marjorie Bowens Wheatly, who has left this earth after giving so much to us in Tampa, FL.  Happy Kwanzaa to all!

The congregation made this ritual full of joy, here the yule log was lighted.

This is the choir I sang with for years...lovely people!

Three wise persons came to find something wonderful this time of year.

The pagans welcomed the Sun's return

Our Jewish heritage was remembered with lighting the Menorah for Hanukkah.

And everyone sang Jingle Bells.

Happy holidays and many thanks to my Unitarian Universalist community.

Today's quote:

One of life's most fulfilling moments occurs in the split-second when the familiar is suddenly transformed into the dazzling aura of the profoundly new.

Edward B. Lindaman