Steal Away the spiritual

Sunday January 18th I will sing "Steal Away" a negro spiritual arranged by a British composer Rutter. I like the arrangement so I introduced Holly to it and she decided that the choir should sing it.

Rev Rush's sermon will be about women. I don't know whom he will be talking about, but this spiritual is about the Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman who was the "conductor" of that railroad.

The meaning of Steal Away has been interpreted by many people here is one I found on the web.

Spirituals are very important (in the Underground Railroad), because spirituals have layers of meaning to them.

One of my favorites is “Steal Away.” Because, in the spiritual, “Steal Away” people are not only told to “steal away” to Jesus, but also to run away. And that particular spiritual tells you when to run away, because there is a line in it, “My God calls me, he calls me by the thunder.” Well, thunder occurs only during a storm. Another line within Steal Away refers to “green trees abending.” Green trees are green and have the suppleness to bend in springtime. We’re also given information about the storm. This has been corroborated in other stories of how people waited until there was a storm, because if you left during the storm, chances were, you would not be discovered for several days. The blessing of the rain would wash away any cells from the body, and so, therefore, any scent that there was was gone. The dogs would have nothing to go by. I think Steal Away is one of those spirituals that will haunt us on many different levels and beckon, almost like the whistle of a train as you hear it far off. Written by Raymond Dobard, Ph.D., professor of art and art history Howard University.

This is from a film "Safe Harbor" This film is about the Underground Railroad.

The author says that this spiritual is his favorite as it is mine. I listened to the CD of this arrangement so much that it became ingrained in my spirit. As my voice teacher says it has become part of me. I hope I do it justice.

The Inauguration of our New President

OK this is not polictical because no matter who you voted for Barack Obama will be President of the United States on Tuesday. The media is asking for our impressions of this. I am watching today's events the train trip from Philiadelphia PA to Washington DC to be like the trip President Lincoln maded from Springfield Illinois where President elect Obama launched his campaign. I only wish President elect Obama had mad the full trip from Springfield Illinois but I guess this little trip is OK. The trip is taking longer than a regular Amtrak trip from Philadelphia to Washington takes as they are going slowly so that the public can see him. I just saw the whistle stop at Edgewood MD and I cried. I am writing this with tears of joy in my eyes.
I have tried to be very cool through this whole process because at my age I remember everything that could go wrong. I am still afraid and I guess we should all pray that everything goes smoothly.

One of our choir members, Scott Nelson and family are going to Washington to see the inaugural as is my voice teacher. I hope they bring back photos and first hand accounts of the event. I don't like crowds, besides you can see it better on TV.

I did go to the second March on Washington because I happened to be in Washington DC for an American Chemical Society Meeting. I remember I went at the last minute. I decided to take the Metro and took with me only the Metro fare and my ID, no purse. This is the same security as will be at the Inauguration on Tuesday. I managed to wiggle my way to the front of the crowd on the Mall and I saw MLK and Ralph Abernathy and all the other people on the platform up front and close. I probably have photos somewhere as I never travel without a camera.

I only wish my mother and father could be alive to see this inauguration. I think my father would forgive him for being a Democrat. As a matter of fact he probably would have voted for him even though my father was a life time party of Lincoln Republican. I think he would have been fed up with the current administration and might even have been investigated for the letters he would have written to the current President. I gave a talk in church about my father and the older members of Christ Church may have read his letters to the editor of the Summit Press and the Independent Press about race.

I worked hard for the election of our President elect and I am continuing to help with the change he wants. I have scheduled a meeting of Scientists for Change which is posted on the Obama website and I attended a meeting in Bedminster of people who wanted to continue the change. Because our future President says he can't do it alone. We all must work to effect the change that will help all of us.

The UCC is going to begin the Inauguration event with a prayer service: .

The Special UCC Prayer Service and reception

Monday, January 19, 2009, 7 PM

Christ Congregational United Church of Christ

9525 Colesville Road

Silver Spring

(just inside the Washington Beltway at Colesville Road)

Sponsored by: Christ Congregational United Church of Christ, UCC Justice/Witness Ministries and the Central Atlantic Conference

Join members and friends from throughout the country!!!

Rev. Dr. John R. Deckenback
Conference Minister
Central Atlantic Conference United Church of Christ

There is another event that you could attend:

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

On January 20th Americans and the entire world will witness a truly historic event with the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America.

We warmly welcome to Washington, D.C., President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and their two daughters Malia and Sasha.

As part of the Inaugural Weekend at the Smithsonian Institution, the National Museum of African American History and Culture is hosting an Open House on Monday, January 19th from 11am to 3pm at the S. Dillon Ripley Center for our exhibitions Road to Freedom and After 1968. The Ripley Center is located next to the Smithsonian Castle on the west side and can be easily reached via Metro.

Suffer the children Let us pray for peace

Mathew 19: 14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (NIV)

The other day the television news highlighted the children of Gaza and Israel who are suffering because of the fighting. Children in Gaza went to a UN school where they thought they would be safe and the school was bombed. There are no safe shelters for children or anyone in Gaza. Children in Israel spending there days in a bomb shelter and dreaming of rockets and bombs over night.

Why is this happening? The UN passed a resolution to stop this but the fighting continues except for three hours a day for humanitarian purposes. Why can't the Arabs and Jews get along with each other?

Here are the statements from the United Church of Christ about the situation:

UCC offers its prayers, offerings and advocacy to urge peace for Israel-Palestine

January 6, 2009

In Gaza, more than 500 Palestinians have been killed and at least 3,000 injured as a result of the Israeli military campaign. Israelis have also been killed and others injured by rocket attacks originating from Gaza. The result of violence has only been more violence, more suffering.

Gaza has become the focus of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the last couple of weeks, with a focus on eradicating Hamas elements. Gaza – the most densely populated place on earth – is a small landmass of roughly 140 square miles, with a population of 1.5 million Palestinians. Gaza has been essentially sealed since Israel withdrew in August 2005, with little access for supplies (food, medicine, or fuel), a condition that has been made especially clear in the past days. Unemployment is at an all-time high, and despair among Palestinians – both Muslims and Christians – is extremely high.

Collegiate statement on Gaza

In a Jan. 6 Epiphany letter, the UCC's Collegium of Officers, urging comprehensive peace in the Middle East, prayed that "nations shall come to your light, and rulers to the brightness of your dawn."

"Today we hear the Psalmist remind us of a Sovereign who "delivers the needy when they call, the poor and those who have no helper, who has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needed, who from oppression and violence redeems their life." " -----
" May we no longer be at ease in a world grown comfortable with its cruelty and war. Indeed, may we be so ill at ease that Rachel's wailing drowns out the cruel silence of our rulers, and Herod's sword is stayed by the Child who is the redeemer of life. For once again the light has come, the glory of the Lord has risen, and nations shall come to the light, even rulers to the brightness of God's dawn."

The UCC is calling for funds to help the people of Gaza.
Support humanitarian relief

The UCC is seeking an additional $75,000 for the immediate and long-term needs in Gaza. Already, $25,000 from the UCC's One Great Hour of Sharing offering has been sent to partners in Jerusalem who are preparing a shipment of humanitarian aid, including food, medical supplies and plastic sheeting, as soon as Israeli authorities open a border crossing.

Christ Church people can also advocate for peace by sending a letter to members of congress and Secretary of State Rice. The letter is on the UCC website.

Advocate for justice, healing
Take action to support international efforts to broker a comprehensive cease fire and pressure Israel to allow humanitarian relief supplies – including food, medical supplies, and fuel – to alleviate the suffering of hundreds of thousands.

The UCC has a presence in the middle east. Our Conference Minister John Deckenbach recently showed the photos of his recent trip to the middle east when he lead a discussion about it during an adult ed program at Christ Church.

About the UCC's work in the Middle East
Through Global Ministries, the United Church of Christ has long-established mission relationships in the area. Here are the positions of the UCC’s General Synod.

Lastly the whole ecumenical community is calling for peace.

Ecumenical responses
Statements calling for a comprehensive ceasefire and urgent humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza have been issued by many UCC partner bodies, including the Middle East Council of Churches, the Jerusalem Bishops and Patriarchs, the Sabeel Liberation Center [word doc], the World Council of Churches, and more.

My heart is sad and I pray for all the people in the middle east both in Gaza and in Isreal that they can decided to stop bombing each other and live in peace. Maybe I am unrealistic but at least I can pray for peace. I hope you will join me

Jeannette Brown
UCC Representative.

Note: Most of this information is on the UCC web page. The links above should work and connect you to the web page