The Practice of Freedom
…so sing with me,
and we’ll make our way down that blessed road together,
collectively better
than we ever thought
possible.
—from I Go to Sing by Lindy Thompson
To Transform Work, We Must Rest
—from The Nap Ministry
Our inner lives are filled with music: pop music, classical music, jazz, folk, traditional, blues, to name a few. We draw on that rich world that belongs to each of us as we work and rest. It is, to me, the ultimate freedom. To keep my life meaningful, I will play music most days. I hope to learn some new tunes to keep my musical life challenged. I am also surrounded by beauty when going for a walk or while working in my garden. All of that pales compared to sharing beauty with others, hearing people’s stories, creating and enjoying food together, feeling whole by being connected to friends and family. Hand in Hand, the First Parish hospice choir, will keep singing each Thursday to hospice patients. I know that we leave the nursing homes where we sing transformed by our love, care, and music. It feels like a blessed road we travel together.
What does freedom mean to you this summer?
Music in June:
Pride Sunday is June 1st. The First Parish choir is singing “This Little Light of Mine” and “RESPECT.”
June 8th is Youth Sunday, driven by the music chosen by our youth.
June 15th, the Flower Communion, will feature our First Parish Band.
Charlyn Bethell
Charlyn’s professional training has followed two paths: as a professional oboist and as a music teacher and conductor. As Music Director at First Parish, she joins these two paths of her musical life, conducting the choir, coordinating guest musicians, and performing on oboe.