We Have A Choir!

"We have a choir!"

That's the cry that went up today as eight of us gathered for our first choir rehearsal in the sanctuary of Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion.

"We have a choir!"

Waverly was a little late in arriving. Not wanting to lose the group's momentum I had us line up, clap and move together. Of course, I was the only one who couldn't clap and move at the same time. Paul stepped out and taught us a spiritual, a type of call and response that had deep clapping with a slow stomp of the foot in between. The sound had the rhythm of a chain gang, a sacred sound repeated over and over as we sang the words, "A little while longer...a little while longer." Suffering and hope through the power of song.

When Waverly arrived I asked if he would teach a song that he had once taught us at St. Michael's, a round done in four part harmony with the words, "God has done Marvelous things, praise the Lord!"

Lavonne was our soprano, lovely voice on pitch, picking up her part right away.

Sydney and I were the altos. We needed, well, let's say a little help. Bill, originally, a tenor, came over to join the altos. Sydney, petite and barely coming up to my shoulder, swayed with me
as we struggled to stay on course. Bill, Italian, Catholic,and not very used to singing in church, jumped right into the part.

Our tenor was Paul-- rich, full voice singing along with Waverly, whose voice alone could fill the sanctuary.

Carl, the inspiration for our choir, and Larry were our baritones. Carl had sung professionally with a group in the 70's as had a number of folks in the Welcome Church.

In fifteen minutes we had learned our parts and began singing in harmony.

I watched as faces exuded joy and bodies moved. Our voices became big, even in this sanctaury that could hold seven hundred; and at the end of the hour we raised our arms and shouted, "We have a choir!"

The Welcome Church Singers.

We have a choir!!!

The sound of addiction, recovery, homelessness, abuse, incarceration, loneliness, struggle, and hope.

We have a choir, indeed!!!