marthakirbycapo's Xanga

Monday, January 21, 2008

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 13:55:22 GMT

Dear Readers:

Since late Summer 2007 I have been working on a Lullaby project with UU composer Henry Flurry. The collection has been commissioned by Womansong for their Mothers Day Concert in 2008, and they hope to include some of the works on an upcoming cd. The pieces will also be featured as part of The Prescott Fine Arts Association's concert featuring Henry Flurry's compositions in March of their 2008-2009 season. You can see why I haven't posted anything since Summer 2007!

The Roy Redman Service Music series, composed by George Chave of First Jefferson UU Church in Ft. Worth TX, has been completed. This set of almost 40 pieces includes Calls to Worship, Chalice Lighting Responses, Calls to Meditation and Choral Closings. George plans to publish the collection sometime in 2008. You can read the texts in this weblog.

If you have an event coming up for which you would like to commission a text, please feel free to contact me via this weblog or through my primary email account, marthakirbycapo@gmail.com. I will be happy to talk with you about how we can tailor a text to meet your specific needs!

Pax,

Martha

Where Is Your Selma?

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 17:14:08 GMT

Where is your Selma?
Where will you be when freedom’s band
Shouts its hurrah?
Where your deep passion meets a deep need
That’s where God is planting a seed.
Raise up your voice and make the choice
To make your stand.

Where is your Tiananmen Square?
Where is the place you’ll make a stand;
(And) be what you dare?
Where your deep passion meets a deep need
That’s where God is planting a seed.
Raise up your voice and make the choice
To make your stand.

Where is your Dandi?
Where will you walk, joined hand in hand,
To reach your sea?
Where your deep passion meets a deep need
That’s where God is planting a seed.
Raise up your voice and make the choice
To make your stand.

Hope and Faith

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 20:51:16 GMT

Come, sisters all, and hope with me
Hearing the future’s melody;
Open the ears of your heart,
Join in the dance and we'll start
Weaving, believing, perceiving our dream.

Come, brothers all, and sing along
Trusting in faith to build our song;
Open the eyes of your heart,
Join in the dance and we’ll start
Weaving, believing, perceiving our dream.

Hope lets us hear tomorrow’s call;
Faith lets us sing her sweet chorale;
Open the heart of your heart,
Join in our dancing and start
Weaving, believing, perceiving our dream.

Copyright 2007. Base text from Lloyd S. Casson, Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew and Matthew, Wilmington DE, " Hope is the ability to hear the melody of the future; faith is the ability to sing that song." Music Setting Copyright 2007 by David Will.

10 Closings (in honor of Roy Redman)

Wed, 30 May 2007 15:20:11 GMT

Cl107

As we part from here today,

Spirits, hearts restored, renewed,

Each now goes their separate way:

Walk in peace and fortitude.

Cl207

Carry the words of this day in your heart,

Carry the flame of our passion,

Give them to those you will meet and impart

Lessons of love and compassion.

Cl307

The world awaits us and our goals:

Compassion, equity and peace,

Remember justice in your souls,

Exhibit conscience in your deeds.

Cl407

The words of prophetic women and men,

The deeds for which they have been known,

Are waiting for us to claim as our own

Their truths, and their work to begin.

Cl507

Until we are gathered again, side by side,

May love walk with you every day,

Compassion companion you all through each night,

And peace be your life's only way.

Cl607

The interdependent web of life

Connects us as we now depart;

Woven with love and lacing each heart,

Unceasingly tensile and bright.

Cl707

Go now, and serve the world,

Show love through all you do.

Return to us again

Once more, and love anew.

Cl807

Joy has met us here today,

Love was in our midst;

Now it's time to lead the way:

Show the world what can be done

When we work for peace as one.

Cl907

Farewell, beloved company

Until once more again we see

Your faces, hear your news,

Be safe, our dear UUs.

Cl1007

As our time together ends

And we start the week anew,

May the good we seek to do

Bind each heart to serve our friends,

Those unknown or old and dear,

All are welcomed by us here.

10 Prayer and Meditation Responses (in honor of Roy Redman)

Wed, 30 May 2007 15:18:44 GMT

PM107

As it's spoken by our mouths

And heard by our ears,

Be it written on our hearts

And with actions sincere

May we bring Truth to all parts

North and East, and West and South.

PM207

So may it be,

And ever may Truth flow,

Revealed for all to see,

For all who seek to know.

PM307

Wisdom from the world's beliefs

Inspires in us an answering call,

Beckoning in leitmotifs:

"Welcome, seekers, one and all."

PM407

Heed the guidance of reason

And beware idolatry;

Grant each Truth its due season,

And confirm its quality.

PM507

Love's transforming power

Is witnessed here today;

Fragile as a flower,

Impossible to slay.

PM607

Transcending mystery and wonder,

Affirmed in all who live;

Renew our spirits and ponder

The gifts we have to give.

PM707

The sacred circle of life

Calls us to celebrate,

To join our hearts in the dance

With creatures small and great;

The circle of life of life teaches me

To savor all harmony.

PM807

The spirit without the mind

Has no destiny;

The mind, lacking spirit, too

Drifts on endlessly.

But reason and faith combined

Seek, resolved, the True.

PM907

Witness now the power

Of prophetic folk,

May we in this hour

Claim as ours their yoke.

PM1007

There are many Truths and views,

Each has something we can use;

May we find the Truths we seek

And be strengthened through the week.

10 Introits (in honor of Roy Redman)

Wed, 30 May 2007 15:16:22 GMT

In107

Gathered once again in the warmth of fellowship,

Seekers each, accepting of all ways,

Searchers of the Truths that will help us to equip

Minds for knowledge, and our hearts for praise.

In207

There are no strangers here,

All are welcome; all are honored friends,

Cast aside your worry and your fear,

Grasp the hand of friendship that extends.

In307

May the words we hear today

Inform our minds and strengthen all our hearts

To speak the Truth in what we say,

And plant the seeds of peace each word imparts.

In407

Bring your joys, your sorrows, too;

Rejoice, or let us cry with you.

Here, you're in good company,

Here, you're safe with family.

In507

In this hour may we show

Love and grace that never cease,

Knowing that where'er we go

We're ambassadors of peace.

In607

Welcome to this holy space,

Filled with love and joy and grace.

We who gather here today

Make the path of peace our way.

In707

May our hands bring a healing touch

And our words soothe the troubled heart,

For our old world is needing such:

Kindnesses can become the start

Of overflowing, endless peace,

Filling the world without surcease.

In807

Will you walk with us this morning,

Walk in paths of harmony?

We will walk this path together,

Helping each in their endeavor

To be all they're meant to be,

Treating all with dignity.

In907

We are called to serve the world,

We are called to use our gifts

So that peace may spread, unfurled,

So that every heart uplifts.

In1007

We are gathered here today,

Friend and stranger, young and old,

Seeking knowledge, fresh and bold,

Seeking comfort from the fray;

Hear—compassion's voice is whispering

Through a heart that's open, listening.

10 Chalice Lightings (in honor of Roy Redman)

Wed, 30 May 2007 15:13:21 GMT

CL 107

This tiny flame, so bright, so true:
Light of the ages, old and new.
Shine now in us in rainbowed hues.
Our actions, be prisms of meaningful Truths.

CL 207

The Flame of Truth that lights each heart
Arises as a single flare.
When we, as one, that Truth impart,
We cease to dream, begin to dare.

CL307

Symbol of all we hope to be:
Pure and true, forever free,
Shine in our hearts beyond this place;
Light up the world with love and grace.

CL407

Shine, you beacon of the free,
Dispel the darknesses of thought
And open every searching heart
To seek their own Truths peaceably.

CL507

Rise up, O freedom's Flame,
Let shine your golden Truth
As we, united now as one,
Child and parent, sage and youth,
Lift up our voice and peace proclaim.

CL607

Shimmering, glimmering, trembling Flame,
Fragile and precious, tensile and strong,
Forever changing yet ever the same,
Burn in our hearts brightly all our lives long.

CL707

Enkindle us with a passion for peace,
A craving for justice, a zeal for all Truths
Enlighten our hearts and ennoble our minds,
Enable and strengthen our hands for good use.

CL807

Silent Flame, be witness to
A love sublime, a heart renewed,
A questing mind, a spirit still,
A people pledged to do no ill.

CL907

Burn bright with our hopes,
Burn long with great courage,
Burn true with commitment,
Our hearts to encourage,
Burn away falsehood and burn away pride,
Refine us and shine us, with Truth as our guide.

CL1007

A single Flame becomes a blaze
When we our hearts and minds engage
To hear and learn new Truths and ways,
Raising our voices in song and praise.

How Will They Know We're Unitarians?

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:44:48 GMT

How will they know we’re Unitarians?

We pray with spirit and with mind.

How will we show we’re Unitarians?

Justice and equity combined.

How will we grow more Unitarians?

Our search is free and unconfined.

[Oh] they’ll know that we are Unitarians,

Our love for all leaves none behind!

May Love Be Our Guide

Sun, 07 Jan 2007 16:10:55 GMT

May love be our guide

As we each run our race;

Love in us abide,

Fill us with your grace:

Searching for Truth and striving for peace.

Passion be our strength,

Our weakness overcome;

Help us last the length

While the race is run:

Searching for Truth and striving for peace.

Courage be our way,

Renew our every deed;

Run with us each day

As we take the lead

Searching for Truth and striving for peace.

Copyright 2007 by Martha Kirby Capo. Based on a benediction given by the Rev. Dr. Matt Tittle, Bay Area Unitarian Church. Hymn setting Copyright 2007 by Henry Flurry. To learn more about Henry's work visit his website, http://www.henryflurry.com.

Deep From the Earth

Sun, 24 Sep 2006 20:53:10 GMT

Deep from the earth will we speak,

Our words like a whisper of sand,

Not for ourselves alone do we seek

To defend the freedoms of faith in our land.

Freedom to fight for the weak,

The freedom to preach and demand

Mercy and peace with justice unleashed

By a wearied people now making a stand.

Listen, you powers, take heed:

Our pulpits are free from your hand.

People of faith, arise now and speak:

We will preach in liberty throughout this land.