Greetings from EMC Music to musicians and creators of all kinds at Linden Hills UCC,
What a whirlwind this year and spring has been?!? I just want to name the truth of that at the global and national level, but also for your community specifically. To sit with Big Decisions (TM) and all the grief-loss-possibilities-
As you feel called and led, I welcome you to join in the music making ensembles at Edina Morningside. There are traditional ensembles of adult choir and handbells where you can step into pretty easily (if you’re interested in handbells, please drop me a line before coming to rehearsal … I’ll need to consider where to add bells in the 4th octave). There is a guitar-bass-drum “band” ensemble (“Mass Chaos”) in the process of getting its sea legs and looking for more players and singers to deepen its bench. If you play other instruments, small ensembles and solo/duets are possible and welcome. For any and all of these, please drop me an email at emcmusic@emcucc.org so I can add you to the email list and get you the most up-to-date info.
Some of you popped into Heart Songs, an informal no-performance virtual song circle for expressing our lament, longing, and love that I offer on the side. As we move into warmer weather, plans are underway for having an outdoor, in-person monthly version at EMC. Likewise I hope to lead Dances of Universal Peace, a pluralistic expression of prayer and joy in song and circle dance, with the community this summer. Please consider participating in these activities when dates are scheduled.
Lastly, I invite you into conversation with me. Perhaps you’d like to tell me about your past musical experiences. Or there’s something else you’d like to explore that’s not already part of the range of happenings at EMC. I would love to hear it and see how it can be supported. One of my interests beyond EMC is building community and meaningful connection with other folks that are mixed race and people of color like myself (Check out Biracial & Rural and Freeing Refrains on my website). The process of Linden Hills and Edina Morningside considering this merger has me deeply curious and intrigued. How might we take your “you” and our “us” and become a “we.” At this moment, I sing this song by my friend Charles Murphy, “Love take a walk with me … and spirit guide my feet.”
In holy song and breath,
Conie B (she/they)
EMC Music Director
Public Heart Artist at Points of Light Music