Unitarian Society of Northampton and Florence

Order of Meeting for Summer Service of 6 July 2008

Can We Change the World?

David Mix Barrington

PRELUDE Which Side Are You On? Reece

recorded by Pete Seeger

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

LIGHTING THE CHALICE

HYMN* Once to Every Soul and Nation #119

OPENING WORDS Responsive Reading #438

HYMN* Old Hundredth

From all that dwell below the skies

let songs of hope and faith arise

let peace, goodwill on earth be sung

through every land, by every tongue.

De todos bajo el gran sol

surja esperanza, fe, amor

verdad, y belleza cantando

de cada tierra, cada voz.

MEDITATION AND SILENCE #505

OFFERTORY Imagine Lennon (arr. Drumm)

Karl Drumm, piano

READING

INTERLUDE A Change is Gonna Come Cooke

recorded by Sam Cooke

READING

INTERLUDE Rivers of Babylon McNaughton/Reyam/

The Ad Hoc Choir Farian/Dowe

SERMON Can We Change the World?

HYMN* With Heart and Mind #300

CLOSING WORDS Responsive Reading #470

POSTLUDE Chicago Nash

recorded by Graham Nash

MUSIC NOTES

Today's political songs all come more or less from American traditions of

popular music, though not all of them are by Americans.

Florence Reece, the wife of a Kentucky union organizer, created her union

anthem in 1931. Gospel and soul star Sam Cooke wrote his civil rights

anthem shortly before his death in 1964. English rock and rollers John

Lennon and Graham Nash were part of the greater phenomenon called "the

Sixties" -- Nash's song refers to the 1968 Chicago convention and the

ensuing trial of the Chicago Eight.

Finally The Melodians, a Jamaican reggae band, wrote their adaptation

of Psalm 137 squarely within the Rastafarian tradition that derives in

part from American leader black separatist Marcus Garvey -- "King Alpha"

is a Rastafarian name for the Emperor Haile Selassie. A cover version of

this song by the German disco band Boney M. reached number one in the

UK in 1978. Our arrangement comes from the supplemental UU hymnal,

Singing the Journey.

Thanks once again to Karl for all his help, particularly on the Sam Cooke

song that we wound up not performing. Thanks also to my Ad Hoc choir

colleagues and to Flora Majumder for some Ad Hoc choir direction.