Reconnect Us

'Fragments of creation, pieces, no connection. Out of touch, out of place. So much time, so much space. Reconnect us. Resurrect us ...'
In 1986, these were the opening words for a collection of songs I put out. RECONNECT US was originally just a cassette. I've finally had it transferred to CD. (due to the repeated request of a keen person in Port Pirie. Thanks Samantha Neumeister!)
It was a different experience for me, just me putting out a bunch of my songs. Previously it was the band 'Kindekrist' (4 albums by then) and then the first 2 All Together collections. Reconnect Us was more angular, more left-of-field. It had two songs I wrote in Budapest at the LWF Assembly in '84 — the title song & Empty Hands, begun during an all-night prayer vigil that focussed on hunger & justice. Old Man Shuffle is about Dad visiting Mum during her last months in hospital. Black Mist came after I read the report of Yami Lester's story about the British bomb tests in the deserts of South Australia. Two other songs have words by Aub Podlich: Evening Star at Cooper's Creek, which finishes the collection, & A Christmas Blessing (with 2 extra verses from my teacher, mentor & poet, John Sabel). And Sadako from Hiroshima, a song widely used in primary schools around Australia.
Some terrific contributions to the music by Gerry Holmes & Doug Petherick, & brief appearances from 2 excellent guitarists, Rick Nankivell & Steve Sutton.
And the love song For Dorothy (later redone for our Intimate CD in 2003):

'So much of you is in my breathing
You're written into every scene
I love you more than songs and singing
I want to stay inside your dreams'

A New Year, A New Christianity?

New Year's Day.
For Christmas son Thom gave me John Shelby Spong's latest — 'A New Christianity for a New World'. I've been determined to read it with an open mind.
And it is interesting to read. He's a good writer, and he obviously feels strongly about the subject.
I'll keep reading, jumping around a little, but I find it hard to agree on anything I've read so far.
No, I do agree, of course, that Christianity, the church, people of faith, always need reformation. (I am a Lutheran, after all!). But I can't even go with his basic definition of God on p.21: "a being, supernatural in power, dwelling outside this world and invading the world periodically to accomplish the divine will". I don't believe in a God outside this world who occasionally drops in. Everything we are, all that exists, every planet, every space, every creature, every plant, etc. is created by, is being made by God. The process never stops, God never stops. God is here — in us & in everything, surrounding us always. For the benefit of our understanding God became small & close — as we've just celebrated again in Christmas.
I'll keep reading. But I think John might revive my blogging.