Today I want to share with you what my music is all about. Whether it's playing trumpet in church or Jazz solo before an audience of seniors, the "soulish" quality of music never ceases to amaze me. In the last 5 years since I have been doing public performances, I have come to appreciate the power of music to move the soul... no matter what genre. I have come to the place where music played well, is an offering to God... the creative Master who infuses us with His creativity.
My latest poem expresses these feelings and I hope you enjoy this.
My Music…
A hallowed sound in a hallowed place
Raises spirits and lowers anxiety
The sound envelops the soul
Of a tired, often sad seeker.
Then comes a smile.
The music, like a silky breeze
Floats over and past the ears
Caressing the wrinkled heart
Causing a flood of memories.
Then comes a sigh.
The notes rise and fall
Waiting for resolution
Major key turns to minor
Melody always coming home.
Then comes a nod.
Majestic…lyrical…circling
Sounds invade my soul
Images sparkle before me
As the music swells and dies.
Then comes a blush.
The privilege is mine
To be the chauffer
Of such persuasive rhythms
That move the heart.
Then… I smile.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Earthquakes in New Joisy... again!
Here is my church sign I put up after our third unusual earthquake in the the Dover NJ area.
This is meant as a humorous commentary on our local tremors.... I really don't know if the building is e-quake proof, but it probably is since it is cinderblock covered with brick. Who knows.... anyway, I will keep the sign up until someone tells me how trite it is... or worse - false advertising! (Lighten up people !)
One thing is for sure, the child of God may be shaken, but the Lord will carry him through the rough times of life. It is so great to know that no matter how difficult things can be at times, our Heavenly Father wants us to rest in him, knowing that He holds us in His hands. end......
OK... I'll take the sign down.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Hope in the Lord
OK... we know we cannot trust in the stock market.... as we see the volitile market going 'bonkers' today.
Our Lord can be trusted to care for us and watch over us during these difficult times. Our focus must be on Him and His love for us. It is so easy to get caught up in the fear and anxiety that just floods our conversations and minds. Just today I heard a gentleman talk about the sharp decline in the market today... while he was purchasing a used book! It's on everyone's minds right now.
I know it is "easy" to say 'trust the Lord', but for Christians that is our hope... and ultimately our JOY. Through-out Scripture we are told over and over to stop looking at the wind and waves and look at the Savior! This is NOT a cop-out, or a closing of our eyes to the problem at hand. It is a way of life... an attitude of the heart that says I am not going to be controlled today by these foreboding thoughts. I am going to turn my attention to my Savior, and let Him whisper His love in my ear, so I can rest in Him, knowing that He knows what is happening and has a watchful eye on us, His children. So stop, already, with the worrying and fretting! Get on with the business of trusting in our Lord!
Our Lord can be trusted to care for us and watch over us during these difficult times. Our focus must be on Him and His love for us. It is so easy to get caught up in the fear and anxiety that just floods our conversations and minds. Just today I heard a gentleman talk about the sharp decline in the market today... while he was purchasing a used book! It's on everyone's minds right now.
I know it is "easy" to say 'trust the Lord', but for Christians that is our hope... and ultimately our JOY. Through-out Scripture we are told over and over to stop looking at the wind and waves and look at the Savior! This is NOT a cop-out, or a closing of our eyes to the problem at hand. It is a way of life... an attitude of the heart that says I am not going to be controlled today by these foreboding thoughts. I am going to turn my attention to my Savior, and let Him whisper His love in my ear, so I can rest in Him, knowing that He knows what is happening and has a watchful eye on us, His children. So stop, already, with the worrying and fretting! Get on with the business of trusting in our Lord!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Jazz Trumpet
I have been playing Jazz trumpet for the last 4 or 5 years now and enjoy presenting the music in various venues. I have played in nursing homes, assisted living places, dinner meetings, and weddings. What started out as a casual interest has become a large part of my life and time. This past year or so I have added a new twist and started playing at churches as an "outreach" to the community. I started with my own church and had terrific success in drawing people from our community and provided a venue for good music that non-church, as well as church people can enjoy in positive environment.
How we do this is to set up the basement (fellowship hall) as a "jazz club" without the typical things you might find in such establishments such as booze and tobacco. Most church people don't go to places like that and have missed out on a tremendous experience of hearing good live music - in this case Jazz. I do this purely for the love of it and don't ask for money. I am targeting small churches in my denomination (at first) to help them provide an venue for people from the area to come to a place where there is excellent live music, friendly people, and FREE everything. My thinking is that the "church" is associated with wanting money all the time. So to counter that we serve coffee and light refreshments for free, as well as no charge for the music.
One observation is that when people come into this type of environment, there is a tendency to talk and enjoy the company of other during the musical performance. At first this bothered my, however, that's what you do at a Jazz club! The music is sort of a backdrop to the social gathering that takes place.
Last evening I presented a Jazz program at a local church that had never done anything like this...ever. It was a truly exciting event and of the 60 or so people that attended, more than half were NOT from that church! The idea is that the pastor and church people have an opportunity to sit down and just get to know people and develop relationships that will open the the door for further contact. It is not meant to be an "evangelistic meeting"... it is prequel to possible further contact. The idea is to open doors of familiarity, so that the non-church people who come to an event like this might just be more inclined to make further contact when they are in need, or are just curious about the fine people who provide a fine music event and don't ask for money!
Last night's event was particularly gratifying, not just for the good reception, but for the fact that all our objectives were met, and people left having a good opinion about this church and people.
How we do this is to set up the basement (fellowship hall) as a "jazz club" without the typical things you might find in such establishments such as booze and tobacco. Most church people don't go to places like that and have missed out on a tremendous experience of hearing good live music - in this case Jazz. I do this purely for the love of it and don't ask for money. I am targeting small churches in my denomination (at first) to help them provide an venue for people from the area to come to a place where there is excellent live music, friendly people, and FREE everything. My thinking is that the "church" is associated with wanting money all the time. So to counter that we serve coffee and light refreshments for free, as well as no charge for the music.
One observation is that when people come into this type of environment, there is a tendency to talk and enjoy the company of other during the musical performance. At first this bothered my, however, that's what you do at a Jazz club! The music is sort of a backdrop to the social gathering that takes place.
Last evening I presented a Jazz program at a local church that had never done anything like this...ever. It was a truly exciting event and of the 60 or so people that attended, more than half were NOT from that church! The idea is that the pastor and church people have an opportunity to sit down and just get to know people and develop relationships that will open the the door for further contact. It is not meant to be an "evangelistic meeting"... it is prequel to possible further contact. The idea is to open doors of familiarity, so that the non-church people who come to an event like this might just be more inclined to make further contact when they are in need, or are just curious about the fine people who provide a fine music event and don't ask for money!
Last night's event was particularly gratifying, not just for the good reception, but for the fact that all our objectives were met, and people left having a good opinion about this church and people.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
POETRY IS COOL
I have composed a number of poems this past year, and I have found it very rewarding. I would like to share a few of my pieces now and then. Most of my work has been related to the work that I do as a Pastor and Chaplain for Hospice. I meet remarkable people, and have an opportunity to get to know them in a way that causes me to want to write about them!
This piece talks about the role of our five senses in remembering those we love.
On another occasion I want to talk about my favorite poet: Ted Kooser. I stumbled on his work at Barnes and Noble one day. What struck me most about him is that he writes they way I do... not bragging here, but his work touched my heart with the subject matter and method of expression. He tries to keep things minimal, and always has a powerful ending. I will share some of his stuff in the days ahead. For now, here is one of my pieces:
MEMORIES
Memories are funny things
They shape our thinking
And make us laugh… most of the time.
A simple sound or voice
Reminds us of someone
And our spirits melt
A certain aroma transports us
To a place of shared happiness
And with closed eyes… we remember
Music… that magical memory maker
Moves us to hear
Echoes of love and hope
A touch… gentle and strong
Jogs my forgetfulness
And I see my love
A beautiful scene
Passes our eyes
And we are once again …there
All these things are
Weaving the threadbare fabric of the past
And we smile.
By Richard D Harris, Chaplain 1/14/2009
This piece talks about the role of our five senses in remembering those we love.
On another occasion I want to talk about my favorite poet: Ted Kooser. I stumbled on his work at Barnes and Noble one day. What struck me most about him is that he writes they way I do... not bragging here, but his work touched my heart with the subject matter and method of expression. He tries to keep things minimal, and always has a powerful ending. I will share some of his stuff in the days ahead. For now, here is one of my pieces:
MEMORIES
Memories are funny things
They shape our thinking
And make us laugh… most of the time.
A simple sound or voice
Reminds us of someone
And our spirits melt
A certain aroma transports us
To a place of shared happiness
And with closed eyes… we remember
Music… that magical memory maker
Moves us to hear
Echoes of love and hope
A touch… gentle and strong
Jogs my forgetfulness
And I see my love
A beautiful scene
Passes our eyes
And we are once again …there
All these things are
Weaving the threadbare fabric of the past
And we smile.
By Richard D Harris, Chaplain 1/14/2009
Waiting for the bell...
Musings at the local shop...
OK... you are sitting alone, yet all around you are people communicating electronically with everyone and everything. There are computers blinking, ipods flashing, phone conversations galore. (I was just in Panera's behind a lady having a very loud discussion with her cell phone - and I found myself being very irritated. We come into this place filled with people - and we want to be alone!
Think about that for a moment... Our lives are so filled with electronic stuff, that it seems that we are not human unless we have bluetooth growing out of our ear!
In the old days we just waited for the bell to ring... change classes!
The sound of the bell still rings in my head. Grammar school... middle school drama... pavlov's dogs - moving from room to room at the sound of the bell.
It doesn't seem much different today... except today we do it all alone... waiting for the bell to ring.
.......
North of Sarasota, Fl.
OK... you are sitting alone, yet all around you are people communicating electronically with everyone and everything. There are computers blinking, ipods flashing, phone conversations galore. (I was just in Panera's behind a lady having a very loud discussion with her cell phone - and I found myself being very irritated. We come into this place filled with people - and we want to be alone!
Think about that for a moment... Our lives are so filled with electronic stuff, that it seems that we are not human unless we have bluetooth growing out of our ear!
In the old days we just waited for the bell to ring... change classes!
The sound of the bell still rings in my head. Grammar school... middle school drama... pavlov's dogs - moving from room to room at the sound of the bell.
It doesn't seem much different today... except today we do it all alone... waiting for the bell to ring.
.......
PHOTO OF THE DAY:
North of Sarasota, Fl.
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