Insert a manger, Ben Houge on Piano, Graham Peterson on Drums, Justin Rimbo on Bass, and me with guitar and that’s what Trinity Lutheran in Jeffers MN looked like on Saturday night. 

The altar area was all set up for Sunday morning’s christmas program which made for a fun backdrop for a great night of music and conversation.  We were welcomed graciously and fed well by this incredibly giving congregation.  I had met the Meier family from Jeffers at Outlaw Ranch last summer and when I was looking for a place to play they took us in whole heartedly!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

After playing we drove on to Sioux Falls staying with Pr. Jeff Sorenson’s family – thankfully they were still up to show us to our beds when we arrived.  Sunday morning we did a bit during the service at Messiah New Hope and then did a full concert after a delicious meatball lunch.  Oh, and did I mention there was a bakesale?  Helloooo lefse!  Once again, it was the sunday of the christmas program so once again we played around the manger.  There were a handful of members from the congregation that I had met back in October while leading music at a ELCA Region 3 event.  It was good to see these new friends once again and see what had been percolating in the congreagation since last we met. 

Thank you to these congregations and so many others that support the arts and allow folks like myself to continue doing what we do.  And of course thanks to Ben, Graham, and Justin, nothing beats travelling and working with people you love!

Now I’m going to bunker down and await the Christ child.  If you need me I’ll be by the fireplace.  Happy Advent from Bethlehem to you.

Joel is an experienced Shape Note singer and had the heads up on a guest lecturer at the nearby U of M campus who would be sharing about and leading an hour of Sacred Harp music.  I’ve been curious about this style of singing for a number of years and was thrilled to go along.  And it was amazing!  Tim Eriksen gave a bunch of us newbies a history and theory on the style and then led us in a few hymns.  It was a great workshop.  And inspiring because…
Saturday morning I picked up Jonathan at 6 am and we headed for Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burnsville for Children… Our Future, an early childhood conference where we would be playing music and presenting workshops.  We lead opening music in PoP’s huge sanctuary.  It was kind of funny because it’s one of those church’s where the band sets up front and center and the altar (at least there was one) was over to the side.  Maybe they had just moved it for the conference.  Let’s hope so.  Anyway we were up there, behind the keynote speaker projector screen and surrounded by fake shrubberies.  You read me write.  All at 7:30 on a Saturday morning. 

No really, kids, stay in school and get a real job!  

Just joking, 9-5 stinks.

The music was fun and then we got to lead workshops.  This was the highlight for me.  I had a great group, we covered lots of ground, and had fun singing and sharing ideas for making music a stronger component in our learning environments.  What a blast!  I love my job.  If you were at the conference and would like to download my outline that includes song leading tips, please click on the Kid’s Music tab.
Thank you all for playing the parts that allow me to make a living doing what I love, thanks for employment, thanks for encouragement, thanks for support, thanks all around. 

It worked.  I had a little trouble holding the pick at times and my thumb pick for banjo was a little tight, but it stayed on and I was able to play at Easter Lutheran with Jonathan Rundman and Joel Setterholm and all was well.

That’s the story, here’s the insight.  I was at my church beforehand and one of the kids looked at my thumb and said, €œWhy are you wearing a Sponge Bob band aid?€  The question wasn’t about my injury, it was about my choice in character endorsed band aids.  A lesser mannered child may have phrased it, €œDude, you’re too old to wear a band aid with a cartoon character on it.  Gimme a break.€  The answer being, it’s the only band aid I could find.  But that’s not the point.  Look at that picture.  The only part of S. Bob showing are his whacked out eyes.  Almost the whole band aid is covered with electrical tape.  Yet she knows Sponge Bob and that is what she sees.  Had her dad, a handyman, seen my thumb he would’ve been much more apt to comment on the use of electrical tape and probably offered a few other adhesive selections that would work equally well.  We see what we know.

There’s the insight, how about some implication/application?  It’s why everyone needs a voice.  Because so much of my life and work is in church and para church settings I automatically go to this context.  If you look around your church and see that everyone looks like you, has the same political bumper stickers on their cars, graduated from high school the same year, shares the same mother tongue… you get the idea.  If this is your congregation than I guarantee that you are not hearing the gospel in it’s entirety.  If we want to begin to see the whole picture of God’s love than we need everyone’s insight.  Because when you’re six you see Sponge Bob and when you’re forty you see electrical tape.  And when you’re my thumb you need them both. 

I think the metaphor went too far when my thumb became the church.  Although my thumb is kind of messed up…
And healing…

Actually I was referring to the new tab, Kid’s Music.  Along the top of the page.  Yeah, that one.  The Music and Movement classes I lead here in St. Paul start up tomorrow so I got all over achiever and posted mp3’s of the songs and a copy of the songsheet as well.  I think Willabee Wallabee turned out the funniest due to a certain 2 year old on my lap.

So if you’re in St. Paul and have a kid that’s not yet in school (we’ve got 0-5 year olds in the class – the average age is probably around 2) come on over to Music and Movement!  We meet at 10:30 at Monroe School, located at 810 Palace Avenue St. Paul, MN 55102.  The school entrance is on Palace.  When you come in the big white doors the room on your left is where we meet.  If you continue left down the hall you’ll find the Family Center Play Room at the very end.  This is a staffed play room for parents/caregivers and their children to come and hang out m-f 9-Noon.  The playroom and the music classes are sponsored through Partner for Violence Prevention.  So come on down!  It’ll be fun.  Probably.

Rachel Kurtz is working on a new album and asked me to play on it so yesterday I made my way down to the Library and tracked guitar for a couple hours with Matt Patrick at the helm.  Working with Matt Patrick was great – our last gig was as the Monsters of Folk in March of 2005.  Since then more famous bands have taken that monicker, and in an interesting side note had to buy the domain name from Micah.  It’s not everyday Conner Oberst’s manager calls you up…

So Matt’s Studio was great, Rachel liked what I played and after I packed up my guitar I helped co-write the second half of a song she was about to record. 

That, my friends, is a good day at the office.

Tomorrow I have a gig with Rachel in Cokato MN.  We’re opening for Robin Mark (best known for his P&W hit, Days of Elijah) and then we’re his backing band.  I wasn’t familiar with much of his work but have really enjoyed figuring out mandolin and steel parts for his stuff.  I’ll get to play my tele, my electric and acoustic lap steels, and my mandolin.  I’m looking forward to it!  If you’re in the area come check it out.

Becoming Liturgy, the new acoustic album featuring myself, Erin and Jason Deboer Moran, Micah Taylor, Justin Rimbo, Jonathan Rundman, Rachel Kurtz, Erik Hummel, Russel Munson and Mari Carlson is now available to you, the general public.  The liturgists. 

For more information on the album and to download the leadsheets click here.

To order your copy e-mail me – nate@natehouge.com 

To everyone that pre-ordered the album, thank you!