wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] Jazzy service thrills

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ECUNET.ORG>]

Note #8331 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

Jazzy service thrills
GA04040
June 28, 2004

Jazzy service thrills

Quintet's bluesy accompaniment is just right for confession

by Eva Stimson

RICHMOND - The swinging sounds of jazz greeted worshippers at the General
Assembly's Monday evening service.

It was the Rev. Bill Carter at the piano, with the other three members of his
"Presbybop Quartet" playing saxophones and flute, bass and drums.

Carter, the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Clarks Summit, PA, is a
leading figure in jazz-worship circles. His quartet, along with vocalist
Warren Cooper, led the Assembly congregation in jazzy versions of such hymns
as "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" and "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah."

The five supplied an appropriately bluesy background for the confession of
sins and a soulful post-sermon rendition of "There Is a Balm in Gilead."

The Rev. Teri Thomas, the pastor of Northminster Presbyterian Church in
Indianapolis, IN, focused her sermon on Jesus' words in Luke 6: "Out of the
abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."

"Whatever you're full of will come out," she told her listeners. "Our speech
will reveal what is at the core of our being."

Noting that it's easy to fill our hearts with anger, cynicism and hate,
Thomas urged her congregation to join her in making "a choice to fill our
hearts with hope."

More jazz tonight

Bill Carter and the Presbybop Quartet will provide "An Evening of Jazz"
tonight (Tuesday) beginning at 8:30 at nearby Second Presbyterian Church, at
3 N. Fifth Street in Richmond. The special concert is sponsored by the
Conference Ministries of the PC(USA) - Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, Stony Point
in New York and Montreat  in North Carolina.

This story and many others may have photos, media, video clips that can be
found at http://www.pcusa.org/ga216/.

To subscribe or unsubscribe, please send an email to
pcusanews-subscribe-request@halak.pcusa.org or
pcusanews-unsubscribe-request@halak.pcusa.org

To contact the owner of the list, please send an email to
pcusanews-request@halak.pcusa.org