Sojourn Worship Songwriting Community, pt. 4

On August 24, Mike Cosper held a meeting for all the artists at Sojourn -- a big meeting, since Sojourn is a very artsy church. We filled the first ten rows or so of the Highland Christian Fellowship building -- poets sitting next to musicians, painters next to songwriters, film-makers next to vocalists, and so on. I found it to be exciting.

Mike issued the challenge for everyone to step their game up, not only as individuals -- not even primarily as individuals -- but as a collective unit. He wanted everyone to pick up the ball and run with it, to get together with each other, come up with new ideas on how to use the arts to glorify God and edify the church. He said he and the Sojourn elders were looking for people to take initiative and start new ventures, explore new opportunities.

This was music to my ears -- exactly what I had always wanted.

In the first three installments of this series, I've talked about several of the key players in the foundation of the writers' group -- all wonderful, talented people who had been contributing to Sojourn through music long before I came aboard. This is a good point to bring Lorie King into the story -- one of my best friends and most trusted, respected confidants. Cheryl Rupp said recently on her blog that if there were such a thing as reincarnation, then Lorie and I would have had to have been siblings in a past life. I understand what she meant.

Lorie is also an effective worship leader, one of the best singers I've ever heard, and a budding songwriter. She and I began discussing the establishment of a tightly-knit songwriting group in light of Mike's requests. Actually, Lorie had helped me assimilate into Sojourn and, regarding a songwriting group, think things through every step of the way (it was she who, after we'd met in November 2004 at the Mindy Smith show, had introduced me to Jeremy Quillo) and continues to do so. She's more than my right hand, and truthfully, if I'd never come to Sojourn she probably could have organized everything herself if she weren't so busy with all the important things she does for our community.

I always bounce ideas off of Lorie, not only to solicit advice on my thoughts, but to get her opinions on how to build the group. She even edits my own songs as soon as I can get them typed up (I wouldn't ask anyone to read my illegible scrawl), and has in fact helped me polish a few songs so much that I've given her co-writing credits just to keep things honest.

On August 26, after Lorie and I had talked for a couple of days following the meeting, I sent Mike an email entitled, "So you said to take initiative ..."

I outlined the idea of having an official songwriters' group that would, at least initially, center around an informal monthly workshop. All writers would be encouraged to attend, as well as those who would like to help in the process -- musicians, vocalists, those who had an interest in songwriting but didn't know how to begin. I thought that only an official effort by the church could get people of different personalities and stylistic backgrounds together. I wrote in part:

"We don't need all the singer-songwriters to cling together, we don't need all the expert musicians to just hang out and jam all the time, we don't need the hardcore theologians huddled up alone somewhere. We needs teams where a poet connects with an instrumental whiz, where a street-wise rock-singer who didn't even grow up in church connects with someone who's been singing p&w since preschool, we need Dylanologists who connect with hymnologists, we need space-rock afficianados talking to collectors of black spirituals ...

" ... we need to start off with a simple roundtable and invite people to share something they've written, and usher in a spirit of collaboration. Not only should we want more songwriters to develop, we should want more songwriters to work with each other. That's how we're going to really break out of molds, and not only produce better art, but become more "one" with each other .... Not that we'll ever stop writing individually -- that is the most convenient way to write, and it is a way that God frequently chooses to work through, but I think we will be pleased with what can happen if all the music makers (from writers, musicians, vocalists, and even the congregation as a whole) are on the same mission to "sing a new song" to the Lord."

Even then, I was hesitant to say, "Let me lead this." I would have been perfectly willing to simply present my ideas and have Mike, Lorie, Jeremy, Jay or someone else run with it. I got an email back from Mike on the 29th though, saying, "I’m all about this, but you need to drive it. Whatever you need to make that happen, we’ll make it happen."

Well then, it was time to crank the engine. I compiled a list of all the songwriters I knew about at Sojourn, sent them an email explaining what was about to happen, and said that the first monthly workshop would be held the second Sunday night in September. I posted the same information on www.sojourn.com in case I'd missed anyone. Lorie and Jeremy also passed the word around. I had about 10 songwriters on my list. I thought if half of them showed up for the first meeting, we'd have something solid to build on for the future.

We held that first meeting in a small room behind the baptistry of the Highland Christian Fellowship. We had six writers: Jeremy, Jay, Mike, Lorie, Rebecca Dennison, and me. I thought we got off to a good start. Jay and I each played songs we had written and solicited advice from the others. Lorie passed out lyrics that she'd come up with. Everyone offered a unique perspective, and seemed to be pleased afterwards with this initial meeting.

TO BE CONTINUED ....