We live in a “DIY” culture. We all want to do it ourselves. It’s cheaper, more efficient, less rules, more freedom… But equally true, we live in a culture where loneliness and alienation are a national crisis. We need each other. Humans are lovers, collaborators. We thrive in community.
That’s why, from the day I walked into my first of several founding meetings of W/, I felt a feeling of wonder, like I had suddenly found something I didn’t know I was looking for. This was a community of passionate church entrepreneurs, trying to follow Jesus, building church communities to make a difference in the world, and here, within W/, they were finding each other.
The independent liturgical band I help produce, The Many, has been hanging out with W/ and the relationships we have made have made a difference for us. We have found in W/ a community that helps us grow, helps us explore, gives us opportunity to collaborate on music and ideas and liturgy. Music is always best made in community. W/ is one of the communities that has made The Many possible.
If you are in the New York City area this month, I invite you to join The Many and several of the churches from W/ in a series of worship events. Check out The Many for more information as well as our schedule:
Sunday, May 19. 10 am + 11:15 am
Forefront Church
509 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
Sunday, May 19. 5PM
Common Ground Church
155 E. 22nd Street, New York City
Monday, May /20. 7 pm
First Presbyterian Church
50 Liberty Street Beacon, NY
Tuesday May 21. Worship Workshop 5:30 pm. Worship 7 pm.
First Congregational Church
269 Mill Street, Poughkeepsie, NY
Wednesday 5/22. 7 pm. LGBT Community Center. 208 W 13 St, New York, NY
Co-Sponsored by Forefront Church, Church of the Advent Hope, Common Ground, Jehu’s Table, and Not So Churchy.
Gary Rand is the Music producer of The Many, co-director of the liturgical resource site, pluralguild.com, and Director of Worship Activities at McCormick Theological Seminary.