It's Time to Come Clean

 
It's time to come out of the spiritual closet.

First you have to promise you won't freak out and that you'll stick with us here at Wazoo Goes West.

Wait, no, that's not the right photo. Cult of the Eternal Tea!

So I'd better just tell you:
Martin and I are working part-time as worship leaders.

There is no better title that we've been able to come up for it than that, though it brings to mind teethy people eating microphones covered in Skittle-colored foam.  It brings to mind what our friends call "wall songs" and calling out lines to songs before they are sung, loudly, as in:  JESUS LIVES!  BLESS THE LORD!  SING LOUDER NOW!  RAISE YOUR HANDS!

Actually, Martin and I are now on a church website as "Resident Artists."  (This is not a full-time job, so keep those good new-job vibes coming our way).  For those of you who would never darken the door of a church, don't worry!--we haven't changed even though now we stand up front a couple times a week.

In fact, it's been a wonderful way to combine two things--nay, three--that we love:
1. Poetry and Liturgy
2.  Music and long jam sessions
3.  Engaging others in our love of poetry, liturgy, music, long jam sessions, and God.

Some things I like about our church:
1.  It's nontraditional
2.  It only meets twice a month in a rented space and the other two Sundays are given over a gathering in homes and a service project
3.  It's main message is: no matter who you are or where you are spiritually, you're welcome here.  No theology crammed down anyone's throat.
3.  Oh, I already did a '3.'  We are easily able to combine our weird histories: Episcopalian, Mennonite, etc., etc., and feel like we can still write and sing music here.
3.  (Again.  What the heck, why not three 3's?) Our 'spiritual blog' bears Rilke all over it, and 'living the questions' is about where we are most of the time. 

Anyway, I may never have told you this except we've started another blog, where we post reflections, prayers, poetry, and songs (or we will)--you can visit "Each Holy Hour" by clicking HERE.  I really want the blog to be a place where people discuss, disagree, reflect, and add.  So please do.  We'd love it.  It's not as great as sharing a bottle of wine or some microbrew while we eat chips and shoot the breeze (like I used to with my dear friend, JP), but it's the next best thing.  Also I post lots of really lovely WA photos.

If you have some good ideas for links to great stuff, let me know, too.  So far I've got Madeleine L'Engle and Buechner, Merton and John O'Donohue. . .give me some more.  I need more women, especially.