Global Christian Worship

This postcard, printed long ago in Belgium, features a depiction of the Virgin Mary and the Christ child as Colngolese people, known as a Black Madonna.

Margaret Kabelkova is an artist from Kramatorsk, Ukraine.

Today she posted this marvelous piece - I believe it is digital art since it says "tablet."

Title: Light through the wounds Світло крізь рани

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Margaret Kabelkova graduated from the Kharkiv State Academy of Design and Arts.

Her professional path began with work at the Ukrainian publishing house "Fountain of Fairy Tales" (Fountain of Fairy Tales), where she created illustrations for children's books for two years.

Margarita works in various techniques: acrylic on canvas, drawings and graphic design, digital watercolor, mixed media (including 3D sculpture on paper).

Her style is characterized by a love for color, emotional richness, and inspiration from nature, fairy tales, and everyday life.

Margarita participates in numerous exhibitions and competitions, including international ones.

Currently, she lives in Lviv.

See approximately 60 of her art pieces in this online collection, which is also the source for her biography information above. https://www.facebook.com/groups/728067234874282/posts/1615217632825900

Margaret sells her artwork via ArtArk, originals and reproductions. https://www.facebook.com/ARTamRITAMaK/ You can order her art on prints, mugs and t-shirts.

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Seeing "light through the wounds" is a high and holy calling. And you can participate in a tangible way.

If you'd like to join me in sending needed basic supplies to Ukraine, here's how to help:

From one of my Ukrainian artist friends:

We have a small volunteer group here in California, and every month we collect, pack, and send humanitarian and medical supplies to Ukraine. We usually send a full container each month. Several organizations help us cover the shipping costs, while all the supplies themselves come from people who generously donate them.

You can purchase from this Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2ZMP427XYHNS9 and the items will be shipped to my Ukraine artist friends in California who will ship them to Ukraine as explained above. The supplies go to hospitals and rehabilitation centers in Ukraine.

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Elizabeth Wang (1942-2016) was a British artist who founded the "Radiant Light" renewal movement within the Roman Catholic Church. https://radiantlight.org.uk/radiant-light/history

She created many paintings, grouped thematically at https://radiantlight.org.uk/images

Read a lengthy interview with her at https://radiantlight.org.uk/elizabeth-wang/elizabeth-wang-interview

Kings Return, an a cappella group rooted in Gospel, jazz, R&B and classical music, is based in Dallas, Texas. I've been delighted to see them in concert multiple times. https://www.facebook.com/KingsReturnMusic

From their newest album, here's a cover of "Optimistic" by 'Sounds of Blackness.'

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The original was released in 1991. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optimistic_(Sounds_of_Blackness_song)

Kelly Latimore is one of my favorite writer of contemporary icons. Here is one of his recent icons with his commentary:

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested 10,000 people over a five-day period at the end of June, marking a major push by the agency tasked with carrying out the administration’s mass deportations agenda.

“Look with mercy, O heavenly Father, upon the people who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law and fair opportunities for all. And grant that every one of us may enjoy a fair portion of everything through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (BCP, 826) (edited)

Thinking of everyone across the country protesting these ice raids and looking out for their migrant neighbors.

Inspired by this collect from the book of common prayer.

Icon: Mother of God: Our Lady of the Oppressed kellylatimoreicons.com

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Follow his art at https://www.facebook.com/kellylatimoreicons

I appreciatet this 2024 podcast interview with Kelly at https://christinesine.substack.com/p/liturgical-rebels-podcast-414

Kelly started painting icons in 2010 while a member of the Common Friars, a small monastic farming community in Athens, Ohio.

Read a 2022 interview with him at https://faithandleadership.com/kelly-latimore-what-our-church-art “What is Our Church Art For?”

Michael Gungor has been making excellent music for decades. This week he posted a short solo version of a singalong:

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Bless the poor and bless the weak Bless the sad the sick the meek Bless the cynics, cold and caged All of us who feel afraid

Bless the children in their beds While fighter jets fly overhead Bless the cries we cannot hear Bless our hopes and bless our tears

sha la la la la la la lom

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I don't think the song has yet been formally released in a longer version. I suspect it is part of his "Mystical Hymnal" project "The Mystic Hymnal is a project that intends to create and curate a library of musical, singable, and theologically kind (loving/unitive) songs for people to sing together. " https://www.michaelgungor.com/new-page-3

You can join Michael's Patreon at several levels, including free: https://www.patreon.com/c/michaelgungor/home

I’ve heard Ruth sing and lead worship at a conference, and she is tremendous!

Here is a short bio:

Ruth Naomi Floyd is a vocalist and composer who has been at the forefront of creating vocal jazz settings that express theology and justice for over 25 years. Ruth has performed and lectured prolifically on the intersection of beauty, theology, justice, culture, and the arts worldwide. A committed music educator, Ruth has been Director of Jazz Studies at Cairn University in Langhorne, Pennsylvania and an Artist in Residence at Temple University in Philadelphia.

My friend George Luke, a UK music journalist, recently arranged for her to be interviewed as she's been on tour in the UK.

The 43-minute audio interview is posted at https://www.premier.plus/faith-hope-and-love/audio-series/clips/audio-items/can-jazz-preach-the-gospel-ruth-naomi-floyd-says

Become a free subscriber to listen.

"Ruth Naomi Floyd, an acclaimed jazz vocalist, composer, and educator from Philadelphia, USA, thinks it isn't wrong to mix the Gospel with jazz music. Ruth's work blends jazz, theology, and history, drawing on the gospel roots of jazz to explore themes of faith, justice, resilience, and human dignity. She joined Lydia Bennett to discuss why the Gospel cannot be restricted to particular musical genres."

From my friend Dr. Jeremy Perigo:

Check out this brand-new edited volume on Multilingualism and Christian Worship that I had the honor of editing and writing for!

This work explores the dynamics of multilingualism in Christian worship, a phenomenon with a historic and global reach, with particular connections to missionization and migration. Within such a complex and expansive phenomenon, the contributors focused on multilingualism in religious music, drawing from theological ethicist and ethnomusicologist Nathan Myrick’s concept of “musical caring.”

The print version is at a normal academic price, but we are thankful that the publisher has also made the e-book free to download at chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://mdpi-res.com/bookfiles/book/12859/Multilingualism_in_Religious_Musical_Practice.pdf

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Contents

Jeremy Perigo, Bearing Witness from Pentecost to the Eschaton: Introduction to “Multilingualism in Religious Musical Practice”

Marcell Silva Steuernagel. “I Thought It Was Beautiful; I Just Wish I Could Understand It”: The Awkward Dance of Multilingual Worship

Kathryn Minyoung Cooke, The Music of the Silent Exodus: Nunchi Bwa-ing and Christian Musicking in a Second-Generation Asian American Church

H. Leng Toh and Daniel Thornton, Understanding “Love” in the English Lyrics of the Original Songs by the Multilingual New Creation Church Singapore

James Yat-Man Tang and Jeremy Perigo, Cultural Expression and Liturgical Theology in the Worship Songs Sung by British-Born Chinese

Ad´an Alej´andro Fern´andez, The Precedent for Vernacular and Multilingual Liturgies in the Catholic Church in Latin America

Jordan Covarelli, Multicultural Worship in the Song of Zechariah and Contemporary Christian Worship

James R. Krabill, Multilingual Complexities in the Origins and Development of the Harrist Movement and Its Worship Patterns in Ivory Coast

Adekunle Oyeniyi, Multilingual Singing in Nigeria: Examining Roles, Meaning, and Function in Wazobia Gospel Music

Opening with Psalm 61:

God hear me shout Lend your ear to my prayer When I'm far from anywhere Down to my last breath of air La calle, calle de los sueños All the doors are open on the street of dreams La calle, calle de los sueños Broken are the chosen on the street of dreams

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Be here Be free Be yourself And then free me

Your fate? (Gonna fight it) Your trust? (Won't be denied) This bus? (Gonna ride it) To the street of dreams

La calle, calle de los sueños Justice, an obsession on the street of dreams La calle, calle de los sueños Love in a procession down the street of dreams

Break out Break through Break in Your dream needs you

Your life? (Gonna find you) Your fear? (Not gonna blind you) Random angels? (Gonna guide you) To the street of dreams

La calle, calle de los sueños All the doors are open on the street of dreams

La calle, calle de los sueños Broken are the chosen on the street of dreams Don't you give up on your dream for the many not just the few Don't you give up and your dreams won't give up on you

La calle, calle de los sueños Justice an obsession on the street of dreams La calle, calle de los sueños Love in a procession down the street of dreams

God hear me shout Lend your ear to my prayer When I'm far from anywhere Down to my last breath of air

Lyric video:

Allan Rohan Crite (March 20, 1910 – September 6, 2007) is one of my favorite artists. He was a Boston-based African American artist.

He designed this woodcut artwork titled "Annunciation to the Shepherds" as a Christmas card in the 1940s.

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For most of the other art in this blog post, the published source was not given. This is an undated picture he made of a Nativity shepherd.

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I can't find any information on this image and text:

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'Nativity'

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"Nuestra Senora de la Vicinidad, Neighborhood Madonna", handcolored etching, with monogram, also hand signed and dated 1977.

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A painted panel from 1940.

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A close-up:

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Another close-up:

I have friends and colleagues teaching at Dallas International University (including some of my own previous grad students).

DIU established a program in "Arts & Trauma Healing" some years ago. Now the study program has expanded to Ukraine.

The initiative will equip Ukrainian counselors, pastors, educators, and ministry leaders with trauma-informed, arts-based approaches to healing rooted in Scripture and community care. Rather than bringing in outside specialists, the initiative is focused on equipping Ukrainians already serving on the frontlines of trauma and loss in their own communities.

Many materials are already translated into Ukrainian. The first cohort of Ukrainian students have already begun their studies.

This program is designed for those who feel called to walk alongside people who are hurting and who want to learn how expressive arts, integrated with trauma-informed practices, can foster healing and transformation. Students in the MA in Arts and Trauma Healing come from diverse backgrounds and bring a wide range of goals for how they will apply their training. What unites them is a shared passion for using their skills and knowledge to contribute meaningfully to trauma recovery, community care, and trauma-informed education around the world.

Learn more at https://www.diu.edu/graduate/ma-ath/

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After the recent barrage of bombs and missiles, Ukraine artist Oleksiy Kustovsky created this painting titled "Kyiv Still Beats." https://www.facebook.com/oleksy.kustovsky

”We draw people to Christ not by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and how right we are, but by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it.” — Madeleine L’Engle

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Art by Olesya Vakulenko, Ukraine https://www.facebook.com/olesya.vakulenko.14

«Черга до раю» / "The line to heaven" Оля Кравченко / Olya Kravchenko

Size: 42x32 cm Medium: egg tempera, gilding on paper, 2024 For sale at https://iconart-gallery.com/en/catalogue/#!/Olya-Kravchenko-The-line-to-heaven%E2%80%9D/p/730954768

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Olya's icons are represented by IconArt Gallery in Lviv, Ukraine. The gallery staff told me this about the icon:

This artwork is a symbolic composition in which countless human figures merge into a single stream moving through a narrow passage. The two circular forms evoke separate worlds or different states of being, while the thin red line emphasizes the path that connects them.

If you enlarge the photo, you'll see that many faces are represented.

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Artist's statement: In my paintings, I develop the ancient tradition of icon painting, using egg tempera on specially prepared boards and applying silvering and gilding, just as the old masters did. I often combine painting with contemporary art forms - installation and multimedia - which create a cohesive impression. When I create my icons, I aim to present time-honoured themes in a new way. The creation process is captivating, primarily when I depict something familiar and seen hundreds of times using the oldest painting technique, which has its unique texture and methods of volume modelling. Through this combination of the ancient and the new, I aim to captivate the viewers, who simultaneously immerse themselves and discover the depth of tradition while acquainting themselves with my work. https://iconart-gallery.com/en/artists/olga-kravchenko/ https://www.facebook.com/olya.kravchenko.art https://kravchenkoart.blogspot.com/

Pray for Kyiv Today by Rev. Maren Tirabassi*

God of mercy, we pray for Kyiv today, and all its sorrows after yet another Russian attack with ballistic and cruise missiles and all those drones. Tenderly hold those who mourn those eighteen whom we know have died, last night, while the world slept. and care for the carers of more than eighty-five injured. O holy One, who counts every star and knows every hair on a child's head, help us all to count out these one thousand five hundred ninety days of war, weeping every one, until these terrible sorrows end. amen.

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The Ukrainian government legally mandated the Enlgish spelling of "Kyiv" in 1995 to accurately reflect the Ukrainian pronunciation and assert national identity. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/cbc-pronunciation-kyiv-ukraine-crisis-explainer-1.6371766

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Another horrific night in Kyiv. Russia launched 74 missiles and nearly 500 drones against Ukraine, with Kyiv as the primary target. This was one of the heaviest attacks on Kyiv in all 4+ years of war. The attack combined Zircon hypersonic missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and Shahed drones launched simultaneously from multiple directions.

Friday has been declared a Day of Mourning in Kyiv.

Some of my friends survived by spending hours in underground bomb shelters.

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*My friend Rev. Maren C. Tirabassi is a United Church of Christ pastor who serves churches in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. She is the author of 20+ books and a former poet laureate of Portsmouth, NH.

She blogs at ‘Gifts in Open Hands’ https://giftsinopenhands.wordpress.com/

Follow Maren’s writings at https://www.facebook.com/maren.tirabassi

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In response to the onslaught acclaimed Ukraine artist Andriy Yermolenko created this image:

Ісус Христос - Виноградна лоза "Jesus Christ the Grapevine" 2026 дошка, левкас, золочення, темпера board, levkas (white primer like gesso), gilding, tempera paint 35х35см.

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Starting in the 17th century, some iconographers depicted the literal transubstantiation of Christ's blood into the Eucharist. Icons titled "Jesus Christ the Grapevine" (or the "Mystic Winepress") depict Jesus with a vine growing directly from his rib/side or feet, the juice/wine of which flows into a Eucharist chalice.

For an example from Romania, see https://www.artway.eu/posts/romanian-folk-art-jesus-christ-the-wine-press

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Danylo Movchan was born in 1979 in Lviv, Ukraine, where he lives today. He has participated in more than 100 art exhibitions. His works are in churches and private collections in Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Italy, France, Germany, Finland, Canada, USA. https://iconart-gallery.com/en/artists/danylo-movchan/

Lord Jesus, when you multiplied the loaves and fishes, you provided more than food for the body, you offered us the gift of yourself, the gift which satisfies every hunger and quenches every thirst! Your disciples were filled with fear and doubt, but you poured out your love and compassion on the migrant crowd, welcoming them as brothers and sisters.

Lord Jesus, today you call us to welcome the members of God's family who come to our land to escape oppression, poverty, persecution, violence, and war. Like your disciples, we too are filled with fear and doubt and even suspicion. We build barriers in our hearts and in our minds.

Lord Jesus, help us by your grace,

To banish fear from our hearts, that we may embrace each of your children as our own brother and sister;

To welcome migrants and refugees with joy and generosity, while responding to their many needs;

To realize that you call all people to your holy mountain to learn the ways of peace and justice;

To share of our abundance as you spread a banquet before us;

To give witness to your love for all people, as we celebrate the many gifts they bring.

We praise you and give you thanks for the family you have called together from so many people. We see in this human family a reflection of the divine unity of the one Most Holy Trinity in whom we make our prayer: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Download this in PDF, and see the Spanish translation, at https://www.usccb.org/prayers/prayer-migrants-and-refugees

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Rabindranath Tagore (1861-941) was a Bengali poet, author, playwright, musician, composer, philosopher, social reformer, painter, and one of the foremost figures of the Bengal Renaissance. In 1913, Tagore became the first Asian to win a Nobel Prize in any category, and also the first lyricist and non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Tagore was a prolific composer, with around 2,230 songs on many themes to his credit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabindranath_Tagore

Here is one of his religious songs, performed by the singer Shrabana Roy Chowdhury. English translation is below the video, followed by the original Bengali lyrics.

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English auto-translation:

Grant me a new birth—from fear into Your sanctuary of fearlessness.

From destitution to imperishable wealth, from doubt to the abode of truth,

From inertia to a life renewed—grant me a new birth.

From my own will, O Lord, into Your will—

From my self-interest, O Lord, into Your benevolent work—

From the many to the bond of the One, from joy and sorrow to the embrace of peace—

From my own self, O Lord, into You—grant me a new birth.

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Bengali lyrics as found on the Youtube page:

ভয় হতে তব অভয়মাঝে নূতন জনম দাও হে ॥

দীনতা হতে অক্ষয় ধনে, সংশয় হতে সত্যসদনে,

জড়তা হতে নবীন জীবনে নূতন জনম দাও হে ॥

আমার ইচ্ছা হইতে, প্রভু, তোমার ইচ্ছামাঝে--

আমার স্বার্থ হইতে, প্রভু, তব মঙ্গলকাজে--

অনেক হইতে একের ডোরে, সুখদুখ হতে শান্তিক্রোড়ে--

আমা হতে, নাথ, তোমাতে মোরে নূতন জনম দাও হে ॥

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Vocals: Shrabana Roy Chowdhury Music Arrangement & Direction: Dr. Upali Chattopadhyay Programming: Pradyut Chatterjee Pakhawaj: Tuhin Sengupta Esraj: Debayan Majumdar Sitar: Subhash Bose

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Follow the singer at https://www.facebook.com/shrabana.roychowdhury

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Tagore was not a Christian, but the lyrics above can certainly be sung and prayed by Christians.

A Google AI summary of Tagore's religious beliefs:

Rabindranath Tagore’s religious views were deeply humanistic, universal, and mystical, rooted in his "Religion of Man," which emphasized the divine within humanity and the rejection of dogma, caste, and institutionalized worship.

His spiritual philosophy was a synthesis of several core influences:

The Brahmo Samaj: Raised in this reformist Hindu movement, he rejected idol worship, polytheism, and rigid rituals, focusing instead on the monotheistic, all-pervading Ultimate Reality (the Brahman of the Upanishads).

The Baul Mystics: Tagore was heavily influenced by the Bauls of Bengal, wandering minstrels who sang of a "religion without walls." They taught him that God is not found in temples or scriptures, but in the heart of every human being.

Vaishnavism: His writing often reflects the Bhakti (devotional) tradition, viewing the relationship between God and humanity as one of eternal love and joyful connection, rather than fear or strict obedience.

Tagore synthesized these beliefs in his seminal book, The Religion of Man. In it, he posited that the divine essence is fully realized only through our connection with others. He did not view God as a distant, abstract entity, but rather as the "Supreme Person" who is continually expressing Himself through the vast creativity, love, and consciousness of human beings.

A 1926 portrait: