With a worship theme of lighthouses, the choir will sing “Light and the Sea” by Dar Williams and “Alma Redemptoris” by Palestrina, as well as invite everyone to sing “Put a Woman in Charge” by Keb’ Mo’.

From her album In the Time of Gods, Dar Williams’s song “The Light and the Sea” began with the notion of the sea god Poseidon but became a meditation on retaining a compass. She explained, “As I get older, my big struggle isn’t being virtuous and moral, it’s more about what I do in chaos… there’s a light to follow, and you can lose it. You need to find your personal beacon. It’s not just making god happy it’s what you do when your whole world is falling apart and you need to find all sorts of different ways to make it an epic journey, just to get through your day.”

The Latin text Alma Redemptoris, beautifully set by Palestrina, is a devotional text to Mary and includes the image of her as a beacon:

Star of the Sea
give aid to a falling people that strives to rise.

Rev. Claire requested Keb’ Mo’s “Put a Woman in Charge” to close today’s service! Keb’ Mo’ says, “’Put a Woman in Charge’ is about trying something else. There have been a lot of great achievements made by men or by the masculine, but maybe, just maybe, we’ve gotten too comfortable with the imbalance of men in power and have fallen short by not listening to and embracing what women have to offer when they lead.”

Written in 2018, the song’s video is dedicated to Keb’ Mo’s mom, who died at the age of 91, “because she was a strong and powerful leader.” The song has received new recognition in the past few months, including several video remixes for the 2024 election.

May it be so!

— Chris E.