June 2020: All God's Critters

6/2/2020

It's time to start practicing our June Song of the Month!

St. Mark's children (and family and friends) will share the Song of the Month during the Offertory for "Computer Church" on Sunday, June 28th.

We will meet in a "breakout room" during Zoom Coffee Hour to rehearse and pre-record the song on Sunday, June 21st at 11AM. ALL are welcome! Even if you feel too shy to sing, we need LOTS and LOTS of stuffed animals to serve as "back up dancers" (with the support of their human friends) for this song! We'll also need a handful of children who are brave enough to sing just a few words of the song refrain, as well as a few older children/teens/adults who would like to play an instrument (guitar, banjo, or ukelele) and sing one of the verses (please let Sylvia+ know if you'd be willing to lead a verse!).

Below you will find a video recording, as well as song lyrics, to help you begin learning and practicing the song at home! (And here is a link to the lyrics WITH CHORDS for musicians to play in the key of D) Enjoy! sylvia+

REFRAIN:
All God’s critters got a place in the choir
Some sing low
some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
And some just clap their hands
or paws,
Or anything they got now.

VERSE 1:

Listen to the bass, it’s the one on the bottom
Where the bullfrog croaks and the hippopotamus
Moans and groans with a big t’do
And the old cow just goes moo.

VERSE 2:
The dogs and the cats they take up the middle
While the honeybee hums and the cricket fiddles,
The donkey brays and the pony neighs
And the old coyote howls.

REFRAIN:
All God’s critters got a place in the choir
Some sing low
some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
And some just clap their hands
or paws,
Or anything they got now.

VERSE 3:
Listen to the top where the little birds sing
On the melodies with the high notes ringing,
The hoot owl hollers over everything
And the jaybird disagrees.

VERSE 4:
Singin’ in the night time, singing in the day,
The little duck quacks, then he’s on his way.
The ‘possum ain’t got much to say
And the porcupine talks to himself.

REFRAIN:
All God’s critters got a place in the choir
Some sing low
some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
And some just clap their hands
or paws,
Or anything they got now.

VERSE 5:
It’s a simple song of living sung everywhere
By the ox and the fox and the grizzly bear,
The grumpy alligator the hawk above,
The sly raccoon and the turtle dove.

REFRAIN:
All God’s critters got a place in the choir
Some sing low
some sing higher
Some sing out loud on the telephone wire
And some just clap their hands
or paws,
Or anything they got now.

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Song of the Month

In early 2019 I began serving as assisting priest at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Albuquerque. St. Mark's is home to a diverse and rapidly growing faith community as well as a Montessori Preschool that serves ~50 preschool children and their families.

One of my first areas of focus at St. Mark's will be to explore creative ways to support the spiritual growth of St. Mark's families, not only at church and school, but also at home throughout the week.

We'll begin our exploration with a "Song of the Month." Each month we'll offer a simple song as an "anchor" for spiritual reflection and growth throughout the month. Parents and other adults in the St. Mark's community are encouraged to learn the song and access further materials for reflection online. Children will practice the song each week in Children's Chapel. Children will be invited to share the song with the entire St. Mark's community during worship (as the offertory anthem) on the 4th Sunday of each month.

If you are the parent/caregiver of a very young child (age 0-2), your child will still benefit enormously from daily exposure to the "Song of the Month". Even though they aren't yet singing, you can be sure they are already listening to you and learning! Experiment with incorporating the song into any part of your daily routine--waking, sleeping, bathing, dressing, diaper change, etc. From an early age, you can help your child establish a pattern of life in which prayer, spiritual practice, and song are a natural part!

If you are the parent/caregiver of an older child (age 3+) try incorporating the song and one short, thematically linked reflection question, action, or prayer into your daily routine--maybe at mealtime, at bedtime, or even during your daily commute.

If you are a teenager or adult with no young children at home, find a way to work the song into your daily routine--perhaps while your showering, driving, or cooking. Discuss the theme or reflection question with a friend or partner--or set aside some time to journal, draw, paint, blog or reflect in some other creative way on your own.

Sunday School Teachers and Small Group Leaders: Consider incorporating the "Song of the Month" or one of the relevant reflection questions into your own sessions, classes, or meetings each month if appropriate.

Everybody: Have fun! Sing out! Experiment! And above all--share your experiences and insights with one another and with me!

June 2020: All God's Critters

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Song of the Month

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