Church

The Church Where We Are
Written for the church in lockdown during the COVID epidemic.
Used as a theme song for Pilgrim Church (Adelaide) digital services of worship.

An Earth Communion
Performed at Pilgrim Uniting Church, Adelaide, November 21,2021

Composed by Geoff Boyce, Rod Boucher and Andrew Dutney
Honouring Jeffrey Telfer
Performed by the Pilgrim Band conducted By Geoff Boyce, with Rod Boucher
and Andrew Dutney for the Pilgrim 9.30 Community, November 21, 2021

Musicians:
Trish Brice, Violin, representing the Life-Force
Allen Edwards, Didgeridoo, representing the Land
Jeffrey Telfer, Clarinet, representing the Seed.
Genevieve Bassani, Flute, representing the Sunlight
Rod Boucher, Guitar and Voice, representing Meaning
Jenny Ward, Piano, representing the Seasons
Ruth Farrent, Djembe, representing Indigenous Peoples
Margaret Chittleborough, Bass, representing Life Moments
Graham Brice, Percussion

The Video:
We are first introduced to the steady beat, the energy of the ‘Gaia’/ Life-force/Holy Spirit (Violin and Mallet) and the sustained presence of the Land (Didgeridoo) populated by Indigenous People. 
A wheat Seed (Clarinet) lies dormant in the dark ground.
It responds to the Life-force and begins its struggle of transformation.
The Sun (Flute) rises and sets, each day bringing warmth to the Land.
The Seed responds, continuing its struggle to break free from its isolation in darkness, to emerge as green shoots into the world of light. 
The Sun (Flute) is joined by the Life-force (Violin), beckoning the new shoots to a community of green and welcoming the Weather (Piano) of the rainy season to offer rain, its precious, essential gift to new life.
The community of wheat in the fields matures; the Piano announces summer weather – the time for harvest.
Machines (Percussion) reap and gather the seeds and grind them into flour.
The flour is transformed into dough and baked in the oven to become bread – foundational food for human life.
As the freshly baked bread is offered, the Meaning of the bread and wine as elements of ‘Communion’ is sung (Guitar and Voice) and the universality of the Means of God’s provision is celebrated, as the process of sowing seed in the fields begins again.
The cycle of life continues.

The video was produced by Geoff Boyce with copyright-free images from the Internet.
The song, reflecting a passage from the ancient Didache, was composed by Andrew Dutney