Gospel and FolkMusic at the First Congregational Church Wareham.

This past Wednesday, two ministers, visited the First Congregational Church Wareham in the form of traveling musicians.   Leslie Lee, vocalist and songwriter, and Steve Gretz, vocals, guitar, narrator, and songwriter, performed two sets of a mix of gospel and folk music at the Fellowship Hall of the Church.

The first set began with a mix of upbeat (“Keep on the Sunny Side”) and thoughtful songs (“Just a Little Man,” “All My Troubles Seem Small”), which then led into an original song called “Children of God.”  Some of the words of the chorus to “Children of God” were:  “As children of God, we are choosing to care for the poor and the lonely, those lost in despair, living for justice in a world that’s unfair, offering a hand, hope, and a prayer…”

Children of God was followed by: “You Don’t Love God (If You Don’t Love Your Neighbor).”  The words came from the Bible, Mark 12:28-31. Check it out:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  There is no commandment greater than these”.

Both “Children of God” and “You Don’t Love God” were done in a way which emphasized grace and not heavy handedness.

The second set led off with “What’s so Funny (‘bout peace, love and understanding)” which is an uplifting folk song about a serious subject.   I thought one of the highlights of the second set was another original song called “One Great Hour to Share” which can be explained better by the actual words: “When all accounts are squared, the question that will matter most is did they know you cared?  When the wind, and the rain and the hurricane, left me homeless on the street, did you give me clothes and shelter, did you give me food to eat…my greatest time of need was your one great hour to share.”

Since I was sitting with two teachers, I am inspired to give a homework assignment:   Please read the following in the Bible:  Matthew  25: 31-40.

The concert ended with Leonard Cohen’s folk classic “Hallelujah.”  In the end Hallelujah, and I had a good time, too.