In our Year of Joy and the lead up to our 156th Convention, “A Joyful Noise: Celebrating the Work of God,” we’re sharing music and songs that bring joy to people in our diocese along with brief descriptions of why the songs matter to them. Join the fun! You can send your songs and stories to communications@cnyepiscopal.org. Don’t want to share a story? That’s fine, too! Just share your song(s) and we’ll add them to our already-very-eclectic playlist on Spotify!
Music and I go way back. I have so many memories with music at the center. My sisters were the first ones to really shape my musical tastes, and from there, well I’m not entirely sure how I ended up enjoying such a weird variety. However I got here, though, I’m glad I did. Nothing brings me joy quite like those songs that just get down in my bones. Here’s a taste of some of my favorite joy-bringing tunes:
Space Girl by The Imagined Village
Love Like You by Rebecca Sugar
10 Years by Dadi Freyr
Are You Having Any Fun – Elaine Stritch
Hallelujah – Martin Sexton
I hope these tunes bring you some joy as you give ’em a listen! There are many more I could’ve written about, and some I’m sure bring me joy where they might take you elsewhere. Part of what I love about this variety is that it helps me practice finding joy in unexpected places. Some of the songs are a little somber or downright sad and yet, somehow, the beauty of the music itself makes me look at the somber or the sad and see glimmers of hope and joy even in those harder emotions. Who knows? Maybe that transfers to the rest of my life, too! – Fr. Brooks Cato, St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Hamilton
