[Subject line from an African American spiritual (hymn #153 in Singing the Living Tradition)]

A good service this morning, in spite of our pianist being out due to stomach flu. It celebrated the life and work of Ella Baker, who among other things, said:

It is better to concentrate on what can be done than to despair about what cannot be done

Her favorite hymn was Guide My Feet, so that was the closing song. For the opening anthem, the chamber choir sang Ella's Song (by Bernice Johnson Reagon of Sweet Honey in the Rock). The soloist was Odessa Settles. Oh, my, my. The woman is a joy to watch when she sings, and her sound -- oh, my. For the offertory, she sang Nina Simone's "Brown Baby," and it wasn't only the woman next to me who was in tears by the time she was done.

Also: caught up with assorted folks, chatted about sports with some of the guys, got compliments on my hair and dress, touched base on committee/volunteer matters with three or four folks, nailed the high E-flats and Fs that had been giving me trouble during rehearsal, and arranged for some of the beads I'd splurged on last month to be turned into earrings.

Also: it's raining, but the weather's back to mild.

Also: I have hot tea, shortbread, the Sunday paper, and a clearer sense of where the fic-in-progress needs to go next. Onward!