on the road again, with the band

The Psalters' big black bus showed up at Plow Creek yesterday to drop someone off and then had to leave right away for the Jesus Radicals conference in Chicago. So Heather and I jumped on (Heather didn't even have time to go back for her shoes).

The Psalters are traveling musicians, a community of troubadours, pilgrims in a converted bus full of instruments, good books, and a little dog named Catfish. We had a lot in common. I hope to keep in touch with them. And the music was great at the foot washing service last night. Here's one of the songs they did (a gypsy-sounding version of it, with accordion, violin, and drums):

Will you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you?
Pray that I might have the grace to let you be my servant, too.

We are pilgrims on a journey, we are trav'lers on the road.
We are here to help each other walk the mile and bear the load.

I will hold the Christ-light for you in the night time of your fear.
I will hold my hand out to you, speak the peace you long to hear.

I will weep when you are weeping, when you laugh I'll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow till we've seen this journey through.

When we sing to God in heaven, we shall find such harmony,
born of all we've known together of Christ's love and agony.

Will you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you?
Pray that I might have the grace to let you be my servant, too.

Andy's preaching was also very good. A transcript is available here. And the Psalters closed worship with their own song, "Refugee our Home." We all made a tramping sound with our feet for the basic rhythm, and chanted the low "Home, Home" mantra:

Revolution come free us,
Holy Brother us desert wanderers have no place to call home
Physician come heal us
Holy Mender us blind ol lepers can not find our way home

Refugee just like me please don't leave You're our only...
Home, Home, Home, Home...

Compassion come save us
Holy Lover us warmongers ruined this place we call home

Refugee just like me please don't leave You're our only...
Home, Home, Home, Home...