It's been years since I've been in a Unitarian Universalist congregation but this song always feels like I'm coming home. So, so grateful for this in times of joy and times of sorrow.
Wow. I grew up at Cedar Lane UU, which was the sister congregation to/with All Souls. Kind of off topic yet certainly not off topic of the spirit of life, really, is my cherished memory of the time that we had a potluck with All Souls at Cedar Lane and someone from All Souls brought KALE. I had never tasted kale before and I thought it was the most delicious thing I'd ever tasted and proceeded to bug my Mom from that moment forward to make kale, which, though she was a good cook, she couldn't do the way the person from All Souls did. To this day, whenever I have kale (which is often), somewhere in my heart, I'm reminded of All Souls UU Church in DC and how we had that soul food potluck at Cedar Lane all those years ago and it truly was soul food. This song is soul food, too, and oh how I needed to hear it tonight. Thank you, All Souls.
Thank you so much for posting this. I found it today when I searched for "roots hold me close wings set me free" something I had remembered as a child and later an adult UU to try to find a way to heal from what is happening these days. How special to have it come from Washington DC . May you all find peace and stay warm and healthy. Love and Hugs from Tracy in the "other" Washington (state).
This is Music THERAPY for me today. I loved watching all the faces including children singing and laying on Mommies Lap. The song has so much meaning. I will need to look up the lyrics as I was not able to understand every word, but the spirit of the composition and the harmonies I heard touched my soul deeply.
Here it is in English: Spirit of Life, come unto me. Sing in my heart all the stirrings of compassion, Blow in the wind, rise in the sea; move in the hand, giving life the shape of justice. Roots hold me close; wings set me free: Spirit of life, come to me, come to me. And Spanish: Fuente de Amor, ven hacia mí. Y al corazón, cántale tu compasión. Sopla al volar, sube en la mar; Hasta moldear la justicia de la vida. Arráigame, libérame, Fuente de Amor, ven a mí, ven a mí. Carolyn McDade, Spanish trans. Rev. Lilia Cuervo and Ervin Barrios
The Church of the Larger Fellowship (UU) plays an instrumental version of this at the end of service. The other day I found myself humming it and taking awhile to remember where I'd heard it. Then tonight I learned it had words!
It is my favorite hymn and one I have quietly sung at numerous non UU funeral services-often no one knowing I am singing as I stand by the casket. I will have it sung at my service as well one day. This video is in our Fellowship's newsfeed this week per my request from the UU Fellowship at Stony Brook in NY State. Blessings to all of you for the beautiful rendition.
This is so gorgeous!!!! I think it's the most beautiful arrangement of this song that I've ever heard. Also I love that there are some folks singing along with sign language
Completely touched and inspired here in Seattle after seeing this shared through our University Unitarian Church! Glorious voices in song! Thank you all!
Thank you! This is so beautifully done. I'll send out the link to our network of Carolyn McDade/Sacred Web/Gaia Sisters singers so more can enjoy hearing it.
Beautiful job. We would also love to be able to play this video at the end of our UU virtual service on Google Hangout. How do we get permission to do so? Wishing you safety and good health.
Wow! Beautiful. May I have permission to play this video for our Zoom Service this Sunday? I am the Music Director at Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation in AZ.
Just seeing this request. Thanks for asking! You're welcome to use the video. Please play it in its entirety, and please don't repost to another channel.
My "journey" to finding this performance started in the Andover, Massachusetts, U.U. church, '70s-'80s under (witty !!) Dr. Randy Becker--I look him up and enjoy a whole TH-cam-carried sermon (a lifetime first for this viewer). ...uh...actually THAT journey began (I KNOW smart U.U.'s can follow such digressions) at a checkout counter at? (where else?) the trendy, hip Trader Joe's. The typically bright, with-it checker-outer I gauge to be open to some ?? kale jokes ... AND ?? some Birkenstock references. ...What in the world has this to do with ????? See below--the post from a no-doubt trendy, hip poster vis a vis ?? kale vis a vis U.U.'s. Is that not a JOKE from The Universe--this journey from 1/2 a century ago-to-being moved by a nice lady singing with nice piano-to-THIS performance-to ?? a KALE reference? ?? Let's call it A Witticism--because nothing but POSITIVE vibes dwell in these digressions. U.U.'s--you rock. Amateur singing can be ... ? amateur singing; but THIS musicianship, videography, etc, was very well done. Thank you. And to all; go in peace, health and whereever appropriate smiling, even laughing.
One of my favorite hymns, ever! I want it at my memorial service, when I move on!
I can't imagine a UU who isn't touched by this song each time we sing it.
It's been years since I've been in a Unitarian Universalist congregation but this song always feels like I'm coming home. So, so grateful for this in times of joy and times of sorrow.
Welcome home from a fellow UU.
Carolyn McDade she has given such a gift to humanity. She deserves so much praise.
I cannot watch without tears flowing. Just beautiful !
Wow. I grew up at Cedar Lane UU, which was the sister congregation to/with All Souls. Kind of off topic yet certainly not off topic of the spirit of life, really, is my cherished memory of the time that we had a potluck with All Souls at Cedar Lane and someone from All Souls brought KALE. I had never tasted kale before and I thought it was the most delicious thing I'd ever tasted and proceeded to bug my Mom from that moment forward to make kale, which, though she was a good cook, she couldn't do the way the person from All Souls did. To this day, whenever I have kale (which is often), somewhere in my heart, I'm reminded of All Souls UU Church in DC and how we had that soul food potluck at Cedar Lane all those years ago and it truly was soul food. This song is soul food, too, and oh how I needed to hear it tonight. Thank you, All Souls.
Thank you so much for posting this. I found it today when I searched for "roots hold me close wings set me free" something I had remembered as a child and later an adult UU to try to find a way to heal from what is happening these days. How special to have it come from Washington DC . May you all find peace and stay warm and healthy. Love and Hugs from Tracy in the "other" Washington (state).
I miss this...
Thank you so much - this is my favorite UU Hymn. I listened 3 times in a row and cried all the way through each. Love and Blessings to you all.
Thank you for this video.
Fantastic!!!
This is Music THERAPY for me today. I loved watching all the faces including children singing and laying on Mommies Lap. The song has so much meaning. I will need to look up the lyrics as I was not able to understand every word, but the spirit of the composition and the harmonies I heard touched my soul deeply.
Here it is in English:
Spirit of Life, come unto me.
Sing in my heart all the stirrings of compassion,
Blow in the wind, rise in the sea;
move in the hand, giving life the shape of justice.
Roots hold me close; wings set me free:
Spirit of life, come to me, come to me.
And Spanish:
Fuente de Amor, ven hacia mí.
Y al corazón, cántale tu compasión.
Sopla al volar, sube en la mar;
Hasta moldear la justicia de la vida.
Arráigame, libérame,
Fuente de Amor, ven a mí, ven a mí.
Carolyn McDade,
Spanish trans. Rev. Lilia Cuervo and Ervin Barrios
And I just saw that they printed the lyrics already in the comments under the video. Just click "MORE."
Love this ❤️ and sharing. ~ a Roman Catholic
This is so wonderful!! Thank you all so much.
Thank you!! 💜 Just the lift my spirit needed. So many wonderful memories of singing this song in UU churches through the years b
Thank you so very much -- to All Souls and to Virtual Choirs everywhere.
Gorgeous
A beautiful rendicion that lifted my spirits and brought tears to my eyes. Thank you.
Sorry for the typo. Meant to type rendition.
Here I am in Roseburg, Oregon, separated by time and distance feeling moved by your video.
This is beautifully done! It brings tears to my eyes.
The Church of the Larger Fellowship (UU) plays an instrumental version of this at the end of service. The other day I found myself humming it and taking awhile to remember where I'd heard it. Then tonight I learned it had words!
So beautiful and so amazing!! Thank you for sharing this, I loved it.
It is my favorite hymn and one I have quietly sung at numerous non UU funeral services-often no one knowing I am singing as I stand by the casket. I will have it sung at my service as well one day. This video is in our Fellowship's newsfeed this week per my request from the UU Fellowship at Stony Brook in NY State. Blessings to all of you for the beautiful rendition.
Thank you! So moving, especially now.
Beautifully done! Would love for our choir to sing this some time. Very touching and powerful!
Lord bless y’all. Love this song.
my favorite part of every service...
FABULOUS. Thank you so much for your ministry.
thank you-
Don't be shy! DROP DA ALBUM!
This is so gorgeous!!!! I think it's the most beautiful arrangement of this song that I've ever heard. Also I love that there are some folks singing along with sign language
Bravo!! Wonderful, soaring - what is so needed. Thank you!
Oh, how I miss singing this in the balcony with Jose.
Completely touched and inspired here in Seattle after seeing this shared through our University Unitarian Church! Glorious voices in song! Thank you all!
Thank you from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Spirit of Life is my favourite song in the hymnal.
Amazing. Had tears seeing you all and thinking of the community. Sending grace to you all.
Makes me shed tears every time ❤️🙏
Beautiful. So sings my soul. Greetings from UUC in Blacksburg, VA
I know this by heart, and this makes my heart happy. Thank You.
Beautiful
Absolutely gorgeous! Happy Easter from the Unitarian Church in Charleston, SC!
Stunning! Thank you!
Beautiful!
Thank you! This is so beautifully done. I'll send out the link to our network of Carolyn McDade/Sacred Web/Gaia Sisters singers so more can enjoy hearing it.
Can I use this video in my virtual sunday service?
Please email allsouls@allsouls.ws with your request, with some information about who you are. Thanks.
at least there are still some congregations who get to sing this song together ;-;
Beautiful job. We would also love to be able to play this video at the end of our UU virtual service on Google Hangout. How do we get permission to do so? Wishing you safety and good health.
Thank you, H Cohen. Safety and good health to you, too! Please email your request to Gary Penn (gpenn@allsouls.ws).
Great job! Beautiful and uplifting!! As a choir director interested in these types of videos, what software do you use to link them?
Adobe Premiere Pro for the video editing.
This is absolutely spectacular! May we use the video for our church services?
Thanks, Ben. So glad you enjoyed it! Please email your request to Gary Penn (gpenn@allsouls.ws).
Wow! Beautiful. May I have permission to play this video for our Zoom Service this Sunday? I am the Music Director at Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation in AZ.
Just seeing this request. Thanks for asking! You're welcome to use the video. Please play it in its entirety, and please don't repost to another channel.
Language 1st verse ?
Spanish.
@@allsoulschurchdc Gracias
@@allsoulschurchdc: Could you please let me know where to find these lyrics?
@@martyharding3430 Just put the lyrics in the video description above.
What language is sung at the beginning?
Spanish. See the lyrics under the "MORE" button below the video.
captions would be nice....
My "journey" to finding this performance started in the Andover, Massachusetts, U.U. church, '70s-'80s under (witty !!) Dr. Randy Becker--I look him up and enjoy a whole TH-cam-carried sermon (a lifetime first for this viewer).
...uh...actually THAT journey began (I KNOW smart U.U.'s can follow such digressions) at a checkout counter at? (where else?) the trendy, hip Trader Joe's. The typically bright, with-it checker-outer I gauge to be open to some ?? kale jokes ... AND ?? some Birkenstock references.
...What in the world has this to do with ????? See below--the post from a no-doubt trendy, hip poster vis a vis ?? kale vis a vis U.U.'s. Is that not a JOKE from The Universe--this journey from 1/2 a century ago-to-being moved by a nice lady singing with nice piano-to-THIS performance-to ?? a KALE reference? ?? Let's call it A Witticism--because nothing but POSITIVE vibes dwell in these digressions.
U.U.'s--you rock. Amateur singing can be ... ? amateur singing; but THIS musicianship, videography, etc, was very well done. Thank you.
And to all; go in peace, health and whereever appropriate smiling, even laughing.