Dr. Melva Wilson Costen, a leading voice in church worship and song, died Friday at the age of 90. Her funeral services will be held Saturday, September 16, at 1:00 pm EST at Central Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. In a news release from Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary, a school where Costen had longstanding career and personal connections, her passing on Sep. 8 was announced and her influence around the globe memorialized.
Contemplation on a few things related to freedom. I have referenced a few supplemental texts in my thought process: Vincent Lloyd writes about the "false consciousness" and its interruptions (I can t breathe, say her name, blm.), Melva Wilson Costen discusses "hope in the midst of suffering", and James H. Cone defines the academic guise, the future, and apocalyptic imagination. The music however, speaks foremost and all thoughts in this episode are reflected therein.Joseph Bologne Chevalier de Saint-GeorgesSonates pou clavecin et violonAria con variazioni en sol majeurAngela DavisThe Meaning of FreedomCoporate GlobalizationDuke Ellington & John ColtraneDuke Ellington & John ColtraneMy Little Brown BookAlbert AylerNew GrassNew GhostsArchie Shepp & Horace ParlanGoin HomeAmazing GraceAndrae CrouchJust AndraeYou Ain t Livin Ornette ColemanGenesis of Genius: The Contemporary RecordingsRejoicingAngela DavisThe Meaning of FreedomDecarcerationPrince
In the Book of Order, members are called upon to be involved in the ministry of Christ’s Church in a variety of ways, including by “proclaiming the good news in word and deed” and “taking part in the common life and worship of a congregation” (G-1.0304). In our minds we could probably categorize church activities into these two separate areas, but for ruling elders, these sentences encompass wholistically our responsibility to serve as leaders of the congregation.