Spirit Dancing, in Summerland

Notes by Ken Gray:

I am Looking forward to Sunday’s Pentecost service shared between St. Stephen’s Anglican Church and Summerland United Church. We share costs and facilities between us at our historic 1910 location in downtown Summerland. Now a few years into a very special relationship between our congregations, we occasionally gather together for shared worship on high days and holy days, including this Sunday.

In designing the service I turned to the hymn “Spirit dancing on the waters,” a hymntext by Walter Farquharson with music by Lori Erhardt in my own arrangement . Both theological students in Saskatoon from 1987-1989, Lori and I recorded a number of songs including “Spirit Dancing” for an album titled “Prairie Gospel.” (It may still be available in local pawn shops in a 78 rpm format.) Spirit dancing was subsequently included in Voices United, a hymnal for the United Church of Canada. It is such fun to include it in our local worship here after many years.

Walter Farquharson, (Rosetown, Saskatchewan, May 30, 1936- ) is a United Church minister of a single pastorate, a “tentmaker” ministry” at Saltcoats, Saskatchewan which he combined with teaching English in the town’s high school. He was also moderator of the United Church of Canada from 1990-92. He is known for many hymn texts including my personal favourite: “God who gives to life it’s goodness.” The text for Spirit dancing reads:

Spirit dancing on the waters,
sun reflecting song of grace 
calling life to all the creatures,
giving life to human race.

Spirit dancing on the waters,
naming moment they should part,
giving freedom to the peoples,
signed for all in dancer’s art.

Spirit dancing on the waters,
paradox of womb and grave,
welcome now the Word child’s coming,
no one prisoner, no one slave.

Spirit dancing on the waters,
can the dance by cross be stilled?
Earth be shaken! Dead awaken!
What was emptied shall be filled.

Spirit dancing on the waters,
give your people their new birth,
healing, loving one another
in community and earth.

Spirit dancing on the waters,
we would come and dance with you
till our world is filled with music
and in Christ all things are new.

Enjoy a video singalong version here.

In contrast to other interpretations of Pentecost, where fiery tongues break into an upstairs room with disruptive, noisy energy, Farquharson’s text is light, airy, and playful, full of scriptural allusions and natural imagery, all clustered around a cosmic dancer, bringing life to all creation, without restriction or reservation. An Indigenous appreciation for life goes:

“We dance to celebrate life; to show we are grateful for all our treasures. We must dance to show our history, since our history is always passed on in songs and dances. It is very important to tell the stories in exactly the same way. We put our stories into songs and into dances so they will not change.”

So our dance continues, this Sunday and at all times. Summerland United is blessed with fine musical leadership. I can’t wait to hear how the Spirit dances through our gathered congregations on Pentecost Sunday.

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