"It's only in community that you will hear singing" --John McKnight

In The Pastoral Voice of Robert Perske Bill Gaventa writes about Robert (Bob):

He has been riding with a number of the self-advocates at the conference in the proverbial agency van, and realized how intently they were singing along to some of John Denver's songs about country, freedom, and home. Bob simply noted that if we were part of a disability movement in this country, it was the first movement that had not had a song.

For me, that question, "What's our song?", became a metaphor for talking about the importance of reclaiming spirit and emotion in professionals, for hearing the voices of the artists, the musicians, and humanities in the world of disability, and for finding new ways to respect and honor the soul of the movement.

At the recent Summer Institute on Theology and Disability Bill Gaventa made some suggestions on what the songs of the disability and religion movement might be:

This Little Light of Mine

Amazing Grace

Country Roads (West Virginia, Take Me Home)

Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen

Oh, Freedom

Blessed be the Tie that Binds

Don't Walk in Front of Me

All God's Critters Got a Place in the Choir

Its Awesome

By the late singer/songwriter Tom Hunt, I was unable to find the music online, but you can purchase the song from www.tomhunter.com. Includes the lyrics, "It's awesome, to be surrounded by people who are not sorry for what you cannot do!" Hopefully some of these songs will good for a boost next time you are feeling down. What favorites songs do you have that you would add to the list?