This song was written in honor of a sermon about pub churches (see the references at the end). I’ve yet to compose the music, but it was read as a poem for the readings of that church service wherein the sermon was spoken.
A Sacred Space is Any Place*
A woman kneels down on the floor of her shop.
She prays to Allah, for at times, she must stop
To be devotee to her God.
A group of folks gather with laughter and beer
To talk and to pray, to sing and to cheer,
To voice holy hopes in a pub.
The hapless, the homeless, the privileged few
come together outside to worship anew
in common; with spirit, they share their grub.
Any place can be sacred space:
Not arches or gargoyles nor stained glass or statues
Need make it a place of prayer.
A holy hall is not the objects inside it,
Nor its brick, nor its mortar,
But the honest intent of those gathered there.
The walls of a prison and cells solitary
Once were thought to enforce a penitent passion,
like a monk’s confinement, but involuntary.
In Eastern State Penitentiary
A Catholic sinner painted mural and altar,
Created a chapel, a place for “Hail, Mary”.
In its temple Jews prayed “Adonai” aloud.
Neither rabbi nor priest were too proud
To make sacred those walls so contrary.
Any place can be sacred space:
The penitents’ purity is not necessary
To make it a place of prayer.
A church’s charisma is not in its beauty,
Nor in its richness or oldness of duty–
It’s the honest intent of those gathered there.
A coven of witches form a circle in a bower.
To them, earth and wind and fauna and flora,
Contain the spirits of earth’s blessing power.
A flock of youths follow a leader, to mountaintop climb.
Sun’s shadow on meadow and hill, sweet birdsong, and
smell of fresh air carve a cathedral of wonder sublime.
A chapel, a temple, a parlor, or bar,
A forest, a garden, or bare mountain side–
A church may be simply the place that you are.
Any place can be sacred space:
Neither flowers, nor candles, nor chalice,
Nor pews, nor pipes, nor granite stair,
Nor pages, nor preachers, nor orders of service,
Nor ushers, nor music, nor walls like a palace,
Just the honest intent of those gathered there.
– for Terry (10/13/2011)
*Inspired by these blogs
“Religions of Harlem”
http://religionsofharlem.org/2011/02/22/sacred-spaces-gothic-cathedral-and-beauty-supply-store/
“The Pub Church”
http://thepubchurch.blogspot.com/2008/07/pub-church-gathering-this-week.html
The Muses of Happiness 
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