Singing is a regular and meaningful part of worship at West Raleigh Presbyterian Church, and that includes singing songs from a wide variety of cultural origins. But singing songs from outside our own culture raises an important question: How can we make sure that we sing with those outside our own cultural experiences when we sing their songs?
Over the last two years, the worship committee has engaged in discussion about how West Raleigh, as a predominantly white congregation, can ensure that when we sing African American spirituals or the music of indigenous people, we do so with respect and integrity, honoring the origins of that music and the contexts in which brought deep meaning to generations. With regard to African American spirituals in particular, this means being aware of the contexts of enslavement, racism and white supremacy out of which many of these songs came, and within which these songs expressed hope, anger, determination and defiance.
The committee has discussed a number of things we will want to keep in mind when the congregation or choir sings this music, such as providing resources to help the congregation learn about the history and meaning of African American spirituals or the music of indigenous peoples sung in worship. We’ve also discussed compensation and royalties. One significant issue with regard to these songs is that those who wrote and composed them received no compensation for others’ use of them. Presbyterian Publishing Corporation has undertaken to remedy that with regard to African American spirituals and songs of indigenous peoples that appear in Glory to God: The Presbyterian Hymnal by making contributions to appropriate restorative justice organizations in amounts equal to royalties that would have been paid to an author or composer. The Rev. Dr. Bridgett A. Greene, vice-president for publishing of PPC (who preached at West Raleigh last summer), has encouraged Presbyterian congregations, seminaries and colleges to consider doing something similar when they sing spirituals or the songs of indigenous people. West Raleigh’s music director, Jen Wolfe, and the worship committee have been exploring what that might look like for us.
After a great deal of exploration, we are pleased that this week, when the nation has marked Juneteenth, West Raleigh’s music program, with the endorsement of the Session, has made a $500 restorative contribution on behalf of the church to the Performing Arts Club at Southeast Raleigh Elementary School. Southeast Raleigh Elementary, on Rock Quarry Rd., is a Title I school with 99% economically disadvantaged students and 70% African American students. Kimberly Butler, an African-American first-year music teacher at the school, changed careers from finance because of her passion for music.
Southeast Raleigh Elementary has a Performing Arts Club that does 2 or 3 productions a year; their Black History Month production one is the biggest. Kim wants to expand the Club, now just open to 4th and 5th-graders, to the other grades, and she'd also like to start a choral program. She has percussion instruments and some access to keyboards for the Club, but not much else other than lots of passion and energy. We are excited about the possibility of not only providing some funds for the Club’s use, but also of building a relationship with Kim and her students.
As a Matthew 25 congregation, West Raleigh Presbyterian Church has committed itself to dismantling structural racism. We hope this reparative act - an act grounded in repairing multigenerational injustice - and commitment to authentic relationship will create opportunities for healing and a new way forward.
Kimberly Butler with West Raleigh Director of Music Jen Wolfe and Southeast Raleigh Elementary Principal Lamar Hill.
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