yesterday, i took the ys staff on a mystery field trip. i sent out an appointment request the day before, told them it was manditory, and that we would meet in the lobby of our building at 1:30 and return at 4:30. of course, they all had guesses. some correctly guessed that we were going to a movie; but none correctly guessed the movie.
we went to see young at heart, a documentary about a choir of elderly folk (average age = 80) who sing rock songs. this group had become popular virally though youtube a year or more ago. and the full-length documentary about them opened a few weeks ago.
it was really wonderful. amazing how these songs take on a different light when sung by people 80 or 90 years old. the ramones’ classic lines, “i want to be sedated,” has a different vibe; rod stewart’s (actually, it wasn’t his song first — but his is the version i know) “forever young” morphs into first-person commentary rather than third-person suggestion. the show-stopper, and i doubt there was a dry ys staffer eye in the audience, was a very sweet old man singing a solo that was supposed to be a duet. but his duet partner died earlier in the week of the performance. the words of the cold play song were haunting and beautiful:
And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can’t replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
try to catch this in a theater if you can (it’s still showing at some art theaters). otherwise, be sure to check it out when it releases in other formats. it’s a great movie to see with others. would be good to watch with any group (including teenagers) and have a talk about growing old and staying young.
this is why i took the ys staff to see it (besides just wanting to do something fun together): we want to be young at heart. we want ys to be growing and changing and morphing and open and embracing life and curious and innocent and naive and playful and creative and imaginative and optimistic and un-selfconscious. ooh, yes. make it so, god.
Interesting in light of the fight churches have had over the last 20 years in regard to worship style.
That said, our church loves the fact that our oldest members, 95 now I think, come consistently to our contemporary service instead of our traditional service!
Sounds like a great movie.