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Hello Music that Makes Community Friends,
As the current Monday Morning Grounding season comes to a close, we will be taking a summer break. After our summer break, Monday Morning Grounding will resume from August 3, 2026-December 7, 2026. Same Zoom link, same time.
Those who show up find that they are fed, filled and grounded for the week ahead, particularly in these turbulent times. You’ll leave with a song to carry you through the week. If you can’t regularly make it to Monday Morning Grounding, we wanted to share the resources from this past season with you. Although they were particular to a day and this season, in some respects, they are timeless and timely songs and poems for the coming days as well.
Monday Morning Grounding Songs We Sang: April 13-July 6, 2026
April 13, 2026
Leaders/Co-Hosts: Nancy Willbanks & Amy Steenson
Song: Unlearning by Liz Digitale Anderson
- Music on Liz's SoundCloud
- Included in the Sacred Lands Playlist, developed through a partnership between MMC and the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of DiscoveryText: Longing to Belong by Mary Schnorrenberg
- Text on Website
Song: I Belong by Sarina Partridge
- Music on Sarina's Bandcamp
- Included in the Sacred Lands Playlist, developed through a partnership between MMC and the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery
April 20, 2026
Leaders/Co-Hosts: Nancy Willbanks & Amy Steenson
Reflection: Theme from the Alliance of Baptists 2026 Annual Gathering
- Text on Website
Song: Return, Repair, Renew by Nancy Wilbanks
- Music on Nancy's Substack Blog
Text: Isaiah 58:9b-12, NRSVUE
Song: Carry this All by Alexandra "Ahlay" Blakely
- Music from Ahlay
April 27, 2026
Leaders/Co-Hosts: Nancy Willbanks & Amy Steenson
Song: Loosen, Loosen, Baby by Aly Halpert
- Music on YouTube
Text: From The Relaxed Woman: Reclaim Rest and Live and Empowered, Joy-Filled Life by Nicola Jane Hobbs
- Text on Website
Song: I Release Control by Alexa Sunshine Rose
- Music on Alexa's SoundCloud
- Video on YouTube
- Included in The Bird Sings Oral Tradition Song Library
May 4, 2026
Leader: Mira Kehoe
Host: Nancy Willbanks / Amy SteensonSong: And When I Rise by Wendy Tuck
text by Wendell Berry from Farming: A Handbook (1967), Stanza VIII on page 57, "Prayers and Sayings of the Mad Farmer"- Music on Website
Text: Let Me Live a Little More by Jocelyn Sorian
- Poem on Website
Song: God Beyond All Names by John L. Bell
from We Walk His Way (2008) WGRG, Iona community (admin. GIA Publications, Inc.)- Music on Website
May 11, 2026
Leaders/Co-Hosts: Nancy Willbanks & Amy Steenson
Song: Hope is Deeper by David Poole
text from Celtic Treasures by John Philip Newell- Music on David's SoundCloud
Text: Before You Despair by Steve Garnaas-Holmes
- Text on Website
Song: Lead with Love by Melanie DeMore
- Video on YouTube
May 18, 2026
Leaders/Co-Hosts: Nancy Willbanks & Amy Steenson
Song: Filament of Love by Carl Adair
- Music on Carl's SoundCloud
Text: Not That I Like It, But I Tell Myself by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
- Text on Website
Song: Sending You Light by Melanie DeMore
- Video on YouTube
May 25, 2026
Leaders/Co-Hosts: Nancy Willbanks & Amy Steenson
Song: Come Holy Spirit by John L. Bell
- Video on YouTube
Text: When We Breathe Together by Jan Richardson
- Poem on Website
Song: Listening by Lea Morris
- Video on YouTube
June 1, 2026
Leaders/Co-Hosts: Nancy Willbanks & Amy Steenson
Song: Open Unto Me by Nancy Willbanks
text by Howard Thurman- Music on Nancy's Substack Blog
Text: The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer
- Poem on Website
June 8, 2026
Leaders/Co-Hosts: Nancy Willbanks & Amy Steenson
Song: Teach Us by Cricket Cooper
text from T.S. Elliot's poem Ash Wednesday- Video on YouTube
Text: Prayer Before the Prayer by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu
- Text on Website
Song: Our Attention is Prayer by Katie Reimer
based on words from May Oliver- Video on YouTube
June 15, 2026
Leaders/Co-Hosts: Nancy Willbanks & Amy Steenson
Song: Love Your Neighbor, tune by Richard Gillard, words by Nancy Willbanks
- Music on Nancy's Substack Blog
Text: Love Your Neighbor by Ullie-Kaye
- Poem on Website
Song: How Shall We Come Together? by Maggie Wheeler
- Music on Website
June 22, 2026
Leader/Host: Nancy Willbanks
Song: God is Here Today by Javier Gacías Mateo
- Video on YouTube
Text: The Great Chorus by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
- Poem on Website
Song: Butterflyfish by Matthew Myer Boulton
- Video on YouTube
June 29, 2026
Leaders/Co-Hosts: Nancy Willbanks & Amy Steenson
Song: Wake Up and Welcome the Day! by Nancy Willbanks
text inspired by Diana Butler Bass- Music on Nancy’s Substack Blog
Text: Morning Poem by Mary Oliver
- Poem on Website
Song: Thank You for This Day by The Native American Church Movement
- Video on YouTube
July 6, 2026
Leaders/Co-Hosts: Nancy Willbanks & Amy Steenson
Song: Hold to the Wisdom by Chandler Yorkhall
- Music on Chandler's SoundCloud
- Included in the Sacred Lands Playlist, developed through a partnership between MMC and the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery
Text: A DEFENSE OF JOY by Mario Benedetti, translated by Maria Popova
- Poem on Website
Song: Joy and Justice by Nancy Willbanks
- Music on Nancy’s Substack Blog
If you have a song to share, or a poem, or both, you are welcome to sign up to lead all or part of our thirty minute gathering, (10 a.m. Eastern, 9 a.m. Central, 8 a.m. Mountain, 7 a.m. Pacific). We ask that you come at least once to get a flavor of the gathering and we’ll put a link to the sign up sheet in the chat on Zoom. We stay on for a time of conversation, check-in and connection, for another 15 minutes.
If you just need to come to be filled, to find comfort, hope, space for laughter, fun and song, you are welcome to come just as you are, and receive.Sincerely,
Nancy Willbanks and Amy Steenson
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