New Years celebration at the Salt Lick, 2011
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Jackson and Barbara Boyett
Jackson Boyett
Shock. Disbelief. It can’t be. Kenny Smith called me Wednesday morning, early, and asked if I had heard on the news that Ernest Boyett and his wife had been killed in an auto accident in southwest Austin the night before. Was Jackson’s name Ernest? Kenny was sure it was, but I had only known him as Jackson. It couldn’t be, but it was. Two lovely people, gone from us in a flash.
The internal struggle to rationalize something that is random and makes no sense whatsoever churns for days. I don’t remember when I first met Jackson, but I remember we hit it off, having a similar sense of humor about religious things and we were both intent on living a life of faith. We both attended Central Assembly of God in the mid 1970s. Our community was full of life and activity and our youth-ish group, like many, resurrected the ever-cyclical ‘coffee house’ setting. Jackson was a student at Austin Presbyterian Seminary and he and a friend, Jim Gill, were regular performers, sharing in song and stories with gospel centric themes. Jackson and Jim were both very talented, artistic, relevant and downright funny.
One memorable night, Jackson appeared on stage, a colored sheet wrapped around, robe style, and proceeded to perform the book of Philemon. I know, it is only one chapter, but, it was the first time I had seen someone do this, dramatically presenting this sacred text as if he were Paul, writing a letter to a dear friend. The story leaped off the page and into my heart. Not just words, but an event of life. Later in life, he memorized and performed the book of Mark, and probably much much more that I missed. Amazing memorization and even more amazing talent to pull this off well.
Jackson was so quick witted. He was a radio DJ for a while. Once, he neglected to flip the proper switch and ‘dead air’ ensued for a minute or so. The dreaded ‘dead air’ time is feared by radio people. Realizing his mistake, Jackson quickly reset the switch, and spoke into the mic “This minute of silence is brought to you by the Austin Public Library system” and continued on with the regular programming.
Jackson played a Martin guitar, played it well and was stunned that I didn’t play. He grew up in Junction, Tx., similar to my hometown of Wink in its isolation, desolation and any other “ation” you can think of to describe our little desert habitats. He would look at me askance, and say “How can you grow up in west Texas and not know how to play guitar? There is nothing else to do out there!”
Most of my memories are of Jackson, as we did so much together so I don’t recall much about Barbara, but what a gracious, kind, beautiful lady. They were probably already married when I first met Jackson, but somehow she escaped me in those years. Later, as we would get together, I recall that soft southern voice, that look of “Jackson, your friends are crazy and infantile but I’ll put up with them because I love you” … One of the elders of Dayspring Fellowship described them as a couple perfectly suited for each other. I have to agree.
Jack and Deb Wedding Party
My friends Randy and Becky Schmidt were married by Jackson, and it was his most likely his first wedding to perform. When Deb and I married, we invited Jackson to be part of the wedding and pray a pastoral prayer. July 15, 1978 the temperature in Altus, Ok. was 110 degrees, plus or minus a degree or two. Yessir, that was hot, even for Oklahoma. The church building was packed, the A/C was groaning, trying to keep the internal temp below 80. The prayer was early in the ceremony and what an eloquent prayer. Jackson began in Genesis. He noted that God called all His creation good, but the first ‘not good’ was for man to be alone. I loved that thought. Little did I know that he was just warming up. When he got to the Psalms, he soared. The New Testament entered and the content included the wedding at Cana. When we finally arrived at the great wedding banquet in Revelation, I felt sure we had covered the Bible and the Amen was near. The photographer had chosen this time to take natural lighting photos. He had lots of time, took many, many photos. We may have used up most of our film budget on this moment in the wedding. We were also in danger of candle burnout, as well. However, I am sure that our wedding that day was well prayed over.
Once Jackson and I were talking late into the night about music and somehow we came upon the old song, “Job’s God is True.” The refrain begins “Tho God slay me, yet I’ll trust Him”. Jackson said that it was made somewhat famous by an evangelist named Jack Coe. I’ve only heard 3 people sing this in my life. My mom occasionally sang it in services as a solo. Jackson sang it at one of our coffee house events. My dad was in a coma for a couple of weeks in 1974, and occasionally we could hear him humming the tune to a couple of songs. This was one of them .. “Tho God slay me, yet I’ll trust Him.”
Both my parents were beset by life-altering / life-shortening diseases. Jackson and Barbara certainly had their productive lives cut short, in an instant gone from here to indescribable THERE.
It just isn’t right. How am I to respond to this? There’s a great sense of injustice, of wrongness about all of it. If I think about it, there’s a deep outrage …”This is not fair, this is not how it should be, how will this be made just?” Sometimes we are afraid to express these emotions, as if our anger, disappointment – when verbalized, would display lack of faith or distrust in God, as if God will be insulted by our cry.
Many of the Psalms are laments, cries of outrage, suffering, anguish, despair, and more. After several thousand years, we have not become immune to injustice, pain and death. I have decided that God can take my honest anger and outraged cries for awhile. It’s my real emotion expressed with no disrespect to the one who can change things. It fuels my prayer and strong desire for ultimate justice, for an end to the brokenness of creation as is.
“Though God slay me yet I’ll trust Him.” Those words speak of eternal faith, a faith that endures all the trials off life and ushers into the next life. Jackson and Barbara, Mom and Dad … they all lived with this thought. Even in song, they expressed their faith. Whatever comes, I trust God with the outcome. Another way to say it, “It is well with my soul.” Farewell for a little while, Jackson and Barbara. You are great people, worthy of respect and honor here. We loved you dearly while you were with us. We cherish memories. You beat us to the finish line. “We’ll meet you in the morning.”
PS. Words to the song, public domain:
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Timeless: Ancient Psalms for the Church Today
I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I grew up in a singing tradtion, church-wise. My dad led the ‘singing’, my mom was the pianist. I was told that I attended my first church service when I was 6 days old, and slept inside an open guitar case, though I have no recollection of that event.
We sang choruses and hymns at Kermit First Assembly of God. Somehow, it never dawned on me who the writers of the songs were. I didn’t know the names Watts, Wesley, Crosby, …. I just knew how to sing their songs. Later in life, I began to recognize composers and appreciate those who had written prolifically and well (Charles Wesley, Isaac Watts ..). One thing though, I didn’t know any of them personally because they all had passed on, most of them dead for a century or more. Today, I know quite a few living hymnists and, wow, one of them is my wife.
An unexpected thing happened a couple of years ago. Dr. R. Mark Shipp,
professor of Old Testament at Austin Graduate School of Theology invited my wife to submit one of her songs for a new hymnal, and, in fact, to become one of the composers. Several of the Churches of Christ sing one of her songs (from Psalm 124) so they invited her to be part of the writers group.
The new hymnal, volume 1 – just released through ACU Press, is “Timeless: Ancient Psalms for the Church Today”. The project has a goal of producing a 3 volume set of hymns and commentary based on all of the 150 Psalms found in the Psalter.
Ambitious project, much?
The publishing of anything of substance is an arduous task. The process of producing this first volume took 8 years. (The pace for the next two is substantially higher with a goal to finish each on a two year cycle). We met many of the writers, arrangers and reviewers over the last two years, (we were late to the project). My hat (if I wore one) is off to all of them for their dedication, craftsmanship, and buying into the vision for completing this project. They were and are still, wonderful people to know and work with.
Dr. Mark Shipp, wow, what a monstrous effort, writing many of the songs, editing the entire tome, building a team of musical and theological contributors to finish this first volume. It is a vision bigger than many of us would think possible, but, I know the feeling of seeing something unfold before you like this, and suddenly, you know it can be done if we all get together and do our part. What a delicious thing to see it, struggle with it, and finally, it happens. Congratulations Mark, and to all of those you represent who have worked so hard to see it happen.
And how delightful for me to say “congratulations” to my wife, Debbie, who is a contributor on 7 of the 108 songs found in the hymnal. I’m probably the only one who knows how hard you worked on these songs, how ill-equipped you felt as you labored to deliver something worthy of the task. The task is daunting, mixing the call of being a devoted worshiper of the most High God and striving, fearfully, to create songs which would reflect your heart and remain true to the scriptures we love. I so appreciate the fact that you are humble about this, and that you are embarrassed by all the attention. However, I, and many of your friends, honor you for this gift that you are to us. We love the songs you write that help us connect to our Redeemer and Creator. Let us, at least, tell you that much. It’s not bragging, it’s honoring. We’re not saying you are Isaac Watts or Charles Wesley. We’re not comparing at all. We just know that you help us worship God, and we are so grateful.
And, it is good to have contemporary, living hymnists (I know they don’t think this is a word, but I like it so I use it). I do regret that my parents aren’t here to dote on you a bit. Dad would take the hymnal and use it for his morning devotions. Mom would play and sing them and be convinced they were the best songs ever written. I am so glad your mom, Bobby Byers, is still with us and able to enjoy this with you. And, I am sure your dad would have gotten choked up every time he tried to tell someone about it. I can, even now, hear his voice, see him shaking his head and clearing his throat.
I love that this wasn’t a long term goal for you. I love that, instead, it was a serendipity and a grace from God to have this door of opportunity suddenly in your path and that you simply walked through it and offered your gift to God, first, and then to the rest of us. As the song goes, “It’s a small thing to lay your life before a loving King”
Posted in Deb Dorman Songs, Hope Chapel, Worship Thoughts
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Thoughts on Extended Worship Times
Through the years, Hope Chapel has scheduled times for extended worship as a community, wanting to devote more time than that which is allotted in our weekly gatherings. We offer these tips in anticipation as many of our community have not been in this setting. The tips are in light of Hope Chapel worship experience. We are not saying this is the only way, it is merely how we have grown at Hope Chapel.
Worship night, Friday Nov. 18, 2011. For a few weeks, we have had the sense that we should set some extended time aside and pour ourselves out in worship before God. The discovery that others are hungry for this time with God has brought us to meet for this purpose … to pour out, to lavish our Creator with a great time of thanksgiving and worship. We dedicate 3 hours for this on Friday night. That seems like a long time, perhaps, but, it’s perspective. As I prepare my heart, I am definitely thinking … “How awesome to have 3 hours for God .. with the saints … it’s a small thing, as the song goes.”
It occurs to me, though, that it might be daunting to some who have never spent this much time in worship, so, we offer a few tips:
- Forget the time limit. If you think you have to fill up 3 hours, it’s a drag. This is invitation and opportunity to spend extended time with Him. Let the evening breathe. Come when you can and leave when you are ready; no one says you have to put in 3 hours. Or maybe leave for a bit: walk around outside in the beauty of the evening. God’s creation is awesome. Worship under the stars, or under the clouds, the open Face of God beckons. We are facilitators for the evening, not timekeepers. I love Marva Dawn’s statement about worship “A Royal Waste of Time.” For us, it is extravagant use of our time, the sacrifice of praise.
- There will be ebb and flow during the evening. Take time to enjoy and participate in each wave, we will not be in a hurry. Times of intense worship, times of silence, perhaps times of prayer or prophetic words, or partaking of the communion elements. There will be stations for this and other things to happen in the corners of the auditorium.
- This is not a formal service, so we aren’t concerned with certain protocol and locations. Posture before God is important: stand, sit, kneel, bow, prostrate, all are appropriate. I like to stand , often with my shoes off, so I can honor God with attention and focus. However, you see me in other positions, like prostrate on the floor. But, I like to pace about, also. I urge you, don’t be confined to the pews. Walk around, dance around. Go and stand by some of the lovely art on our walls and incorporate that in your worship time. Dance like no one is looking :0. Movement keeps our feet awake and our minds alert. I’ll let you in on a little secret, the best place to worship is right up at the front, close to or on the stage. Come on up and join us at any time. It’s a wonderful place to be!
- There will be stations for partaking of communion, for receiving prayer, and perhaps other ministry areas. Feel free to go to one of these areas to partake or receive.
- A significant part of the evening will focus on Psalm 96, a lovely Psalm, exhorting all creation to Praise God! Read it and meditate upon it before we gather. Let it be a springboard for what we do in the evening. Sing some of it back to Him. It starts with “Sing to the Lord a new song”. How about making up your own songs during the evening from the text. I plan on doing that.
- Anticipate meeting with God. I can’t emphasize this enough. I expect to hear from God. There will be times of silence, or maybe quieter music, to facilitate this. Bring a bible, a pad to write on (or an iPad if you like). Bring art and setup somewhere to do that. Bring knitting if you want. How do you listen to God and how are you best postured when this happens? There is enough space to make this happen. Again, we encourage you to move within the worship space as the evening flows.
See you there!
Psalm 124
We had quite a treat this weekend. Many of you know that my wife, Debbie, writes songs that we at Hope Chapel incorporate into our worship times. A few of them are being adopted into worship services in other congregations. Far and away, the most used song is Psalm 124, “Had it Not Been the Lord who was on our side”. A local congregation, Westover Hills Church of Christ, has been doing a sermon series on the stories behind the music, picking several hymns and songs used frequently in their worship times and explaining the story behind the music and also how members of their congregation relate to the songs.
During the past week, Deb was interviewed on camera, basically explaining how she came to write the song and then how it felt to have other churches singing some of her songs. She, of course, was pretty anxious leading up to the interview, and even after it was over, she worried about whether it came out right, did she say the right things, did she look OK, etc. It led up to a nervous Sunday.
This nervous Sunday,(Sept. 5th) Westover’s preacher, Kevin Withem, closed his series with “Had it Not Been”. We were able to slip away from Hope’s service after our worship time and join them about 10 minutes into their worship service. Wow, what a blessing to be sitting with them as they sang the song (among others) and hear Kevin’s excellent sermon. Listen to it to find out how he blends the Beatles song, “Help,” with “Psalm 124”.. 🙂
Westover’s services are online and you can hear this service (Sept. 5th) here: http://www.westover.org/node/1978
The first minute and a half is silence, a lead into the service. Don’t adjust your sound until after that. We recommend listening to the whole thing, beautiful music and a good sermon. If you only have a few minutes, you can skip to about 11:50 to hear the song. Kevin’s sermon begins at about 28 minutes and Deb’s interview starts around 37 minutes. In the video, Deb’s interview and Karen Alexander’s response to the song are woven together. Excellent job.. Kudos to Westover’s A/V team. And thanks, Karen. It was terrific to hear your story and meet you and your family after the service.
It is difficult to describe the emotions we felt, the gratitude we have to God for his faithfulness, and the love we feel in the Body of Christ as we heard them sing the song which has meant so much to us at Hope Chapel.
So, we have some shout outs for the weekend!!:
- Thanks to Westover for doing this series. We love to worship in song and you guys inspire us.
- Thanks to the Churches of Christ for keeping the tradition of Sacred Singing. It is beautiful music, four part, full hearted praise to our King.
- Thanks, Kevin, you did a great job.
- Thanks again, to Westover Hills for welcoming us, for taking the time to come by and share your joy.
- Thanks, Martha Rasco for sharing the service with us.
- Thanks, David and Donjalea Chrane, for putting this song out there for many to hear.
- Thanks be to our God, for His unfailing love, for His rich salvation, for Life Eternal …
…
The snare is broken and we have escaped,
Our help is in the Name of the Lord
Blessed be the Lord.
Posted in Deb Dorman Songs, Hope Chapel, Worship Thoughts
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