In my 18 Jan 09 - 11:21 AM post to this thread, I asked about the meaning of the word "hoop" as it was used by Ariana Gause in her newspaper article "Faded Memories". In that article, Ms Gause wrote:

"Her [grandmother's] spiritual and religious beckoning has taught me how to appreciate the black church and its traditions. I can relate well to the old hymns sung during revival meetings and on Sunday mornings. Yes, I have a connection to the "Hoop" that black ministers use when preaching the spoken word."

-snip-

I am 'happy' to say that I have found out what "hoop" means in the context of religious worship.

The pieces of that puzzle fell into place, thanks to the video contributor's tags [key words] and several viewers comments about the YouTube video that I posted earlier, Pastor Timothy J. Woods, Sr. - Sermon Close.wmv.

Among the tags given for that video are "Sermon Close Whooping".

Also, this question was posted about that video:

"Can someone tell me why they sing when they preach? I love these sermons, but I never could understand why they sound like that. Serious question.
nelli2008 {3 weeks ago}

-snip-

This response was posted:

"It's a combination of the-"Art of Preaching'-Homelitics with a twist of Celebration". Or in modern terms "Whoopology. After the preacher has imparted the word of God into your life, he himself celebrates in his own way and in his own style of closing the sermon On a "Spiritual Praise".
pastorbwiggins {3 weeks ago}

-snip-

Imo, that comment didn't totally answer the question posed, but I am glad that pastorwiggins included a reference to "whoopology", although I think he may have been somewhat facetious in doing so. See the response to that question that I've posted in that particular video comment section.

But back to the meaning of "hoop", see this additional comment that was posted about that same video:

"He has a great hoop. It's tight."
-Memorial08 {2 months ago}


In this context, the African American slang word "tight" means something or someone who is very good; something that fits together very well; something {including music or a sermon, or a 'hoop'} that is done very well.

After reading these comments, it occurred to me how similar in spelling and pronounciation the word "hoop" and the word "whoop" are. That's when the pieces of the puzzle all came together.

"Hoop" is Black talk for "whoop". "Hoopin'" ="Whooping"

See this meaning of the word "whooping":


a. A loud cry of exultation or excitement.
b. A shout uttered by a hunter or warrior.

http://www.answers.com/topic/whoop

The 'hoop' that Ariana Gause remembered Black ministers doing are the 'shouts' and 'moans' and 'cries of joy' that Black ministers incorporate into their sermons because they are feeling the [Holy]. The "hoop" that Pastor Timothy Wood did in his "Hold On" sermon is found throughout that sermon but is particularly found at the end of that sermon.

If I had attended a more 'spirited' Black church, I would have known what 'hoop' meant in a religious context. I'm glad that I found out its meaning as a result of doing research on this thread.