Although there certainly are other Black church traditions that could be addressed in this thread, I want to conclude my posting with these points:

In their religious contexts, "hooping" is the same or is similar to "shouting". To be clearer, I believe that "hooping" {"shouting"} is one expression of "getting happy" which is another way of saying "feeling the spirit". Other expressions of "feeling the spirit" are raising one or both hands heavenward, crying, "speaking in tongues", and "doing the holy dance". All of these are said to be manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speaking_in_tongues. Also read that article for Biblical references to "making a joyful noice unto the Lord", speaking in tongues, and Pentacost/Pentacostal.

-snip-

In the religious context, "shouting" means making loud, joyful exclamations. This word does not have anything to do with the contemporary Hip-Hop slang term "to give a shout-out". That phrase means to positively recognize someone or a group of people by name in a public setting {as a means of acknowledging their presence and/or paying your respects to him, her, or them}

"I wanna give a shout out to all my homies in AC" =I want to publicly recognize all the people who live in my hometown of Atlantic City {New Jersey}.

The religious use of the word "shout" is found in this familiar verse:

When I get to heaven
I'm gonna sing and shout.
Ain't nobody there
Gonna put me out.

**

The meaning of "saints" as a referent to person who is saved {a church member in good standing}, clarifies the meaning of this very familiar African American religious song:

"Oh when the saints
go marching in.
Oh when the saints go marching in.
Lord, I want to be in that number.
When the saints go marching in.

-snip

I was unfamiliar with the word "Homelitic" as used by pastorbwiggins in his comment. I looked up the definition of that word, and it means "related to homily, sermon".

-snip-

In his sermon that I'm referring to as "Hold On", Pastor Timothy Woods said "weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning". This saying is a portion of Psalm 30:5 "For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.".

I remember having a tape of a Black choir singing a song made from this verse. But I don't know which choir it was.

-snip-

In that same sermon, Pastor Woods said "God may not come when you want Him. But He will". This is a version of the very commonly known African American saying "God may not come when you want Him. But He's always on time". This saying is often spoken in a call & response manner. Because this saying is so familiar, a person hearing the beginning of it will not only know how the saying will end, but will often say the ending.

-snip-

The "MBC" in the name of Pastor Timothy Woods' church probably stands for "Missionary Baptist Church". I'm not sure what the letters 'wmv' stand for.

-snip-

Thanks to all who have posted to this thread.


Peace,

Ms. Azizi Powell