Brush Arbor Music Ministry

Subject: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 May 04 - 02:46 PM

Anyone here have experience with this type of music and ministry? Or source material to suggest (preferably online via clickies)?

As it has been described to me, a place would be designated and delineated by the erection of a simple arbor of brush, under which people would gather for music and worship... the empty arbor would be a sign of where to look and listen in the coming week, and when the music started, it would draw people to the spot. These have been described as roadside arbors, and also as deeper into the woods. Slave time arbors were secrets from the owners; later southern arbors were white-folks' gathering places when there was not yet money for a building for a new group.

So I'm heading out this summer, hoping no property owners I inadvertently annoy shoot me, toting my autoharp and home-made songbooks..... (I'll get permissions where I can.) I'm picturing poles and a lattice roof to tote..... Thinking of twice a week-- Sundays late AM and Wednesday early evening. I'll try various locations and where people gather, come back to establish regularity and predictability, with a view to four eventual locations (two for Sunday and two for Wednesday). If it works I'll develop leaders at each spot to carry on without me, and make new spots next year.

Any thoughts to guide me?

~Susan

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: John Hardly
Date: 16 May 04 - 02:56 PM

No help here...just observing a coincidence. The CD to which I've been listening a lot lately -- Blue Highway's "Wondrous Love" has a song, "Old Brush Arbor" that describes what you're talkin' about. No lyrics posted on the internet though.

There's this description I stumbled on, looking for the lyrics, but I'm sure you found the same in your searches.

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 May 04 - 03:10 PM

I had not seen that, John. Thanks so much!

~Susan

Subject: Lyr Add: BRUSH ARBOR MEETING
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 May 04 - 03:19 PM

BRUSH ARBOR MEETING

REFRAIN?
Some gold morning when this life is o're
I'll fly away ( in the morning )
To a home on God's celestial shore
I'll fly away ( I'll fly away )

Years ago, when I was just a boy in the Oklahoma hills
They didn't have a church in which to pray
So the people got together and they built one of their own
Just a shelter made of poles with a roof of hay

Well, it wasn't just a Baptist or a Church of the Nazarene
But people of all faiths came there to pray
And it didn't make no difference the color or the time
And lots of folks would sing till break of day

And they called it a Brush Arbor meeting
You could hear the people singing far away
Just praising the Lord, and shouting victory
I can still hear them singing today
There is power, power, wonder working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb

Nowadays the churches are so pretty and so nice
And they all have different names upon their door
I wish we all would shout and sing like we used to long ago
And come together like they did before

Give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
Give me that old time religion
It's good enough for me

SH

Subject: Add: Poem BRUSH ARBOR DAYS
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 May 04 - 03:27 PM

the BRUSH ARBOR DAYS
by Jenny Wren

Brush Arbor Days
BY: JENNY WREN

Children, come along with me,
Going down an old memory-lane.
Unfolding this old-time memory,
Was picked from 'ELDERS 'brain.

See, the Acres of dark treetops,
By an old winding, rocky road.
Listen, to hear loud 'ax-chops',
on the many trees, now bestowed.

Listen?, a voice, here and there,
Soon the 'two-man-saws' are heard.
People busy, working everywhere,
Only, after getting the 'word'.

Brush-Arbor plans are to be made,
in this woods, now, so overgrown,
Sun will shine, instead of shade,
Soon the 'new-clearing' is shown.

On new tree-stumps, tired men rest,
As 'mind-visions' fill their eyes
Knowing: They have been blessed,
Under these blue, Tennessee skies

Arbie Howard, with His wife Bea
Gave the land for a future church.
A brush-Arbor is all ready to see.
Now, for a pastor they will search

An electric line, soon is in place
now strung out from Arba's own home
"A-mens" filling each nook and space
As the 'new-Light' upon them shone.

Tree Limb a-sway with shiny leaves
wind swaggering, them in and out,
Moon-light is now, filtered by trees,
"Yes!" All Creation, seems to shout.

Saw-dust, for flooring is brought,
seats made from 'block and board'.
An altar where God, is being sought,
Know Salvation is from THE LORD.

An Arbor's ready, now in prayer,
Soon a new pastor came so bold
"God has sent me, over here,
A 'REVIVAL' I was told to hold! "

IT 'was' the year of Forty-nine,
From Those 'Cottage-Meeting days'
As House-to-house, ladies bind,
together in their homes, to pray

The church made from brush-arbor,
born beneath the tall-oak-trees.
Many souls now, find safe-harbor,
at an altar while on bended knees.

Next came this tar-paper 'hall',
A quilt hangs up, becomes a door.
A pot-belly stove, heating all,
filling it with warmth and more.

Our new building, made of block,
grew, then has grown, some more
Our Elders, who have taken stock,
in their own heirs, that they bore

Leave behind 'seeds,' they've sown,
Leaving the church, in loving hands
Vision is growing, now almost grown,
The Oak-Grove Church, now stands.

I myself, have watched it grow,
It is a miracle, in so many ways
Since Eighty-six, "Yes, this I know,
I Thank God for 'Brush Arbor' days……"

=======================================

© Copyright 2004 jennywren

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 May 04 - 03:35 PM

Looks like a Mudcat Gathering to me:

MUSICIANS AT THE BRUSH ARBOR

~Susan

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 May 04 - 01:23 PM

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: M.Ted
Date: 17 May 04 - 03:30 PM

The brush arbor services were and are generally very fundamentalist. A lot of the more bizarre religious practices, from snake handling and speaking in tongues, to being "slain by the Lord", took(and take) place in these services. The services in slave times may have actually often celebrated the "old religion", in which celebrants were possessed by various of the spirit, often with a Christian veneer, like Voodoo. As you come from a more progressive religious tradition, you might want to differentiate yourself in some way, so people know what to expect.

Also very interesting(if a bit more mainstream) were the old Camp Meetings--In the summer, they met in a sort of tent city in a pleasant, scenic, rural setting--there was a main tent(for the revival services), usually in the center, and it was surrounded with smaller tents where the participants stayed. With the passage of time, the main tents were replaced with pavillions, and the smaller tents were replaced with small houses. These small summer towns usually could be identified because they had the word "Grove" as part of the name, like Ocean Grove,NJ Willow Grove,NJ and Pitman Grove(now just Pitman) NJ.   Also, they often featured family amusements of various sorts, such as carrousels, roller rinks, and eventually, full scale amusement parks.

There are still a few existing camp villages, Ocean Grove still has revivals during the summer, Pitman still has the revival pavillion, with a number of small streets radiating out,each lined with tiny little houses, and there is a similar, but smaller scale camp at Sellersville,PA--

Here is a description of what used to go on--

Camp Meetings in Early Nineteenth Century

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 May 04 - 03:39 PM

Thanks. Yes, I think what I offer may be a little more palatable. :~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 May 04 - 04:24 PM

Hardi and had had a pleasant after-dinner drive Monday evening so I could scout locations, up in the area where a new factory opened a few years ago. It's considered one of the county's hellraiser towns-- pickup trucks and beer, some drugs but not drug capital. I was looking for a roadside spot..... or the Episocpal church that used to be there, which I never found.

The only likely areas as far as traffic were concerned were the local laundromat across from the porn film store outside town (indoor/outdoor playing options), a couple of small kiddieparks near a newish modular housing development, and the unofficial roadside town dump where some folks are living in RVs among the heavy road equipment that looks abandoned there.

My first choice was one of the parks. But... the right one has a pavilion but no kids, and the playground ones had no space where it would make sense to set up. I'm a little leery of using tax-dollar space.... Also the United Methodist church has a new facility in that neighborhood and it seems wrong to launch in their literal back yard-- not to mention that people would assume I came from that church. Demographically I suppose it makes the most sense but in terms of smalltown resentments, it would be a very wrong move. We all work together up here.

The dump looks like no one stops there. Altho a ministry to the residents would be nice, it looks like no kids.

So it will be either the laundromat or an as-yet undiscovered location out further where the road goes off toward the rest of the valley communities.

We had a ball anticipating the normal questions people would ask. "Why are you HERE?" was the main one-- why would I not be in my own town. So I guess it's time to wash that huge comforter that's too big for our washing machine at home. :~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 May 04 - 04:26 PM

Hardi and I had a pleasant after-dinner drive Monday evening so I could scout locations, up in the area where a new factory opened a few years ago. It's considered one of the county's hellraiser towns-- pickup trucks and beer, some drugs but not drug capital. I was looking for a roadside spot..... or the Episocpal church that used to be there, which I never found. The only likely areas as far as traffic were concerned were the local laundromat across from the porn film store outside town (indoor/outdoor playing options), a couple of small kiddieparks near a newish modular housing development, and the unofficial roadside town dump where some folks are living in RVs among the heavy road equipment that looks abandoned there.

My first choice was one of the parks. But... the right one has a pavilion but no kids, and the playground ones had no space where it would make sense to set up. I'm a little leery of using tax-dollar space.... Also the United Methodist church has a new facility in that neighborhood and it seems wrong to launch in their literal back yard-- not to mention that people would assume I came from that church. Demographically I suppose it makes the most sense but in terms of smalltown resentments, it would be a very wrong move. We all work together up here.

The dump looks like no one stops there. Altho a ministry to the residents would be nice, it looks like no kids.

So it will be either the laundromat or an as-yet undiscovered location out further where the road goes off toward the rest of the valley communities.

We had a ball anticipating the normal questions people would ask. "Why are you HERE?" was the main one-- why would I not be in my own town. So I guess it's time to wash that huge comforter that's too big for our washing machine at home. :~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: M.Ted
Date: 19 May 04 - 09:12 PM

Do you have a river? It seems like that would be the place. "Shall We Gather By the River?" and all--Don't do it across from the porn place--that would be too tacky-You should do it in the park, no reason not to, as you are citizens--

I think that if you let people know you are doing it, they will come--kids, and all--PTL!

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 May 04 - 09:28 PM

Just back from a little explore.

The laundromat/porn shop was bad because of all the truck traffic-- 18-wheelers onm a 2-lane road, too loud! I felt right at home but could not hear myself play! But I did have a good time.

BUT, I found a trailer park and campground that I think is just right, and the owner sez it's OK with him. So that's the Sunday AM spot, in their pavilion.

The kiddie parks are out-- we don't poach sinners up here, and the Methodists and Baptists have staked out that ground. The county's too small to start off by pissing off good people I'll end up working on something else with. I'll be happy to take the folks that are too "unwashed" for them to mess with anyhow.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: M.Ted
Date: 19 May 04 - 11:45 PM

Sad that they are so territorial about souls--one would think that the churches would support one another in the war against porn palaces and laundromats--

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 May 04 - 11:54 PM

We do, and they are not territorial-- you'd have to be here to
"get it." And I have no plan to make war on anything. Not what I do.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: GUEST
Date: 20 May 04 - 04:30 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 May 04 - 11:12 AM

The trailer park/campground pavilion is looking to be the Weds. evening spot-- Hardi and I went out last night and sent sweet sounds across the grass to the trailers in the far right of our view.... not sure the sound reached, so next time I will park over there and listen for the fiddle.

Before us: a playground, pond, quail, and the mountain ridge with setting sunlight glowing from behind the edges of a gathering ridgetop thunderburst.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: paddymac
Date: 27 May 04 - 10:25 PM

"Brush Arbors" of various sorts are very likely global in origin - independantly arising where ever there was a want/need and readily available materials. In the SE US they are an important element of Native American religious practices, with various rituals associated with construction, refurbishment, utilization and decoration. The tradition was carried westward with peoples torn from theie homelands during the "removals" of the 1800s. Ceremonial uses aside, they are a delightful repreive from the scorching heat of hot day, and conducive of great chat and comaraderie.

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: rich-joy
Date: 28 May 04 - 01:14 AM

Though I'm not at all "religious", I have always been mightily attracted to the old "brush arbour" type hymns that I've heard!
   
I just love my collection of 4 x Yazoo (Shanachie) CDs that feature this religious music from the 1920s and 30s : artists like Ernest Phipps and His Holiness Singers, Alfred G. Karnes, Washington Phillips, Mrs Reed & Mrs Duncan, the Rev'd Gates & Congregation, Blind Willie Johnson - to name just a few!! These recordings have great charm!
And of course, favourite English groups : The Watersons and Waterson-Carthy : have always been partial to them too! (e.g. "Heavenly Aeroplane" was an early one for them ...)

Most of the hymns from the "establishment" churches, I find quite boring, but these others (like the shape-note ones too), have a very folky, down-home feel, and are sung with great passion.

And what better place to reflect upon one's spiritual connections than outdoors, rather than in an ediface?!


Cheers! R-J

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 May 04 - 10:43 AM

Thanks guys!

~Susan

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 May 04 - 12:15 PM

.... and speaking as a musician, it is extremely gratifying to keep in mind that we're simply GIVING the music without "measuring" the effect by seeing if people come over to us.

~Susan

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From:
Date: 08 Jun 04 - 10:19 AM

can some one please give me lyrics for 'brokenhearted'

Subject: RE: Brush Arbor Music Ministry
From: M.Ted
Date: 08 Jun 04 - 09:04 PM

You should start a new thread for a lyrics request--no one will see it otherwise--