Breaking down the separation of Church and State one band at a time

For some reason, every "community" group we join ends up having a religious component. This doesn't bother me, but it does seem as if some atheist, Jew, or Muslim might complain. But either we don't have any non-Christians in these groups, or they're too intimidated to say anything.


Our original community band (St. Anthony Park) usually plays some music with Christian origins (even at the Shalom Home!)--this year it's a Dixieland version of "Just a Closer Walk with Thee." With the Woodbury Chorus and Orchestra, we routinely prayed for miracles regarding their iffy equipment truck and produced complete concerts of classical religious pieces.


Now with our second community band (Lex-Ham) we are playing at two churches in a row. Yesterday, we played for the feast day festival of St. Thomas More on Summit Avenue. The full band played outside after the service during the BBQ, while our brass and flute groups played prelude and postlude music. Joel and I attended the mass and it was very interesting, as the building was beautiful and the service was both high church (two priests, one deacon, two acolytes, a crucifer, cantor, incense, choir, organ, etc.) and also contemporary (liturgical dancer, trumpet, guitar, string bass, friendly people, enthusiastic singing, etc.).


Next week we will be playing a second 'patriotic concert' at St. Paul Apostolic Church, a small urban congregation that is decidely low church. The pastor plays trumpet with us and likes to feature the band at his church--always making sure that the musical numbers come both at the beginning and the end of the service so we have to stick around for his entire sermon! Perhaps I am Jewish...