Our congregation Our nation, military and leaders

Various friends, relatives, and co-workers The Stolte’s in Germany

David and Leon in the Navy Yevette flying to Tennessee

Keith (4^th) Ben (6^th)

The Summer Youth Series starts tomorrow night at 7 p.m.

June 7^th - Memorial June 28^th - Garden Oaks July 19^th - Bammel

June 14^th - West Houston July 5^th - Watters Road July 26^th - First Colony

June 21^st - Sugargrove July 12^th - Spring-Woodlands August 2nd - Southwest

August 9^th - Clear Lake

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise" (James 5:13).

Maybe I’m missing something. Over the last few years I have heard people refer to the song Kum Ba Yah in disparaging ways, even from those I admire. It is ridiculed as a touchy feely song, as something of a protest song for peace, a song to make you feel good, or just as a foolish song for anyone to sing. To say the least, I disagree. I don’t know all the history of this song but let’s take a look at it.

From what I understand it is an African song. Kum ba yah simply means "come by here." Many are familiar with it from days at camp, also called a camp song. What we don’t realize is that a number of those so called camp songs have made it into our assemblies, songs like Seek Ye First and Jesus Is Lord. The difference is that Kum Ba Yah has had a wider hearing in the secular world as well. No doubt it was sung in the sixties as a protest song for those advocating peace. But its use, whether secular or camp, should not reject it as a good song. Stereotyping it doesn’t help either.

The words are simple and varied. One could add any number of verses to it. Here are some I remember.

"Kum ba yah my Lord, kum ba yah Kum ba yah my Lord, kum ba yah

Other verses add "praying, singing, dying, happy," etc. Then it concludes:

"Come by here my Lord, come by here Come by here my Lord, come by here

Again there are variations on the song. To me it is a prayer song. It could even be considered a lament, especially with the words "crying" and "dying." There is a need; someone is hurting in some way. The request is for God to come, help and comfort. Come by here Lord and help the one who is crying or praying. It is also a praise song. Some one is happy or singing and wants God to join in the celebration. Isn’t that what James had in mind in the above text.

There is a updated version with a more upbeat sound that I have heard sung at Encounter and various Summer Youth Series. Its chorus is a little different.

"Rain, storm, fire, wind, Kum ba yah."

Again it addresses the difficulties that we face and asks that God would come and join us in those difficulties. Jim McGuiggan would say that He is already in those difficulties, which is something to think about.

Maybe it is the sound of the song that makes it a target of humor and ridicule, and maybe it is just the way the words Kum ba yah sound. When we look at the words however, we see something more serious and more thought provoking. To me it is a worthy song that we can benefit from in our assemblies. I don’t know how you all think about it, but hopefully you will join me in singing it more. Maybe we can even learn the updated version as well.

George B. Mearns