Black Lives Matter.
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

NC Council of Churches

Strength in Unity, Peace through Justice

  • Voices
  • About
    • Overview
    • Staff
    • Members
    • Covenant Partners
    • Issue Statements
    • Governing Board
  • Programs
    • Ecumenical Immigration Alliance
      • Ideas for Action
      • Sign Our Statement
      • The NC Sanctuary Coalition
      • Immigration Bible Study
      • Contact
    • NC Interfaith Power & Light
      • NCIPL Overview
      • Faith in Action NCIPL
      • NCIPL Articles
      • NCIPL Resources
      • Upcoming Events for NCIPL
      • Contact NCIPL
    • Partners in Health & Wholeness
      • PHW Staff
      • Mini-Grants
      • PHW Collaborative Pledge
      • The Overdose Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
      • PHW Articles
      • FAQs
  • Priorities
    • Racial Justice
    • The Overdose Crisis: The Faith Community Responds
    • Gun Violence Prevention
    • Public Education
    • NC Sanctuary Coalition
    • Farmworkers
    • Legislative Advocacy
    • Christian Unity
    • Peace
    • NC No Torture
  • COVID-19 Resources
  • Events
  • Resources
    • Publications & Reports
    • Raleigh Report
    • Lectionary
    • Sermons
  • Donate
  • Council Store
  • Show Search

Search NC Council of Churches

Hide Search

2017 Lenten Guide — Good Friday

Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director · April 13, 2017 · Leave a Comment

For this year’s Lenten Guide, each member of the Council staff chose a verse from a favorite hymn to write about. We will post their reflections throughout Lent, for Ash Wednesday, each Sunday, and throughout Holy Week.

I danced on a Friday
When the sky turned black
It’s hard to dance
With the devil on your back.

“I Danced in the Morning (Lord of the Dance)” — Presbyterian Hymnal #302

Dancing and the church have always been intertwined for me. Growing up, I attended a “community arts church” that had a theatre ministry (which is actually how I got involved with the church as a budding thespian). My dance teacher also attended the church and she began choreographing liturgical dance pieces for our Christmas and Easter services. For me, dancing was an accepted and integral part of worship. It is probably due to this upbringing that I have always enjoyed the hymn “Lord of the Dance.” The tune is catchy and the imagery, which imagines Jesus as a piper inviting us into a dance, is vibrant. However, this hymn resonates with me not just because it’s fun to sing, but also because it has deep theological references as well as personal cultural connections for me.

“Lord of the Dance” isn’t necessarily a Lenten hymn; it portrays the entire life and mission of Jesus, although the arrangement carries a darker undertone when recounting the crucifixion and death of Jesus. The tune is that of “Simple Gifts,” a Shaker melody. Sydney Carter, the author of the hymn said of it, “I did not think the churches would like it at all.  I thought many people would find it pretty far flown, probably heretical and anyway dubiously Christian.  But in fact, people did sing it and, unknown to me, it touched a chord…Anyway, it’s the sort of Christianity I believe in.” What sort of Christianity is Carter referring to? What is significant about the words of the hymn?

While hymns, like scripture, can be interpreted differently by each individual, for me, Jesus as the Lord of the Dance suggests that the life and words of Jesus give us all a dancing pattern that we would do well to follow. Jesus danced throughout his life: in his confidence and in his fear, in his joy and in his sorrow, in his peace and in his anger, Jesus “danced”—with beauty, purpose, and grace – and he invites us to do the same. What makes this hymn unique is its joy, demonstrating that even when it is difficult to dance, Jesus is able to stay on beat. Through his birth, death, and resurrection Jesus bring s humanity out of chaos into joyful harmony with God and his creation. This is a Christianity that uplifts and allows us to celebrate the power of love and faith even when confronted by our own frailties and failings.

The particular line “it’s hard to dance with the devil on your back” also resonates with me because it is referenced in the song “Shake It Out” by indie rock band Florence and the Machine. Almost identical to Carter’s words, Florence Welch sings, “It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back, so shake him off.” Like Carter’s hymn, “Shake It Out” is a victorious anthem of joy and hope for the future as she sings, “It’s always darkest before the dawn.”

On Good Friday, we commemorate the death and crucifixion of Jesus, but we keep dancing because we know this is not the end. As dark and scary as things may seem, we know that Jesus can transform our heavy, awkward steps into freer, lighter, more graceful ones. In the words of Carter, “I am the dance, and I still go on.” Similarly, in the words of Florence Welch, “I’m ready to suffer and I’m ready to hope.”

Filed Under: Blog

Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

About Jennie Belle, Former Immigration and Farmworkers Director

Jennie was born and raised in Savannah, GA. She moved to Texas for her undergraduate education at Rice University, during which time she studied in Mexico, Peru and Argentina and participated in service projects in Central America. After graduation she moved to Spain for a year to teach English. Jennie then came to North Carolina for a dual degree MDiv/MSW graduate program at Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill where her work focused on advocating for farmworkers and organizing churches for social justice. Recently graduated, Jennie is excited to use these skills in her role at the Council of Churches as she works to help improve conditions for immigrants and farmworkers in the state.

Jennie lives in Durham and attends First Presbyterian Church. In her free time she enjoys dancing, distance running, traveling, walking her dog, and planning her upcoming wedding. Jennie can be reached at: jennie@ncchurches.org.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Anonymous comments or comments that target individuals will not be posted (please include your first and last name). All comments must be on topic and respectful. Comments will not be posted until they have been reviewed by a moderator. Comments do not reflect the positions of the NC Council of Churches.

Footer

Contact

NC Council of Churches
27 Horne St.
Raleigh, NC 27607
(919) 828-6501
info@ncchurches.org

Facebook

Partners in Health and Wholeness

Featured

2017 Lenten Guide — Good Friday

Latest Tweets

2021 is the year for drawing districts in each state after the completion of the US Census. Check out the @LWV's blog on encouraging people to speak up about the drawing of fair maps. Read now >> lwv.org/blog/redistr… pic.twitter.com/4KMR…

About 3 days ago

ICYMI: Rob Schofield from @NCPolicyWatch highlights five hard truths that need to be addressed about violence against the AAPI community and other people of color in this commentary. Read more at the link >> ncpolicywatch.com/20…

About 4 days ago

Read Steve Ford's new Raleigh Report on H.B. 446, a new voting rights bill: "'Safeguarding Voting Rights,' introduced March 31 as House Bill 446, would protect popular voting options and in general encourage citizens to have their say at the polls." ncchurches.org/2021/…

About 4 days ago

ICYMI: Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, a scientist & Christian, says we are at a "love your neighbor" moment, when Americans can get vaccinated to help protect the vulnerable from severe illness and death. Watch now: youtube.com/watch?v=…

About 5 days ago

Our partners at @DownHome_NC have recognized that engaging people by listening is at the heart of building a responsible & active community. Check out their project of ways you can learn & support their efforts through listening & building relationships. docs.google.com/docu…

About 5 days ago

Follow @ncchurches

Latest Tweets

"We lost 88,000 people in the 12-month period ending in August 2020.'" (@NPRHealth) npr.org/2021/04/01/9… Please hold the #harmreduction community close and learn more about how you can get involved by visiting our website at ncchurches.org/progr…. #MindfulTogether

About 3 days ago

#YourSpotYourShotNC #MindfulTogether twitter.com/ncdhhs/s…

About 3 days ago

Make sure to register for "Growing Communities of Inclusion: Mental Health and Harm Reduction" happening tomorrow at 10 AM! #harmreduction #mentalhealth #MindfulTogether twitter.com/healthan…

About 4 days ago

Happy Easter! Today we find comfort in God's love that heals and nourishes our spirits. As we celebrate Easter again in the midst of COVID-19, let's continue to hold each other close from a distance as we await the moment we may hold each other close in person once again. pic.twitter.com/2BHP…

Last week

Reflect with the Rev. Karen Richardson Dunn, PHW Associate Director of Healthy Aging, on this Good Friday as we feel the faith, hope, and redemption of God's love that nourishes our spirits. #EnoughForAll ncchurches.org/2021/…

Last week

Follow @healthandfaith

Latest Tweets

RT @foe_us HUGE WIN! Thank you @POTUS for giving NOAA the funding it needs to protect the ocean & coastal communities from the climate crisis. @NOAA, use these new dollars wisely – don't add more industrial fish farms to our public waters! #DontCageOurOcean washingtonpost.com/w…

Yesterday

RT @mocleanair The U.S. has released most of the GHG that are in the air now. We need a #USFairSharesNDC to set a fair, just, and ambitious goal to slow down global warming: 195% emissions reduction by 2030, to keep us in line with the #1o5C climate goal. #ClimateJustice foe.org/usa-fair-sha…

Yesterday

RT @RepDeborahRoss The offshore wind industry is projected to invest nearly $140 billion in the U.S. by 2035 for the manufacturing, construction, and maintenance of offshore wind projects.

Yesterday

RT @RepDeborahRoss Yesterday, @RepDavidRouzer and I led members of the NC delegation in a letter urging BOEM to promptly and responsibly advance lease sales of wind energy areas off our coast. NC has the potential to be a leader in offshore wind generation capacity and manufacturing. pic.twitter.com/QDFn…

Yesterday

RT @Fridays4future We are still here and still united, and we still #FightFor1Point5. Despite the pandemic, our grassroots movement grows stronger every day. We are unstoppable! Another world is possible! #NoMoreEmptyPromises. pic.twitter.com/7Fww…

Yesterday

Follow @ncipl

Latest Tweets

Copyright © 2021 NC Council of Churches · All Rights Reserved · Website by Tomatillo Design · Hosted by WP Engine