What is Passionate Spirituality?

Here is a working definition for Old First: Passionate spirituality is receiving the power of God in the Spirit of Jesus for transformation of our lives, yielding love and joy.

Why this? The phrase "passionate spirituality" comes from the program called "Natural Church Development" (NCD) which we are using at Old First. This program measures the health of a church by means of eight categories. The goal is to measure your church to find out which of the categories it's weakest in, and then address that category.

Three years ago, we determined we were weakest in Small Groups, so we addressed that. This last time around we determined we are weakest in Passionate Spirituality, so we are addressing that.

But what does that mean, Passionate Spirituality? It's very hard to define. What's the difference between spirituality that's passionate and spirituality that's not? What's the difference between passion that's spiritual and passion that's not?

Well, I doubt my definition is the best one, but I don't think it's a bad one, and at least it's a place to start, so I offer it. Once again, Passionate spirituality is receiving the power of God in the Spirit of Jesus for transformation of our lives, yielding love and joy.

Daughter of the Regiment

Am I the only one not convinced by Diana Damrau's performance of Marie in the "Daughter of the Regiment" at the Metropolitan Opera? I mean, I enjoyed it, this Saturday afternoon, on WQXR, and of course, I didn't SEE it, so maybe I shouldn't even say anything, but from what I could hear, it sounded to me like a lot of forced funniness.

What a great voice, yes, but when you watch Damrau's performances on Youtube of, say, Glitter and Be Gay, she always seems to try too hard.

Ja, ich weiss das du Deutsch bist, aber, "Lighten up."

Juan Diego Flores has that wonderful light tenor voice in his role as Tonio (with the famous nine High C's), and it would seem to me that the Marie should be as light and delightful as the Tonio.

Ah, everybody's a critic.