When Libra's rising and Scorpio's crashing and there are tears before bedtime!

WHEN LIBRA'S RISING AND SCORPIO'S CRASHING AND THERE ARE TEARS BEFORE BEDTIME!

Silent screams that's what I experience when people ask me 'what's your star sign?' Invariably the conversation goes the following way ME I'm not into that ENQUIRER Well what's your birthday? ME I really hate star sign talk. ENQUIRER But when's your birthday. ME (inside) AAARRGH!

I have one friend who is very serious about it all, but I just can't take it seriously at any level. I tolerate and am interested in most things (Vedic philosophy for instance) but Star Signs just irk and irratate me. It's so nonscencical!

HOWEVER I admit my beliefs could be described just as irrational and silly. Water into wine, miraculous healings of sight, and the big one: Life over Death. (However I can't go for the 'virgin' birth for some this may put me at the very edge: on a precipice but i think there's still room in Christendom for me!).

This reminds me of Sue Ann Post and her book The Confession of an Unrepentant Lesbian Ex-Mormon. (Love to get her on the program one day !) Much of her act is sending up the Mormon church and its crazy beliefs. One day when doing a gig at the World Council of Churches conference she noticed how these Christians soooooooooooo enjoyed hearing about those wacky Mormons. Enjoying it tooooooo much she thought, for as Su points out their stories and religious convictions are just as laughable.

ANYHOW next time you meet me, be nice, and ask me my faviourite question: How's your love life? We'll get on like as house on fire!Does any conversational topic annoy you? Go on tell us what niggles you most? I dare you, make a comment.

GG BLOG UPDATED EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT AFTER THE SHOW

LAST SUNDAY we featured music from The Caravans a traditional gospel group from US of A.They are best known for their lead singer Shirley Caesar.

GOSPEL NEWS

# Advance Notice: A series of gospel concerts at Collins Street Baptist church in October. Watch this space !If you have info on upcoming community concerts please let us know: gospelgrooves@joy.org.au.

PLAYLISTS

On past programs we have showcased music from:

The Caravans - The Best of the Caravans

adoration - adoration live on the gospel train

Mavis Staples - We'll never turn back

Various Artists - Gotta Serve Somebody: Gospel Music of Bob Dylan

Sweet Honey in the Rock - sacred ground

Vika and Linda - Tell the Angels

Various Artists - South African Gospel

Mary Mary - truthful

Anakulaia - Anakulaia

Paul Capsis with Cafe at the Gates of Salvation - Paul Capsis Live

FUTURE PROGRAMS

In later programs we hope to have someone from Out and Black to talk about indigenous spirituality and sexuality. Should be a great program !If you have any ideas on speakers or topics for future programs send us an email. You may also know some great gospel artists you would like us to play gospelgrooves@joy.org.au.

GG BLOG UPDATED EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT AFTER THE SHOW !

Creating Families

CREATING FAMILIES
In the Gay and Lesbian world we're used to creating families in our own way. We have to make up our own 'marriage' ceremonies, figure out how to nurture and rear our own children, and for those rejected by their own natural families (still till common) find our own brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles to love us as we are.




In my own case, my family are very accepting of who I am. However as an only child and not close to any of my cousins (except cousin Clare far away in England), Im slowly looking and creating extra family members for myself. It never used to bother me as I never missed having sisters and brothers around. However as I grow older I find I'm accumulating relatives !

Sister Clare, who came to watch me do my radio thing a week ago is a dear close friend. I consider to be as sisterlike as I can imagine anyone to be. She doesn't really need any more family as she has 5 sisters and 2 brothers but out of her generous nature I feel embraced !

My beautiful friend Debby has had some beautiful children and it touches my heart when she announces Uncle Tim's arrival. I love having seeing and playing with my nephews Daniel Joseph and Lucas Sean (great names !).

Sometimes there's a family like feeling in the gay and lesbain community. I've always found JOY 94.9 an amazing place. It's always friendly, quite empowering and sometimes like a family.

I've referred to the lovely and sweet Leenie as sister Leenie and I've told the very cute Stephen he's my older brother. He doesn't like the older bit but it's in honour of his wisdom and knowledge......given that he's the General Manager !

I think one reason for my new interest in creating a family is the fact that my father died last year and my mother is of a good age and won't be around one day. It's also one of the reasons why I want to be part of a loving church community. I've recently joined the Brunswick Baptist church. (Strangely it's one of the few Baptist churches with a track record in fully accepting Gay and Lesbians !) They don't know it yet but I look forward to getting closer to my new chruch friends !

What's family like for you ? Are you creating families, go on make a comment !

GG BLOG UPDATED EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT AFTER THE SHOW

COMING UP THIS SUNDAY on Aug 24th we'll have the pleasure of Michael Kelly's company again. Michael was up in Sydney during the 'world youth day' activities. He was involved in some of the alternative events and will give us a report. Michael is a writer and speaker who wrote the excellent book Seduced by Grace. One day we hope to combine both programs into a podcast for those who can't listen in live.

LAST SUNDAY we featured music from Adoration a professional Melbourne gospel group. No one seems to have heard about them recently so I suspect they are in recess at the moment. We featured their CD Adoration live on the gospel train.

CONTMPLATIVE THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

"There is a community of the spirit.
Join it, and feel the delight of walking in the noisy street and being the noise.
Drink all your passion, and be a disgrace. Close both eyes to see with the other eye."

Rumi found in The Essential Rumi by Coleman Barks

GOSPEL NEWS

# Advance Notice: A series of gospel concerts at Collins Street Baptist church in October. Watch this space !If you have info on upcoming community concerts please let us know: gospelgrooves@joy.org.au.

PLAYLISTS

On past programs we have showcased music from:

adoration - adoration live on the gospel train

Mavis Staples - We'll never turn back

Various Artists - Gotta Serve Somebody: Gospel Music of Bob Dylan

Sweet Honey in the Rock - sacred ground

Vika and Linda - Tell the Angels

Various Artists - South African Gospel

Mary Mary - truthful

Anakulaia - Anakulaia

Paul Capsis with Cafe at the Gates of Salvation - Paul Capsis Live

FUTURE PROGRAMS

In later programs we hope to have a representative from Changing Attitudes to comment on the Anglican Church scene which has been in the news lately.Out and Black will also come on to GG to talk about indigenous spirituality and sexuality. Should be a great program !

If you have any ideas on speakers or topics for future programs send us an email. You may also know some great gospel artists you would like us to play gospelgrooves@joy.org.au.

GG BLOG UPDATED EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT AFTER THE SHOW !

Gospel Grooves - Ashram Adventures

ASHRAM ADVENTURES
I went to an Ashram about a week ago and I can't stop thinking about the experience. The community is in Mt Eliza and the sister of my sister (i know it's confusing) is a member.

When Clare's sister went to the Ashram she was given her spiritual name, Bindu. She is quite delightful and very hospitable. Together with her partner, Manu, they live there and LOVE the Ashram. Of course want you to be enthusiastic and to LOVE everything about the place as well.

To be truthful I found it all quite confronting, though Clare assures me one day I’ll get used to it. On the wall there were heaps and heaps of pictures of exotic Indian almost naked gurus (mmmm) sitting in the lotus position. The Ashram of course has its own guru, Swamiji who the community reveres and hangs off his every word.

On Saturday nights there is ‘Satsang’. It's held in this wonderful circus like tent and you expect a ring master to appear at any moment. The evening consists of meditation, a 'sermon' from Swamiji and the giving of gifts and greetings to Swamiji (yep it's very much about Swamji, the women compete to sit as close to him as possible!).

The highlight for me was the music. Using traditional Indian instruments such as the sitar, they play this amazing music driven by some fantastic and incredible rhythms. Singing along with a beautiful mantra it can send you into a wild and wonderful psychotic state….well almost.

Bindu has been there for 8 years and according to Clare it's been a wonderful and empowering experience for her. I can't accept everything that is going on but I'll definitely go back to Satsang one day.

Have you had any interesting religious encounters ? Go ahead make a comment and tell me about it !

GG BLOG UPDATED EVERY MONDAY

Coming up this Sunday

COMING UP THIS SUNDAY on Aug 17th we’ll be playing some traditional Gospel . . . I know, it's about time ! Tune in and move to the grooves of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Mahalia Jackson and the Staple Singers.

Gospel Grooves Happenings

Last Week
LAST SUNDAY we featured music from Ladysmith Black Mambazo from their CD Ladysmith Black Mambazo Congratulations South Africa The Ultimate Collection. It is a double CD: the 1st CD has traditional and contemporary themes and the 2nd some fantastic gospel/spiritual music. Check it out !

Contemplative Thought for the Week
'If one desires a change, one must be that change before that change can take place.' Gita Bellin

A Guide for the Advanced Soul Susan Howard

Gospel News
# Advance Notice: A series of gospel concerts at Collins Street Baptist church in October. Watch this space !

If you have info on upcoming community concerts please let us know: gospelgrooves@joy.org.au.

Playlists
On past programs we have showcased music from:

Mavis Staples - We'll never turn back
Various Artists - Gotta Serve Somebody: Gospel Music of Bob Dylan
Sweet Honey in the Rock - sacred ground
Vika and Linda - Tell the Angels
Various Artists - South African Gospel
Mary Mary - truthful
Anakulaia - Anakulaia
Paul Capsis with Cafe at the Gates of Salvation - Paul Capsis Live


Future Programs
On Sunday the 24th we’ll have Michael Kelly back to talk about what happened in Sydney during world youth day a month or so ago.

In later programs we hope to have a representative from Changing Attitudes to comment on the Anglican Church scene which has been in the news lately.

Out and Black will also come on to GG to talk about indigenous spirituality and sexuality. Should be a great program !

If you have any ideas on speakers or topics for future programs send us an email. You may also know some great gospel artists you would like us to play gospelgrooves@joy.org.au.

GG BLOG UPDATED EVERY MONDAY