Musical diversity can be a challenge. Even folks with very eclectic tastes often make exception; they listen to “everything” except rap or country or opera or metal. I subscribe to the Duke Ellington rule: If it sounds good, it is good.

This year’s Service of the Living Tradition featured organ music, jazz, mellow singer-songwriters, traditional Protestant-style hymns and a rock anthem “”Answer the Call”, written especially for the service.

With an audience of thousands, a musical program can’t please everyone. I’ve linked to the blog of one of my Twitter folks, who clearly didn’t care for it. (He’s not a fan of “The Lion King, either.)

I can’t speak for all the musicians, but as one of the 20 or so from the Silver Spring church, I enjoyed learning, rehearsing and performing all of the music. I think Michael Holmes and the planners did a wonderful job of incorporating a diversity of music and reinforcing the emotional and spiritual arc of the service.

In the Friday morning worship service, we were reminded that our constantly growing, UU “blended family”, we are often called to dance to unfamiliar music and new rhythms. Rev. Leon Spencer meant that metaphorically, but sometimes the dance floor is under your feet and the music is real.