"There's a Sweet, Sweet Spirit"

This is a treasured African American hymn which was eventually published in the Methodist hymnal.

here's a history --

https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-sweet-sweet-spirit

A couple of years ago, Durham Presbyterian Church, had a project called "This is My Story."  The idea was for members of the congregation to pick their favorite hymn, then the band would play it.  My favorite hymn at the time was "This Is My Story" b/c my mother used to hum it.

In 2012,  my brother and I journeyed up to the Peaks of Otter in Virginia to lay my mother's ashes to rest.  The Peaks was my mother's favorite place as a child, and one of mine also.  We would hike up there with my cousins.

I wish my church would do the "This is My Story" again.  What a great way to get members involved -- speaking of which, we need to attract new folks to our church.

Here are the Imperials, singing "There's a Sweet Spirit"

Nice meeting Cherry today in the gym...she and her husband Vic just moved into Glenbrook...she's a hematologist at Duke, specializing in sickle cell anemia and other blood disorders.  I mentioned to her how wonder my docs had been last year.  She complimented my sunglasses and hearing the story behind them.  I got them at a Kwaanza Festival a couple of years ago, honoring Chuck Davis.  He was in a wheelchair and died a few years later, so sad.  But he was 83, and what a full life!  And a well loved figure in the Durham Community.

I believe he studied under Pearl Primus and founded the African American Dance Ensemble.

Baba Chuck

Baba Chuck

“To understanding the culture, study the dance.

 To understand the dance, study the culture.”     -- Chuck Davis

He recalls Malcolm X putting an arm around

 his shoulders and saying, “young brother,

everything’s going to be all right.”

Agoo!

Amee!

Attention!

I am listening!

We listen

and watch

and wait,

for dance to change the world.

Let the dancers bring world peace.

(Poet’s note:  Chuck Davis is the founder of the African American Dance Ensemble of Durham, North Carolina)