A community effort

NightSong: A Compline Experience premiered at the MSA Annex at 7:00pm this past Sunday, March 27. It was a beautiful service organized by Beloved Corps member Christopher Campbell, and attended by over 60 people from Saint Philip’s and the greater Tucson community.

NightSong began with a grant from Princeton Theological Seminary and grew to include several partners.

Paul Weir provided the event space and the sound, lighting, and visuals. He works with Many Mouths One Stomach which organizes Tucson’s annual All Souls Procession and Flam Chen.

As per Many Mouths’ website: the non-profit is a “Tucson-based collective of artists, teachers and community activists who come together with the intent to create, inspire, manifest and perpetuate modern festal culture. ‘Festal Culture’ is the expression and fulfillment of core human needs through public celebration, ceremony, and ritual.”

Paul’s experience helped elevate the beauty and sensory experience of NightSong’s debut.

Kristin and Alex Tovar of the Tucson shop Why I Love Where I Live provided wonderful merchandise for people to purchase as one way to help support the continuation of NightSong. The t-shirts and stickers are still available through Chris.

Dcn Susan Erickson organized a group from Saint Philip’s who generously baked cookies and brought coffee for people to enjoy after the service. Other Saint Philip’s staff and volunteers helped prepare the many luminaria that were dispersed throughout the event space.

Two other Beloved corp members participated by representing the non-profits where they intern. Maddie Foley shared information about Habitat for Humanity and Claire Miller organized a food drive to support the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. 

Saint Philip’s Lay Clerks did a wonderful job leading the sung worship service, and former Beloved member and current Vestry member, Alex Swain, lead the procession into the space as the Thurifer.

Based on the success of NightSong’s premiere, another service is being planned. Details will be shared as they become available.

In the meantime, Chris will host “Bible on Tap” at 6:30pm every Sunday at Westbound, a bar in the Annex. All are welcome to join him for conversation about scripture, life, and God.