This page was created by Craig Dietrich.
Peace Mission Songs
Peace Mission aesthetics forge a creative space between structure and freedom, and this negotiation is clearly represented in their performance of sacred song. Musical precision is admired, but not required in Peace Mission congregational and choral activities. In the everyday musical life of the Peace Mission, the Movement's emphasis on structure and freedom meant and means leaderless choruses; extensive, spontaneous congregational singing; singers who in the majority of cases cannot read music; and choral singing without a great deal of structured practice.
It is a part of New Thought and Peace Mission belief that words can effect positive change in everyday life. The Peace Mission's approach to all songs has been that they potentially could aid human beings, and be turned into something powerful, spiritual, self-referential, and positive. An excellent example of a powerful spiritual belief contained in a song is the composition of Miss Mary Justice, a sort of "anti-spiritual," "There's No Heaven In the Sky," which speaks of the Peace Mission belief that heaven is a physical and spiritual reality 'right here, right now."
There's no heaven in the sky
Which has been some poor saint's cry.
Longing for this happy day
We know enjoy.
We have heaven here on earth
By our Father's transforming birth
No more to die
To meet our Savior in the sky.
From the sky
From the sky
Thank you for taking
Our minds and attentions from the sky.
So for many, weary years
We toiled in sour, pain, and tears
Planning to die
To meet our Savior in the sky.