RICOCHET

My wife and I have dragged our daughters to many churches over the past several years. We’ve enjoyed most of the sermons, congregations, programs and pastors, and my wife has liked most of the music. As for me, I’ve pretty much given up on finding any worship music that doesn’t drive me a bit batty.

For background, I’m a plain-old Christian, sans denomination, though I have enjoyed Lutheran, Baptist, Anglican, Reformed and other congregations over the years. Most of the churches I’ve attended are evangelical, with several that would fit into the “megachurch” category. Most have offered inspiring teaching with solid, if not terribly deep, theology. But the music… oh heavens, the music.

My family tires of my weekly critique of modern church music and architecture, so I figured it was time to inflict it upon a larger audience. (You’re welcome, readers.)

RICOCHET

I recently fled the Phoenix area for a cool mining town-turned-artist colony tucked away in Arizona’s southeast corner. The eclectic community of Bisbee is not exactly Barry Goldwater country; on my first visit in the ‘90s I saw the only car to share Arizona plates with a “Nader for President” bumper sticker.

The times have changed, but Bisbee’s politics haven’t. Navigating the steep, narrow streets, we found ourselves behind the Hillary Art Car. I couldn’t resist taking a quick photo of the bedazzled auto before we headed to lunch at a local café.