“Join with the Spirit,” offered by Min. DeShay W. Freemyer-Jackson
DeShay W. Freemyer-Jackson, Minister of Music for The Gathering, A Womanist Church, sings “Join with the Spirit.” Posted with gratitude for DeShay’s abundant gifts and graces!
Refrain:
Join with the Spirit, join with the Spirit, rising,
join with the Spirit;
She will empower our rising.
See those women’s rights denied,
She will empower our rising;
by leaders who have often lied;
She will empower our rising. Refrain
See the immigrants abused,
She will empower our rising;
their basic human rights refused;
She will empower our rising. Refrain
Work for racial justice now;
She will empower our rising;
all those oppressed will show us how;
She will empower our rising. Refrain
We will hold each other fast;
She will empower our rising;
some day we will be free at last;
She will empower our rising. Refrain
Words © 2017 Jann Aldredge-Clanton arr. © 2018 Larry E. Schultz
Min. DeShay W. Freemyer-Jackson currently serves as Minister of Music for The Gathering, A Womanist Church in Dallas, Texas, and for First Christian Church in Granbury, Texas. DeShay holds a Master of Divinity degree from Brite Divinity School (Texas Christian University) with certificates in Black Church Studies and Gender and Sexual Justice and a Bachelor’s in Music Education from Culver-Stockton College. DeShay recently contributed a chapter to Colors of Hope: A Devotional Journal from LGBTQ+ Christians published by Chalice Press, March 2022. DeShay has performed as a solo and collaborative musician with a host of instrumental and vocal ensembles in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, and Texas, providing music at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, LA, Illinois Music Educators Conference, and multiple schools, churches, and homes. During their time at Brite Divinity, they served as vice-moderator for the Brite Black Seminarians student association and served on the chapel worship committee as music liaison, worship leader, and student vocal ensemble director. DeShay is seeking ordination with the Mid-America region of the Christian Church Disciples of Christ. DeShay’s interests center the importance of Womanism and its influence on theology/spirituality, Black/LGBTQIA+ culture, music, and food.