The Merry Mystic

Guilty Pleasure

The other day, my wife caught me with my nose in a book and a silly grin on my face. It’s happened before, and it’s always embarrassing. She gives me a hard time about it, too—and justly so. It’s embarrassing to be caught enjoying your own writing.

I know: self-indulgent, isn’t it? But I can’t help it. I get a kick out of it, every time I dip into The Pastor and the Priestess, the first book in my fantasy romance series. But I had a good excuse, this time, for re-reading my own writing: I’m putting the finishing touches on Wolf at the Door, the third volume in the series, and just needed to check a few things for continuity. (That’s what I told Kelly, anyway.) I’m delighted with the way the latest story is turning out, and I’m excited about releasing it shortly.

But nobody’s going to be excited about the third volume if they haven’t read the first two. So today, I’m dropping the price of the Kindle edition of The Pastor and the Priestess to 99 cents. If you haven’t read it, I hope you’ll take advantage of this price reduction. Maybe a bit of happily-ever-after fantasy romance is just what you need.

And if you have already read The Pastor and the Priestess and Storms Over Corwin, thank you, and stay tuned! Volume three is nearly ready. Here’s the cover art:

And here’s the text from the back cover:

Sandra Shelby, high priestess of the Rose Feather Circle, and Mark Collins, pastor of the Corwin Congregational Church, are engaged to be married at last. They’ve set the date. They’ve chosen two people to perform the ceremony—a Christian minister and a Wiccan crone. Their friends are happy for them. Mark’s parents are happy for them. What could go wrong?

Plenty, as it turns out. Not everyone is as happy about the forthcoming marriage as they are. First, a mysterious Pagan organization sends two scouts into the town of Corwin to discover the secrets of the Circle and to lure Sandra away. At the same time, a faction within Mark’s church takes exception to his interfaith relationship and tries to get him fired. Then, just before Easter, a wolf comes to Mark and Sandra’s door with disturbing news: Joni, the youngest member of the Circle, has disappeared. To rescue little Joni, Mark and Sandra and their friends would go to the ends of the earth.

But they’ll have to go farther than that.

I’ll let you know when Wolf at the Door is available to order. Two weeks, I hope!

Adam2021-09-12T12:46:19-05:00September 12, 2021|0 Comments

Beyond This Journey’s Ending

When I was working on this new composition, my wife asked me, “What’s it about?”

“Death,” I said.

“Ah, another commercial success in the making,” she replied.

Well, this song isn’t exactly about death. It’s about mortality and hope. I don’t know where the path leads after death. But I do know the One who walks with us on that path. And therefore I know that, as Julian of Norwich wrote, all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.

This is a four-part choral piece; the video below shows a socially-distanced quartet performing it, consisting of myself, my wife Kelly, and my daughter Fern, with my friend Ron singing and conducting. The music, as it moves from lamentation to hope, changes in melody, key, and time signature; the final melody is a traditional Welsh tune, Bugeilio’r Gwenith Gwyn.

The words are below. Sheet music is, as always, available in our Free Stuff area.

The mainspring wound at birth is bound
 In time to be unwinding.
 The candle flame that binds my name
 Burns down to my unbinding.
 In joy I sang; the heavens rang
 With all my fiery yearning.
 But now I see that I must be
 Too soon to dust returning. 

 The mortal path on which I walk
 Is one of certain sorrow.
 It ends before a silent door,
 A day with no tomorrow.
 Yet even so, one thing I know:
 Your love has always found me.
 All shall be well, all shall be well,
 For you are all around me.

 Love will be sustaining me
 On hilltop and in hollow,
 In sun or rain, in joy or pain,
 Whatever path I follow.
 I shall not fear though death be near,
 I shall not break though bending.
 You love me still, and still you will,
 Beyond this journey’s ending.

Adam2021-09-11T16:13:33-05:00April 28, 2021|1 Comment

I Remember

I think my hymn “I Remember” is a good one for Lent and Easter. This week, I made a revised version, with a new fourth verse that I like better than the original. I wrote a different accompaniment, too: simpler and more contemplative, and thus better suited to a solo performance.

The video is my daughter Fern Athena Webber, singing “I Remember” as part of our Zoom church service at the Open Prairie United Church of Christ.

I remember how he spoke,
How minds were shocked
And hearts unlocked.
He made me see
How I could be
Like him. My soul awoke.

I remember how his touch
Could heal the sick.
How very quick
Was his response
To human wants!
Could I not do as much?

I remember how he prayed
Alone, apart,
With open heart.
Am I not free
In prayer to be
Restored, renewed, remade?

I remember how he died,
His body torn,
His love reborn,
His heartbeat stilled,
His love fulfilled.
May his way be my guide.

As usual, sheet music for this version (in E minor) is available in our Free Stuff area.

Adam2021-09-11T16:42:32-05:00March 7, 2021|2 Comments

Strong Man

Many of us here in the USA, and many people around the world, were shocked and dismayed last week to see rioters breaking into the US Capitol building. People have been asking me for advice: what can we do to help move our country toward health and wholeness? The general answer hasn’t changed, I believe: live lovingly. Seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. But as for more specific actions? I’m not really sure. I’m thinking and reading and praying a lot these days, just trying to understand what the heck is going on here.

In the middle of all this thinking and praying, I’ve written a song. It’s political, it’s harshly ironic, and it’s not suitable for children. I’ll understand, Merry Mystics, if you want to skip this one. But if you want to know what I’m writing these days, here it is:

Strong Man by Adam Brooks Webber

P.S. My son Fox and I are working on a video to go with the song. Stay tuned.

Adam2021-09-11T16:47:42-05:00January 10, 2021|9 Comments

Separation at Thanksgiving

Separation hurts; there’s no getting around it. But, news flash: those who love us never really leave us, and even the experience of separation is temporary. In my not-even-remotely-humble opinion!

Adam2021-09-12T15:32:53-05:00November 26, 2020|2 Comments

Spirit Friend, Be With Us As We Pray

I wrote some music this week, something to lead into a time of prayer during my church service on Sunday morning. I used an ancient melody: some plainsong that I remember from my childhood in the Episcopal church. Here’s my wife Kelly Autrey-Webber singing it; the organist is Charlie Gebeck.

As always, the score is available in our Free Stuff area.

(If you’re a Merry Mystic in the USA, you may have expected me to be posting something about the election, now just four days away. Believe me, I’ve preached and sung about it, and voted early! But at this point, I just need some prayer. I hope this helps you too.)

Adam2020-10-30T11:39:02-05:00October 30, 2020|1 Comment

Advent Processional Performed
Gallery
Advent Processional Performed

music, The Merry Mystic

Advent Processional Performed

Last November, I posted some sheet music for an easy choir piece for a processional for Advent. Now I’ve been leading an online book study for my book, The Inn of God’s Forgiveness. For chapter eight, I wanted to demonstrate my Advent Processional. But because of the coronavirus, it isn’t feasible to record a choir singing it.

Unless everyone in the choir is me.

[vimeo id=430167452]

Adam2020-06-18T11:57:23-05:00June 18, 2020|1 Comment

I Remember

This song is also available as a hymn for group singing, with a piano accompaniment, over in our Free Stuff section.

Adam2020-04-19T14:14:40-05:00April 19, 2020|0 Comments

How to Feel Beautiful

Hello friends! Today I’m feeling hopeful about spring: here in north-central Illinois, we’re having temperatures in the mid fifties. This morning, I saw my first two red-winged blackbirds of the season—and then my first two robins!

I’ve been working on a new project, putting short sermons online for my church, the Open Prairie United Church of Christ in Princeton, IL. Here’s one with a valuable tip: how to feel beautiful. (Because you’re good enough, you’re smart enough, and doggone it, people like you!)

[vimeo id=394788470]

Best blessings!

Adam2020-03-01T13:55:13-06:00March 1, 2020|1 Comment

Call to Change: A Ninefold Repentance

Hello, Merry Mystics! I preached a sermon last Sunday that I’d like to share with you. Our text was Matthew 4:12-23, which is the story of the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry and the calling of his first disciples. That text got me thinking about change: how much I hate it, and how much the church needs it.

The video from the church didn’t turn out so well, so I’ve made a new one for you:

[youtube id=RNil3N5b1Cg]

Here’s that ninefold repentance, in case you’d like to put it up on your door:

Repent of teaching that Jesus’ life was a sacrificial offering, required to appease an angry God.
Repent of valuing right belief more than right action, and creeds more than kindness.
Repent of slandering God as a punisher who sends sinners to an eternity in hell.
Repent of stubbornly insisting that the world is about to come to an end.
Repent of our belief that God has a tribal bias—that God is more interested in us than in them.
Repent of treating our guesses as dogmas, and our words as God’s words.
Repent of our contempt for spiritual paths and religious traditions other than our own.
Repent of treating scientific curiosity and skeptical investigation as threats to God.
Repent of our indifference to the damage humankind has inflicted on the life of the earth.

Adam2020-01-31T18:48:05-06:00January 31, 2020|1 Comment