We Are a Rainbow
Music United exists to help foster the music-making community in local congregations, for regional councils, and with the national church. In each issue of Gathering, the Music United column features members from across the country involved in this work of music making. Music ministry includes the writing of new songs for the contemporary experience of the church. Here David Kai reflects on the process of writing the song “We Are a Rainbow,” toward Affirming Ministry in The United Church of Canada.
God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth” (Genesis 9:12–13).
An old proverb says that necessity is the mother of invention, and the writing of this hymn is one example. The congregation that we are a part of, Huron Shores U.C. in Grand Bend, Ontario, became an Affirming congregation in 2017. In planning the service of celebration, it was difficult to find specifically Affirming hymns. After the service, the idea for such a hymn was on the back burner for several months. Then one day, we were staying with one of our children at their place in downtown Toronto. They were located at Jarvis and Wellesley, basically at the corner of the area known as the (Gay) Village.
During the night, I woke up with a short melody and a few words running through my head: “We are a rainbow.” I got up and scratched down a few notes on a scrap of paper, along with a few Bible quotes that seemed to be related. In the morning, I got up and looked at the notes, which I could actually decipher, which isn’t always the case! I noted that, by coincidence, the melody of the words I had written followed the shape of a rainbow on staff paper!
From there, the harder work of composition began. As is often said, creativity is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. I thought of Bible verses that related to light, which is made up of rainbow colours. I referred to the story of Noah’s ark for the account of the creation of rainbows as a sign of the covenant. I thought of Joseph’s coat of many colours, which might look like a rainbow. I used the Advent themes of hope, peace, joy, and love as the basis for one verse. I adapted Psalm 30:5, “Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning” for one line because I liked the contrast of putting “mourning” and “night” beside each other. Then it was time to prepare sheet music (lead sheets and accompaniment versions), recordings, videos, and anthem versions to share with other colleagues in Music United and beyond. I am happy to say that many in Music United have found the hymn to be a helpful resource.
Editor’s note: “We Are a Rainbow” appeared in the Pentecost 1, 2018, issue of Gathering. It can also be found on David's website in various forms.
