How my mind works (when planning music)

Today's (1/18/2015) gospel reading was John's telling of Jesus gathering the first disciples, and it was the Sunday before the MLK, Jr. holiday. So thematically we had the whole call/follow thing and the social justice thing. I wanted to sing a South African prayer song, from the anti-apartheid era (Thuma mina) mostly because it's been a few weeks since we sang at the prayers. The liturgy (compiled by the preacher for the day) included a collection of statements from MLK Jr that were crafted into a brief statement of faith. From the prayer song I took a step back to another South African song, "Come with me for the journey is long." With the gospel lection, I opted for a new (2004) hymn by Mel Bringle ("From the nets of our labors/We will rise up and follow") which also included a social justice theme. From that wonderfully Hispanic-sounding song (music by John Kleinheksel) I leaped to William Farley Smith's exuberant setting of "Cantemos al Senor." I heard Smith play the piece with its downright wicked chromaticism and parallel octaves at a Lake Junaluska conference some years ago before his untimely death. He was ebullient an African-American man whose musicological hand hovers over the current UM hymnal. The appointed psalm was 139, which made an appearance in our spoken call to worship, confession rite, and as the choir anthem at the offering (setting by Allen Pote). So many themes, so much music! Wow!