A letter from San Francisco...J

John Coltrane.

Wander down Fillmore Street during the week and you might not notice the glass windows and pulled down blinds of number 1286.

Wander down there today and you might notice me sitting in this internet café though. It’s my first time here and it’s weird to see the other eight people who are all sitting at separate tables, each with a drink and an open laptop. Some are looking worried as if they were doing homework, one guy is very intensively focussed though he is also plugged into his I-Pod so he may be grooving. The guy next to me is looking at a map but I can’t see whereof without appearing rude. The woman opposite has a slight frown and is chewing her nails……but I digress.

Wander down Fillmore with a little more attention and you might notice, in passing, the poster on the door of 1286. It depicts two soprano saxophones arranged in the form of a cross, black line drawing on a white background.Wander down Fillmore on a Sunday morning at about 12.30 though and the sound of A Love Supreme played by four or five saxophones, and I guarantee that you will at least look in through the open doors. You might even be tempted in. As those inside will gladly tell you; “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”

1286 is the present home of the John Coltrane African Orthodox Church; as its name explains, a church dedicated to the memory of St John Coltrane and the service begins with a beautiful and organic rendition of A Love Supreme in which the Reverend, Dean, and Chaplin (not Charlie) all play saxophones. They are accompanied by drums and keyboard, bongo drums and double bass as well as any tambourine taken up by the congregation.

The Reverend will also improvise on bongo or tambourine, sing, cajole the congregation for being too silent and dance with any of the worshipers who get up and jive.“Let us sing all songs to God” is proclaimed from the life size image of a sanctified John Coltrane and that’s what happens at 1286, every Sunday until 3pm.

There will also be a lesson, a reading, probably sung, and prayers.The church was inspired by an apparently miraculous concert given by John Coltrane and witnessed by the Reverend who realised that he was witnessing a man touched by the Lord and so dedicated his church and ministry to the man, using his music for the liturgy every Sunday.

Although at times it is difficult to see where the jazz solos end and the service starts what is very, very apparent is the love that emanates from this tiny church so easily overlooked in “God’s own country”. And even though the Reverend is a passionate orator and his sermons, whether on Love, Piece and Perfection in all Creation or Unity in Trinity will inspire and reside with you, it is this sense of joy and love that you will leave with if you wander down to Fillmore 1286 on a Sunday at about 12.30. enter and stay a while.

http://www.coltranechurch.org/index.htm