Sing Me to Heaven

Sing Me to Heaven 
Music by Daniel Gawthrop

Last year I was introduced to this song, gifted to me by God's amazing configuration of events. 

A little over 10 years ago I met a lovely woman by the name of Jean Price through my mother. Jean passed away last year after a prolonged illness. Last summer, two memorial services for her life were arranged by her husband, Preston and their sons, Rob and John. One took place in Illinois on June 2025 at First United Methodist Church of Evanston, where Jean, Preston and I were members; and later in August, in Long Beach, California. 

Jean and Preston had spent the majority of their married life since the early 80s in California, although both were raised and met in a small town in Kansas, named Winfield. My sister, lives there and separately became friends with Preston in their mutual work for Southwestern College. Jean and Preston moved and raised their children in California, and built deep relationships there in their work and communities. Jean was a gifted choir director, organist and collaborative pianist. Preston, a widely respected United Methodist pastor serving both in California and later in life for the Northern Illinois Conference. Jean and Preston served together as leaders in both spiritual and music communities throughout their lives. One reason, I feel a special connection to this family is because their journey had led them to be colleagues and friends with both my Mom and sister, separately from my becoming connected to Jean. 

Jean and I met over 10 years ago now. My mother moved to a senior living community and Jean, volunteered there in her own retirement to provide a kind of music ministry in that senior community. Jean shared her gift with the keyboard and engaged with residents surrounding their interest for and desire to make music. She led a small choir, would play piano for sing-alongs and other events and just be a friend to residents in the community. Eventually she and I collaborated on some music programs presented for the community. 

In recent years Jean had become ill with debilitating respiratory disease. This past June, Jean died after spending time in hospice. Unbeknowst to me, Jean had requested that I sing at her memorial in Illinois. A couple of months after her passing, Preston honored me by asking me to come to California to sing for Jean's memorial there as I had for the memorial in Illinois. 

One of the reasons for Preston asking me to sing at the California memorial is that Jean in her instructions surrounding the memorial, had requested a choir anthem that was not workable for the group at the venue for the services to present. Preston asked me to sing the spiritual "Give me Jesus" as I had before in Illinois; and to identify a solo piece to present that would represent a similar message as the selection Jean had requested. 

The piece for choir was "Sing me to Heaven" by composer Daniel Gawthrop. It is set to text penned by his wife, Jane Griner. In order to find a replacement, I had to research the original piece.  In performing the research I found that Daniel Gawthrop had set a solo arrangement of the choral piece that Jean had requested. He made the solo arrangement in 2016, 25 years after his 1991 release of the original. Jean was probably never aware of the solo arrangement. Kimberly Grigsby, a gifted pianist, music theater conductor and friend of Jean's agreed to prepare this version and to present it at Jean's memorial in California this past August. 

Learning and working on this piece has been very special for me. I would have very much have enjoyed working on it with Jean!  It expresses our deep connection to music. I understand my connection to this work even more deeply as I read Gawthrop's own telling of the story about the creation of this beautiful piece of music. The Real Story

Thank you to the Price family who embody the values expressed in this text. Singing can also be seen as a metaphor for our work in human connection to one another. I thank Preston, Rob and John also for the opportunity to celebrate Jean's life and her beliefs by inviting me to present this extraordinarily simple, but profound statement of faith. 

For those who may sometimes feel that their heart is empty and that it has nothing to say about the value of their journey; know that there is a primal eloquent voice that speaks to your soul the truth that you are worth, Comfort, Love and God's eternal grace. Often our music connects us to this space. This has been a healing message for me. 

Thank you Jean and Preston!