{"id":172,"date":"2014-01-23T20:20:17","date_gmt":"2014-01-23T20:20:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/wordpress\/?page_id=172"},"modified":"2019-03-15T14:48:05","modified_gmt":"2019-03-15T14:48:05","slug":"soulful-singing-spoken-word","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/index.php\/soulful-singing-spoken-word\/","title":{"rendered":"Soulful Singing &#038; Spoken Word"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: 0; width: 100%; height: 142px;\" src=\"http:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=2889816642\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=de270f\/tracklist=false\/artwork=small\/transparent=true\/\" width=\"320\" height=\"240\" seamless=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/48368617_10215329628247347_3875520450570223616_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft  wp-image-701\" src=\"https:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/48368617_10215329628247347_3875520450570223616_n-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"255\" height=\"255\" srcset=\"https:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/48368617_10215329628247347_3875520450570223616_n-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/48368617_10215329628247347_3875520450570223616_n-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/48368617_10215329628247347_3875520450570223616_n-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/48368617_10215329628247347_3875520450570223616_n.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 255px) 100vw, 255px\" \/><\/a>Inspirational, whimsical and passionate, the music of Melissa Simonson reflects the singer-songwriter\u2019s playful personality, past experiences and life mission to help others live out their dreams and find their voice. In her melodic folk style, Melissa\u2019s music speaks directly to listeners with thoughtful lyrics and a clear, reassuring voice that travels from intimate to soaring. Her performances with the talented guitarist Joe Harris have been described as \u201cmusic that will lift your soul,\u201d \u201csmooth and easy to listen to,\u201d and \u201cpure musical bliss.\u201d Melissa released her debut album of original songs, <strong><a title=\"Be A Light\" href=\"http:\/\/melissasimonson.bandcamp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Be a Light<\/em><\/a><\/strong>, in December of 2011 and is currently working on her 2nd album.<\/p>\n<p>Through melody and poetry, and deeply personal stories that touch upon the transcendent within the human, Melissa moves audiences to connect with what&#8217;s true and freeing within themselves. With her honesty, humor, her lightness and depth, Melissa creates a sacred space where all can embrace their imperfection, surrender shame and find the permission to embrace all of who they are. To experience Melissa in live performance is to experience beauty and grace and to discover something deeply lovable within her humanity that has you falling in love with her AND yourself at the same time.<\/p>\n<p>A master speaker, singer and space-holder, Melissa finds herself at home standing in the pulpit &amp; singing at progressive church communities, as the keynote speaker &amp; performer at transformational workshops and retreats as well as creating intimate concerts in people&#8217;s homes. She has a gift for listening for what&#8217;s most needed and meeting her audiences exactly where they are.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"fontplugin_fontid_23728_QwigleyRegular\" style=\"font-size: 40px;\">Previous Performance Topics Include:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><span id=\"inserted8616\" style=\"color: #e01b22;\">\u201cThe Wisdom in Our Wounds:The Gifts of an Undivided Life\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Originally offered as a full service combining music, poetry and sermon at Full Circle Unitrian Universalist Fellowship in Fond du Lac, WI, and then at First Unitarian Society in 2012, Melissa examines those aspects of ourselves that we often shun and hide\u2026that we spend the greater part of our adult lives trying to \u201cimprove\u201d in hopes of becoming the persons we think we should be. But perhaps it is not in trying to fix or eradicate these parts of ourselves but rather through honest expression of our wounded nature that we give others and ourselves our greatest gift.<\/p>\n<p><a title=\"Wisdom in Our Wounds Talk\" href=\"http:\/\/www.fusmadison.com\/media\/2012-07-15-the-wisdom-of-our-wounds-ms.mp3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Click here to listen to the sermon Mp3<\/a><\/p>\n<p>This can be offered as a fully crafted service, tailored to your church community or as a single performance piece combining storytelling and music.<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"color: #e01b22;\">\u201cRethinking Humility\u201d<\/h1>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zXjcCSh8a2s\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>This topic was originally crafted as a full service at First Unitarian Society of Madison in June of 2013. With a long-standing religious and cultural history throughout the world that values humility and looks poorly upon pride, it can become all too easy to see humility as simply a virtue and pride as merely a vice. Yet in our fear of appearing boastful, we can begin to hide behind a veil of humility that limits our self-expression and prevents those around us from experiencing our greatest strengths. This service examines several religious and cultural definitions of what it means to be humble and ultimately, it offers up a new definition that leaves plenty of room for all of us to shine.<\/p>\n<p>This can be offered as a fully crafted service, tailored to your church community or as a single performance piece combining storytelling and music.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span id=\"inserted6545\" style=\"color: #e01b22;\">&#8220;Joy is an Inside Job&#8221;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Every day, you are bombarded with images and phrases that are trying to convince you that if you buy that shiny new car, or the big beautiful house, or get that promotion that you will be happy. The truth is that while a certain level of external security contributes positively to our overall experience, joy is primarily an inside job\u2014by shifting our internal beliefs and the stories that we tell ourselves about the world around us, we can create a reality that is joyful and find peace in both our personal and work relationships, no matter what is shifting in the outer world. In this talk, I will share personal stories of struggle and positive growth and take you on a journey of examining the ways in which your perceptions of life can limit or expand your ability to experience joy. You will leave feeling empowered and have a deep awareness of the inner resources that you possess to create joy from the inside out. Originally created as a keynote address for a hospital employee retreat, this talk can easily be tailored to serve a variety of different groups\u2014whether you want to increase joy (and thus, productivity) in the workplace or inspire a group at a spiritual retreat, this talk is powerful and relevant in any arena.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span id=\"inserted9244\" style=\"color: #e01b22; font-size: 18px;\">Contact Melissa about bringing her music to your retreat, convention, church, ceremony, or to create an intimate concert in your home:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n<div class=\"wpcf7 no-js\" id=\"wpcf7-f199-o1\" lang=\"en-US\" dir=\"ltr\" data-wpcf7-id=\"199\">\n<div class=\"screen-reader-response\"><p role=\"status\" aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\"><\/p> <ul><\/ul><\/div>\n<form action=\"\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/172#wpcf7-f199-o1\" method=\"post\" class=\"wpcf7-form init\" aria-label=\"Contact form\" novalidate=\"novalidate\" data-status=\"init\">\n<fieldset class=\"hidden-fields-container\"><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7\" value=\"199\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_version\" value=\"6.1.5\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_locale\" value=\"en_US\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_unit_tag\" value=\"wpcf7-f199-o1\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_container_post\" value=\"0\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wpcf7_posted_data_hash\" value=\"\" \/>\n<\/fieldset>\n<p>Your Name (required)\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-name\"><input size=\"40\" maxlength=\"400\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text wpcf7-validates-as-required\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" value=\"\" type=\"text\" name=\"your-name\" \/><\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p>Your Email (required)\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-email\"><input size=\"40\" maxlength=\"400\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-email wpcf7-validates-as-required wpcf7-text wpcf7-validates-as-email\" aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" value=\"\" type=\"email\" name=\"your-email\" \/><\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p>Subject\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-subject\"><input size=\"40\" maxlength=\"400\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text\" aria-invalid=\"false\" value=\"\" type=\"text\" name=\"your-subject\" \/><\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p>Your Message\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"wpcf7-form-control-wrap\" data-name=\"your-message\"><textarea cols=\"40\" rows=\"10\" maxlength=\"2000\" class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-textarea\" aria-invalid=\"false\" name=\"your-message\"><\/textarea><\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p><input class=\"wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-submit has-spinner\" type=\"submit\" value=\"Send\" \/>\n<\/p><p style=\"display: none !important;\" class=\"akismet-fields-container\" data-prefix=\"_wpcf7_ak_\"><label>&#916;<textarea name=\"_wpcf7_ak_hp_textarea\" cols=\"45\" rows=\"8\" maxlength=\"100\"><\/textarea><\/label><input type=\"hidden\" id=\"ak_js_1\" name=\"_wpcf7_ak_js\" value=\"224\"\/><script>document.getElementById( \"ak_js_1\" ).setAttribute( \"value\", ( new Date() ).getTime() );<\/script><\/p><div class=\"wpcf7-response-output\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Inspirational, whimsical and passionate, the music of Melissa Simonson reflects the singer-songwriter\u2019s playful personality, past experiences and life mission to help others live out their dreams and find their voice. In her melodic folk style, Melissa\u2019s music speaks directly to &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/index.php\/soulful-singing-spoken-word\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"sidebar-page.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-172","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/172","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=172"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/172\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":703,"href":"https:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/172\/revisions\/703"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/melissasimonson.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=172"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}