Hymn writer Susan Palo Cherwien writes:
“Singing together is one of the most important things the Christian community does together in worshiping God. We sing into ourselves, into each other, into the universe, holy stories, holy truths, wisdom, beauty. We are shaped into one body by singing together holy songs. We begin to vibrate together. We are changed. Into what are we being shaped by the songs that we sing?”
The pattern of worship, modified a bit from descriptions in Evangelical Lutheran Worship, and the like, is this: gathering together, offering, transformation, sending. I want to focus on the gathering together and the offering because, at least in terms of worship, those are our work. The transformation and the sending are all God’s work.
The beauty, richness, and diversity of our liturgical and musical life
at St. Mary's right now has my heart and soul so full of gratitude and almost overwhelmed by all of the beauty and loveliness in so many ways.Our liturgies this Advent season have, while being grounded in the Anglican/Episcopal tradition, included a variety of resources to help us get to the heart of what I like to call a "spirituality of Advent." Our Rector, Patrick's, preaching has, I believe, helped us to see how our lives, especially in these seemingly dark days, are Advent-ful if we but take the time to pay attention. Advent, I thnk, is more relevant now than ever.These liturgies, this preaching, and the music we have made together in the midst of it all, have really been working on me this Advent. During a time when I have often felt overwhelmed and dismayed by everything going on in the church and the world I am thankful that I haven't been able to get away from Advent. The relentless Advent refrain of hope and expectation is, I think, one of the things that has most helped me keep going.Today I feel like I got a splendid glimpse of the hope and expectation of Advent - the waiting and yearning for a time when God will be all in all, in the culmination of some of our Advent activities and preparations for Christmas. This Advent we've be singing as the Fraction Anthem, "God of promise, you have prepared a banquet for us. Happy are those who are called to the supper of the Lamb." This is one of those times when, in the midst of the daily grind of being a church musician, I feel like I've been graced with a little glimpse of heaven.Today: A Taize Eucharist with our Parish Choir and an intergenerational group of nearly 10 instrumentalists leading us in worship followed by assembling 200 or so sack lunches to help feed hungry people, and, in just over an hour from now, our children's Christmas pageant.
Next Sunday the Parish Choir sings Herbert Sumsion's Magnificat in A Major and our section leaders will sing Hans Leo Hassler's Dixit Maria. In the midst of all of that we'll chant the Magnificat to the gorgeous Tonus peregrinus and sing Rory Cooney's powerful paraphrase of the Magnificat, Canticle of the Turning, set to the rollicking Irish tune Star of the County Down.On Christmas Eve, in addition to tons of carols, the Gospel Choir and friends will sing at the 4:30pm liturgy and offer Andre Thomas' Here's a Pretty Little Baby and Lynn Trapp's setting of The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy. At the 10pm Prelude/10:30pm Liturgy the Handbell Choir will ring and the Parish Choir will sing. The Parish Choir will offer Charles Wood's Ding Dong Merrily on High, Harold Darke's In the Bleak Midwinter and Bob Chilcott's ravishingly beautiful The Shepherds Sing. Also, I'm super excited that our soprano section leader will sing Herbert Howells' Come Sing and Dance.I am always humbled by the generous offering of time that our music leaders bring especially with everything else they have going on during this hectic season. The music in which all of our musicians lead us, volunteers and staff singers alike, is one of the greatest Christmas gifts I am blessed to receive.
Resources Mentioned by Dr. Keith Hampton"God Hears Me When I Pray""God Is Doing Something Wonderful In Me"[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5tkMQiBOaU&w=560&h=315]"I Really Love the Lord"[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQqM8iNebYw&w=560&h=315]Resources Mentioned by Beau Surrattshrutibox.comTell them Ana Hernandez sent you to get the nice and economically priced model that she uses."Glory to God," the new Presbyterian hymnal
"Come bring your burdens to God" (in both "Glory to God" and "We Walk His Way")[vimeo 41080945 w=500 h=375]"We Walk His Way" (shorter songs for worship from the Iona Community and John Bell)
Featured from this resource was "God Welcomes All" on pg. 20."Come All You People" (shorter songs for worship from the Iona Community and John Bell)
Featured from this resource was the setting of the Sanctus and Benedictus on pg. 92Setting of Psalm 78 based on "Go Down Moses"Psalms for All Seasons: A Complete Psalter for Worship
Setting of Psalm 119 with "Order My Steps" refrain (adapted from "Psalms for All Seasons")Also featured from "Psalms for All Seasons" was the setting of Psalm 46 on pg. 298."At Your Altars" (Chants, Refrains, and Short Songs) edited by Dan Damon
