December Choir Corner by David Williamson
As we approach the two shortest seasons of the Liturgical Year, I’m reminded of the old saying that Good Friday belongs to the Roman Catholics, Easter belongs to the Eastern Orthodox Christians, but Advent, Christmas, and all the Holy Days dealing with the Incarnation are the domain of us Anglicans. We are militant in refusing to celebrate Christmas without thoroughly preparing ourselves though Advent. Our hymnody embraces and reinforces the dual preparation for both the celebration of the first coming of Jesus and the proclamation of his return in glory. Among the Advent favorites in our hymnal are “Hark, a thrilling voice is sounding,” “On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry,” “Prepare the way, O Zion,” ”Sleepers Wake,” “Lo! He comes with clouds descending,” and “O come, O come, Emmanuel.”
The Gloria in Excelsis (the song at the beginning of worship that begins, “Glory to God in the Highest...”) is given up for Advent but will return in our worship on Christmas Eve in the metrical form of “Angels we have heard on high.” This is appropriate since the first lines
of the Gloria in Excelsis comes directly from the angels’ mouths as they announce the birth of Jesus to the shepheards.
During Advent, we will once again sing the Schubert’s Kyrie (“Lord, have mercy upon us...”) and Sanctus (“Holy, holy, holy Lord...”) along with Mark Schweitzer’s “St. James’ Christmas Service” setting of the Agnus Dei (“O, Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world...”) to the tune “Greensleeves.” Greensleeves is the tune most are familiar with as the setting of “What Child is This?”
Caroling at Beacon Harbor
Sunday, December 17, all Nativity members are invited to join the youth group in its last trip to Beacon Harbor of the semester.
Sunday, December 17, all Nativity members are invited to join the youth group in its last trip to Beacon Harbor of the semester. Following 10:30 worship, we'll share lunch at Nativity, and then we will ride out for our monthly gathering. Our activity for December will be caroling with the residents. Let our young people introduce you to the new friends they've made this semester and help them spread some Christmas cheer!
The Choir Corner: Methodism
Most of you know John Wesley as the founder or Methodism, but we Episcopalians still have one of his hymns in our hymnal.
Most of you know John Wesley as the founder or Methodism, but we Episcopalians still have one of his hymns in our hymnal. His brother Charles was the prolific hymn writer and the person who invited John to the group out of which the Methodist movement was born. Nevertheless, Charles remained staunchly Anglican until the end and was buried in his vestments.
Charles's son Samuel was the most brilliant organist of his day, scandalous, and for a time became Roman Catholic. We still have many of his gorgeous Anglican chants and organ pieces in out hymnal. He's famous for competing with the great Felix Mendelssohn at organ playing. No official result could be rendered because the men that were hand pumping the organs gave out.
Samuel's son, Samuel Sebastian, was the greatest organist and Anglican composer of his time (mid Victorian) and we still sing much of his music. The one likely most familiar to us is "The Church's One Foundation."
Send a message to David Williamson for more information and a listening list.
This is the Egmore Wesley Church in Chennai, India. Choristers are from all leading choirs of Chennai.
Melody: Samuel Sebastian Wesley 1874 [AURELIA]
Text: Samuel John Stone 1866 "The Church's One Foundation"