Life on the move. A fateful procession into town. A courageous quest for a new life across Solsbury Hill. Stories of triumph – glorious and personal– this Palm Sunday morning.
At 9:00 a.m., guitarist Alan Skowron joins our steady journey to Holy Week with music by Amanda Udis-Kessler, Carl Schalk, John Bell and Peter Gabriel. At 11:00 a.m., the organ offers exclamations of triumphal passage with the regal "Processional in E Flat Major" by David Johnson and the closing "Recessional" by Robert Hughes. The Chancel Choir offers a sultry reading of the traditional Latin text "Sanctus" and "Benedictus" ("Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!") from Bob Chilcott's "A Little Jazz Mass" during communion.
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Breathing life into seemingly hopeless situations — the work of the Spirit.
At 9:00, it is Confirmation Sunday! Join Lucas, Peter, and me in music expressing the winds of the Spirit, creation of the new, and the waters of baptism. At 11:00, an aria for organ warmly invites you to worship in an elegantly prosaic composition by Paul Manz. The Chancel Offer offers the stunningly beautiful hymn of praise "Laudate Dominum" by Mozart, a choral classic. Staff Vocalist Alex Young presents the dramatic opening soprano solo. The organ sends you into the world with a regal setting of the C. Hubert H. Parry hymn tune "Jerusalem" entitled "O Day of Peace" by Charles Callahan. At 9:00 a.m., fiddler Harmony Tucker joins the Celtic musical celebration with traditional Irish and Gaelic tunes plus melodies from other modern "new traditional" sources. Who knows what may be offered...
At 11:00 a.m., the Plymouth Ringers invoke our worship time with the Irish ballad tune "The Star of the County Down" arranged by Samuel Stokes. The Chancel Choir offers the well-known Irish hymn "Be Now My Vision" in a lovely setting by composer Dan Forrest. Lastly, the organ celebrates the 338th birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach on March 21 with the grand sonorities of his "Prelude and Fugue in E Minor, BWV 533" informally subtitled in 1705 as "The Cathedral." Songs and chants of the living water and new life this Sunday morning.
It will be a tale of two cellos at the 9:00 a.m. service with Lucas Jackson and Aaron Dunigan-AtLee offering tunes from early America and more. Two Welsh tune settings for organ by British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams will be presented at the 11:00 a.m. service in "Rhosymedre" and "Hyfrydol." The Chancel Choir sings a beautifully flowing arrangement of the Southern Harmony tune "Amazing Grace" by Bruce Stevenson. At 9:00 a.m., songs of guidance and revival greet you in the musical strains of Celtic folk music. Guitarist and vocalist Bill DeMarco joins us in this time of worshipful renewal.
At 11:00 a.m., we again experience the music of J.S. Bach in the third movement from BWV 1005 with violinist Harmony Tucker. The Chancel Choir sings the introspective "By the Babylonian Rivers" by Mark Sedio. Based on Psalm 137, the text compares the story of the ancient Israelites exile to our own personal exodus from captivity and hope for new life. Finally, the organ offers the aptly-entitled "Postlude in D" in a regal British manner by Canadian-English composer Healey Willan. We seek the Light of God – and listen – as our journey into the wilderness continues this First Sunday in Lent.
At 9:00, the Sanctified Art-commissioned song "Land of the Seeking" by Spencer LaJoye opens worship. The composer and lyricist shares his thoughts on its genesis: "I became kind of enamored with the idea of a magical place called 'The Land of the Seeking,' which you can only get to via the shadow of your doubts, the moment a candle burns out, the point where you’re so lost you just keep going instead of turning around, etc. The idea that there’s an entire welcoming 'land' for us when we feel place-less and questioning and confused…that was appealing to me. I’m also so inspired by Nicodemus coming to Jesus under the cover of night. Like the 'scary' thing (nighttime, darkness, unknown) is actually a comfort for a questioning person. And the idea of there being an abundance of grace beyond the bottom of the well…that was also inspiring to me." At 11:00, the organ offers two chorale preludes from the Lenten section of J.S. Bach's "little organ book" in "Jesus, Priceless Treasure" and "If You But Trust in God to Guide You." The Chancel Choir sings a hauntingly beautiful arrangement of the early American tune "Wondrous Love" by composer Peter Stearns. At 9:00, we celebrate the light of Christ this Transfiguration Sunday with the music of U2 and a song of hope by guest guitarist Alan Skowron. Come join us as we together walk into the Light on an early Sunday morning.
At 11:00, the Plymouth Ringers invoke the Spirit with a Baroque-inspired setting of the J.S. Bach hymn "How Good, Lord, to Be Here" by Lauran Delancy. The Chancel Choir offers the rousing Gospel anthem "Standing in the Need of Prayer" by the inimitable Moses Hogan. The organ closes worship and the Epiphany season with the ecstatic "Litanies" by French organ composer Jehan Alain. The work mirrors one's desperate vocal pleas to God via a frenetic chant-like motive. As the composer related: "When, in its distress, the Christian soul can find no more words to invoke God's mercy, it repeats endlessly the same litany....for reason has reached its limit - only faith can take one further... " At 9:00 a.m., a Celtic breeze informs worship with eclectic sounds from the gospel, folk and 20th century Neo-Baroque idioms as well. Ukulelist Stuart Yoshida joins us in songs of light and fellowship.
At 11:00 a.m., the organ greets you with a Neo-Baroque setting of the late 16th century Epiphany carol "How Brightly Shines the Morning Star" by Helmut Walcha. The Chancel Choir then shares an anthem by prolific composer Alfred Fedak declaring to "Let in the Light." As you depart worship, a "Pasticcio" reminiscent of Medieval era musical themes by French organ composer Jean Langlais resounds from the organ. At 9:00 a.m. we welcome the day and pray for peace, love, and unity through the music of George Harrison. Vocalist Lucas Jackson and bassist Peter Strening join us for this eclectic early morning service.
At 11:00 a.m., the organ presents works from two eminent composers of the 19th century. At the Prelude, "My Faithful Heart Rejoices" from Johannes Brahms' final work "Eleven Chorale Preludes" greets congregants with its beautifully flowing undulations. At the Postlude, the majestic and bold "Allegro maestoso" from "Organ Sonata No. 2 in C Minor" by Felix Mendelssohn brings worship to a definitive conclusion. The Chancel Choir offers an anthem relating God's presence and guidance on this Annual Meeting Sunday in "God Is Here" by composer Kenneth Drake. At the 11:00 a.m. service this Candidacy Sunday we sing of blessings and thankfulness as we prepare ourselves to be Spirit-filled witnesses to the world.
The Chancel Choir offers such a song for pilgrims in "Lighting the Way" by esteemed British composer Will Todd. And the Plymouth Ringers call the congregation to vibrant worship in "A Joyful Ring" by Barbara Kinyon. Lastly, the organ sends us on our way rejoicing with a toccata fanfare on the G.F. Handel composed hymn tune "Gopsal" by famed British composer David Willcocks, well known for his inspiring carol descants at Christmastide. |
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