Music for 032512

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
Come and fill our hearts (STF 2157)
Change my heart O God (STF 2152)

Opening Song
I give you my heart

Confession
Leon Roberts, Lord have mercy

Scripture/Proclamation
Speak, O Lord

Offertory
Ancient words

Doxology
Give thanks (STF 2036)

Closing Song
Bitter was the night


11 AM
Hymns
469, Morning has broken (BUNESSAN)
Bitter was the night (BITTER)
302, I danced in the morning (SIMPLE GIFTS)

Confession
Leon Roberts, Lord have mercy

Anthem
Rosephanye Powell, The Word was God
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God. The same was in the beginning with God. By him all things were made,
that have been made; nothing was made he has not made.

Doxology
All things come of thee, O Lord

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude: Arr. Paul Manz, Voluntary on Bunessan
Offertory: JS Bach, The Son of God goes forth
Postlude: JS Bach, Prelude in A Minor

I became familiar with the 11AM choir anthem several years ago but never performed it; the piece was suggested to me a couple of years ago here in Black Mountain by a former chorister. We weren't ready to attempt it then, but have grown in our choral abilities and finesse since then. The composer is an African-American woman of growing renown. Her name is pronounced like the name "Stephanie" without the "t" and with the addition of "ro" to the beginning. Sidney Carter wrote two of the hymns we will sing at 11AM this week. I have not ever before included two songs by the same person in a single service. But I wanted to pair the more obscure song, "Bitter was the night," with a hymn for which Carter is rightly famous, "I danced in the morning." Carter, an English poet, songwriter and folk musician was born in 1915 and died in 2004.

Banners for Lent

Here are the most recent banners for our Lenten preaching series, "We were there." These are Peter (top), the high priest Caiaphas (above), and Judas (below). Folks have been responding to these favorably.

Music for 031812

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
This is our God

Opening Song
Better is one day

Confession
Leon Roberts, Lord have mercy

Offertory
M Barker, keyboard

Doxology
Give thanks (STF 2036)

Closing Song
Journey to Gethsemane

11 AM
Hymns
2236, Gather us in (GATHER)
Journey to Gethsemane (REDHEAD)
361, How firm a foundation (FOUNDATION)

Introit
Natalie Sleeth, Everywhere I go
Carol Choir

Confession
Leon Roberts, Lord have mercy

Children's Time
Arr. Barker, Seek ye first
Aerie Ringers, Emily Beaver, flute

Anthem
Michael Bedford, Jubilate Deo
Aerie Singers
Jubilate deo, omnis terra.
O be joyful in the Lord God, all you children of the world.
Love and serve the Lord your God with gladness everywhere!
Come to God, come now into God’s presence, with songs of exultation!

Doxology
All things come of thee, O Lord

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude: Arr. Barker, Jesus loves me
Aerie Ringers, Emily Beaver, flute
Offertory: Nancy Haskell, Nocturne in C Minor
Adult Handbells

Organ lecture-demonstration

Briggs told me last week that his class is doing a science unit on sound and musical instruments (he made a guitar out of a shoe-box and rubber bands with absolutely no help from anyone else at home). I offered his teacher the opportunity to take a short field trip and come visit the church's pipe organ. She took me up on it and with my permission invited all the second-grade teachers to visit. A total of 4 are making arrangements.

Briggs' class came this morning. He was very excited and proud, but was also a good host and let others ask all the questions about the organ and answer my questions to the class (to which he knew all the answers) and didn't gloat too much about having been allowed in the casework before.

I gave a short introduction on how sound is produced by wind, how an organ pipe is engineered to make sound, and the basics of how the organ is put together (blower, console, casework). I played a few snippets of music to demonstrate various sounds (diapasons, flutes, strings, reeds, ensemble). I let groups of five blow on a set of pentatonic pipes. They concluded by playing "Old MacDonald." And I answered lots of questions!

Best part of it all? I heard one student tell a classmate as they were heading out and back to school, "I want to come to this church sometime!"

Worship music 030412

FirstLight
Gathering Song(s)
Be still, for the presence of the Lord
How great is our God

Opening Song
In Christ alone

Confession
Leon Roberts, Lord have mercy

Offertory
Above all

Doxology
Give thanks

Closing Song
Jesus went out to a garden (BEACH SPRING)

11 AM
Hymns
276, Great is thy faithfulness (FAITHFULNESS)
Jesus went out to a garden (BEACH SPRING)
new hymn written by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette on commission from BMPCNC
76, My song is love unknown (LOVE UNKNOWN)

Confession
Leon Roberts, Lord have mercy

Anthem
Bach-Gounod, Prelude in C
Alice Keith Knowles, violin

Doxology
All things come of thee, O Lord

Instrumental/Organ Music
Prelude: Buxtehude, Vater unser in himmelreich
Offertory: Arr. Charles Callahan, Voluntary on LOVE UNKNOWN
Postlude: Buxtehude, Toccata in F-Sharp Minor

Lenten hymns

Lest anyone think we're utilizing the visual arts to the detriment of music this season, rest assured we are not. To relate to each of the sermons during Lent, we have sought out hymns relevant to the person from the Bible serving as the focus for each particular week. This has been a real challenge and quite eye-opening, forcing me to plow through hymn resources I don't use very often. But I think it will prove to be quite rewarding for us all. Here's the working list:

February 26
Anointing Woman (Mark 14.3-9)
A most gracious display by John Ylvisaker (song collection Borning Cry, volume 1)

March 4
Slave with ear cut off in garden (Mark 14.32-50)
Jesus went out to a garden by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette (BEACH SPRING)

Mark 11
Peter (Mark 14.28-38, 66-72)
Youth Sunday
When Peter boasted soon he fell (ABIDING GRACE)

March 18
High Priest-Caiaphas (Mark 14.53-65)
Go to dark Gethsemane (REDHEAD)

March 25
Judas (Matthew 26.14-16, 47-50)
Bitter was the night by Sydney Carter (BITTER WAS THE NIGHT)

April 1
Palm Sunday
Lessons and Passion Hymns

April 5
Maundy Thursday
Centurion (Mark 15.33-39)

April 8
Easter Day
Women at the tomb (Mark 16.1-8)
Sing the joy of Easter Day (ROYAL OAK)

We used the hymn by John Ylvisaker last year on Palm Sunday, so that was pretty easy to arrive upon. I never found any hymn dealing specifically with the slave in the story of the encounter in the garden. Therefore, we asked Carolyn Winfrey Gillette to write a new hymn for us. She did so in fine fashion, crafting a text that deals with the immediate story and character, but also addresses larger issues of violence and peace. We are looking forward to singing it. I still have not found the hymn I want to use to deal with the "Centurion." I am not finished looking, but I have made some notes of my own as a possible hymn text, in case nothing else pans out. "When Peter Boasted" was written by John Newton (of "Amazing grace" fame) and first appeared in 1779. I found the hymn by Sydney Carter in Voices United, the hymnal of the United Church of Canada. We'll probably also sing Carter's "Lord of the dance" that same day. On Palm Sunday we'll explore the Passion narrative through a series of readings and hymns, yet to be determined. I feel pretty pleased with the variety of hymns representing several eras and styles. I am certain the congregation will be able to appreciate the same as they encounter these songs in worship.

Lenten Banners

Our Lenten preaching theme is "We were there," a series of sermons dealing with persons who related to Jesus in his final days. When the theme was announced in January, I immediately imagined a set of banners, one for each person. I had in mind a set we made in Richmond for Eastertide some years ago, a sort of silhouette effect.

One church member drew the original artwork, other members did the painting (on fabric) and yet another finished each banner with a border and yet another prepared the banners for hanging (rods and cords). We're using the drawings as cover art for our worship guides on Sundays.

Here are the first two; we've colorized the background (from the original black/white) to reflect the fabric color of the finished banners. Above, the woman who anointed Jesus (Mark 14.3-9) and below, the slave who was injured in the garden (Luke 22.45-53). I'll post the others as we move through the season.