As part of its Centennial Celebration, Black Mountain Presbyterian Church presents an organ concert this Sunday afternoon March 2 at 4:30 PM at the church.
Many talented professional musicians have served the church through the years; this concert will feature three persons who have led the music program in recent years. Sharon Carleton Boone led the church’s music ministry in the 1990’s. She will perform selections from Dan Locklair’s “Rubrics.” Carla Sperry was the church’s first full-time, permanent music director from 1998 until 2006. She will perform the third of J.S. Bach’s six trio sonatas. Michael Barker began his tenure in January 2007; he will perform JS Bach's Fantasy in G Minor and Louis Lefebre-Wely's Sortie II in B-Flat; Mr. Barker will also emcee the program. There will be a reception following the concert, which is free and open to the public. Noah W. Allen and Ted Crist were to have played on the program but have had to withdraw for various reaons.
Here are some photos of past musicians, including those on this Sunday's program.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Worship Dialogue
In our worship you are likely to hear our worship leaders say things unique to Christian worship and to our congregation. Some may sound a little dated or passé, but these connect us in a unique way with our spiritual ancestors and with Christians around the world. In FirstLight we try to project everything someone in the congregation needs in order to participate in worship; in our 11 AM service we try to get everything in print in the Guide to Worship. These elements happen so fast and often so spontaneously that we felt the need to give a brief description here. Below are a couple of possibilities, with suggestions for how to respond to them.
Following a Bible reading, the reader might say something like, “The word of the Lord.” A good response to this is a hearty, “Thanks be to God!” On some special occasions you may hear after a reading from one of the gospels, “The gospel of our Lord.” The response to that is, “Praise be to you, Lord Christ.” The exact wording is not as important as the listener giving their assent to what they have heard.
At almost any moment you may hear “The Lord be with you.” The customary response is, “And also with you.” What follows may be a prayer or simply an announcement. A friend once called this exchange the “holy attention-getter!” (Actually Debi T. called it the "holy shut-up," but that was in the context of dealing with 170 second- third-, fourth and fifth-graders at summer music camp!!) Another friend described her experience of trying, while eating, to mumble her response, in “mid-munch.” Finish your bite or sip if it comes to that! There's no such thing as a "holy spew!"
At almost any time one of the leaders may say, “Praise the Lord!” The best response to that is a loud, “Amen!” Learn to do that on a dime, and your evangelical and charismatic church-y friends will be amazed!
We've not tried this one at BMPCNC, but it's common in African-American congregations:
Leader: God is good.
Everyone: All the time.
Leader: All the time.
Everyone: God is good.
I've been tempted to try that with our congregation, and may yet. But if ever find yourself at worship with African-Americans, you're liable to hear that exchange.
When passing the peace, greeting each other, one person may say something like, “The peace of Christ be with you.” The other person responds with something along the lines of, “And also with you.” Handshakes and hugs are very common with this exchange, but are certainly not required.
Your involvement in our worship is vital; it’s what makes worship come alive. Your worship leaders hope these tips will help you feel more at ease with what takes place during worship, and enable you to participate to the fullest.
Following a Bible reading, the reader might say something like, “The word of the Lord.” A good response to this is a hearty, “Thanks be to God!” On some special occasions you may hear after a reading from one of the gospels, “The gospel of our Lord.” The response to that is, “Praise be to you, Lord Christ.” The exact wording is not as important as the listener giving their assent to what they have heard.
At almost any moment you may hear “The Lord be with you.” The customary response is, “And also with you.” What follows may be a prayer or simply an announcement. A friend once called this exchange the “holy attention-getter!” (Actually Debi T. called it the "holy shut-up," but that was in the context of dealing with 170 second- third-, fourth and fifth-graders at summer music camp!!) Another friend described her experience of trying, while eating, to mumble her response, in “mid-munch.” Finish your bite or sip if it comes to that! There's no such thing as a "holy spew!"
At almost any time one of the leaders may say, “Praise the Lord!” The best response to that is a loud, “Amen!” Learn to do that on a dime, and your evangelical and charismatic church-y friends will be amazed!
We've not tried this one at BMPCNC, but it's common in African-American congregations:
Leader: God is good.
Everyone: All the time.
Leader: All the time.
Everyone: God is good.
I've been tempted to try that with our congregation, and may yet. But if ever find yourself at worship with African-Americans, you're liable to hear that exchange.
When passing the peace, greeting each other, one person may say something like, “The peace of Christ be with you.” The other person responds with something along the lines of, “And also with you.” Handshakes and hugs are very common with this exchange, but are certainly not required.
Your involvement in our worship is vital; it’s what makes worship come alive. Your worship leaders hope these tips will help you feel more at ease with what takes place during worship, and enable you to participate to the fullest.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Lenten Observance: Alleluia
For years I have, as musician, followed the tradition of suspending or at least reducing use of the word "alleluia" in worship music during the season of Lent. No one generally except perhaps the choristers knew it was happening. However, during Lent the congregational songs and the choral music did not include the word "alleluia" at least in its most festive expression. It would return with renewed vigor on Easter Day.
It's certainly not a part of Presbyterian tradition nor even of the larger Reformed tradition. However, this suspension of the use of "alleluia" does connect us with parts of the larger Christian tradition and can deepen our appreciation of the nature of the Lenten season.
There are a couple of links ( here and here) that give great detail about the history of the liturgical act of suspending "alleluias" during Lent. From the United Methodist and Lutheran traditions these can be helpful for us Presbyterians to understand this aspect of our worship in the upcoming season.
This Sunday in our worship, there will be many "alleluias" said and sung. With the help of our children, we'll pack them away near the end of the service. We'll have some home-made banners and a box to help us pack away the alleluias. They'll be back at Easter!
It's certainly not a part of Presbyterian tradition nor even of the larger Reformed tradition. However, this suspension of the use of "alleluia" does connect us with parts of the larger Christian tradition and can deepen our appreciation of the nature of the Lenten season.
There are a couple of links ( here and here) that give great detail about the history of the liturgical act of suspending "alleluias" during Lent. From the United Methodist and Lutheran traditions these can be helpful for us Presbyterians to understand this aspect of our worship in the upcoming season.
This Sunday in our worship, there will be many "alleluias" said and sung. With the help of our children, we'll pack them away near the end of the service. We'll have some home-made banners and a box to help us pack away the alleluias. They'll be back at Easter!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Worship Music 27 January 2008
This week in worship we will be lifting up our Stephen Ministers. Those folks have designed the whole liturgy with an emphasis on the ministry of care-giving in our congregation and beyond.
Music at FirstLight will include “He knows my name;” the traditional hymn “Be thou my vision;” “Purify my heart;” “We fall down;” and “You are worthy of my praise.” Our closing song will be Dan Schutte’s “Here I am Lord.” The Prophets will sing an arrangement of the spiritual “I have decided to follow Jesus.”
Music at 11 AM will include congregational songs “Be thou my vision,” (SLANE); “Amazing grace,” (NEW BRITAIN) and “Here I am, Lord” (HERE I AM). The choir will be singing a new song by prolific collaborators Mary Ann Keithan and John Horman, “There is a need for shepherds in this place;” this song is found in their collection “Come Away With Me.” Organ music will include Mendelssohn’s “Prelude and Fugue in G” and Healy Willan’s setting of “Slane.”
Music at FirstLight will include “He knows my name;” the traditional hymn “Be thou my vision;” “Purify my heart;” “We fall down;” and “You are worthy of my praise.” Our closing song will be Dan Schutte’s “Here I am Lord.” The Prophets will sing an arrangement of the spiritual “I have decided to follow Jesus.”
Music at 11 AM will include congregational songs “Be thou my vision,” (SLANE); “Amazing grace,” (NEW BRITAIN) and “Here I am, Lord” (HERE I AM). The choir will be singing a new song by prolific collaborators Mary Ann Keithan and John Horman, “There is a need for shepherds in this place;” this song is found in their collection “Come Away With Me.” Organ music will include Mendelssohn’s “Prelude and Fugue in G” and Healy Willan’s setting of “Slane.”
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Music for worship 1/20/08
FirstLight worship will include a liturgical dance choreographed by two high school students, Caroline P. and Kelly P. Dancing as part of our prayer time, they have set “Prayer for a friend” as performed by Casting Crowns. Learn more: under the album "The Altar and the Door," click on the song title to read more about the song. Home on Christmas break one more morning, we were able to tap the talents of Lauren P. to sing at the offering “Do they see Jesus in me” written by Joy Williams, from her self-titled album .
Worship at 11 AM will be special in that we are hosting the congregation from Montreat PC(USA) this Sunday. That congregation will be sharing liturgical leadership as well as music leadership. Members of their choir will join our choir in the anthem, and their music leader (and all-around go-getter) Margaret N. will perform a piano-organ duet with Mike Barker. This piece is a new work by Joel Raney, a stirring medley of familiar hymns. The choir anthem will be Claude Bass’s (b. 1935) classic “Jesus, thou joy of loving hearts.” The text has been around for centuries and here receives an incredibly lush treatment, reminiscent of Gabriel Faure in its harmonies.
Worship at 11 AM will be special in that we are hosting the congregation from Montreat PC(USA) this Sunday. That congregation will be sharing liturgical leadership as well as music leadership. Members of their choir will join our choir in the anthem, and their music leader (and all-around go-getter) Margaret N. will perform a piano-organ duet with Mike Barker. This piece is a new work by Joel Raney, a stirring medley of familiar hymns. The choir anthem will be Claude Bass’s (b. 1935) classic “Jesus, thou joy of loving hearts.” The text has been around for centuries and here receives an incredibly lush treatment, reminiscent of Gabriel Faure in its harmonies.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Organist Concert
Many talented musicians have led the music ministry at BMPCNC over the years. On Sunday afternoon March 2 at 430 PM we will bring a few of them together for an afternoon of organ music! Scheduled to appear are Vince (Ted) Crist (who helped secure the purchase of the Reuter instrument in 1980), Sharon Carleton Boone, Carla Sperry, Noah W. Allen, III, and Michael Barker. Each organist will perform a segment of music of their choosing. This promises to be a wonderful afternoon of music, performed by dear friends of our congregation. Keep checking back: I'm going to try to post pictures of everyone involved utilizing some finely preserved archival photos! I'll also be posting repertoire in this space. Mary Kells, another of our musicians was scheduled to appear but has had to withdraw due to some family matters in Florida. Though you can hear her play Celtic harp this week at TNL, we'll have to get her another time at the organ!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Music Scholar Ministry
The Music Ministry received endorsement recently to implement a Music Scholars Ministry. The Music Scholars Ministry of Black Mountain Presbyterian Church seeks to glorify God by reinforcing the music ministry for corporate worship. Specifically this ministry seeks to engage local college students to be members of the Chancel Choir or contemporary music ensemble, Prophets of Praise, during academic terms and compensate those students with funds deposited directly to their college accounts for the payment of tuition, fees, room and board. Funding for this new initiative in 2008 is coming from the Imagination Fund and Imagination Matching Fund.
At the beginning of each semester a team appointed by the music director will publicize the scholar ministry and interview interested students. They will then recommend a group of as many as five students, one each Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass to be part of the chancel choir and a fifth instrumentalist or singer to be part of the contemporary music ensemble. The music director will interview each student directly and in consultation with the Worship and Music Ministry make final decisions and report those to the Session. Once selected, students will be contractually bound to certain performance requirements including rehearsal and Sunday worship participation. Upon completion of the term of service, funds will be directed to the appropriate department at the student’s college to pay that semester’s expenses. Funds will not be paid directly to the student.
The Music Scholar Ministry has several benefits for both student and our church:
-- Fosters good relations with local institutions of higher learning.
-- Adds depth to the volunteer personnel participating in our music ensembles
-- Assists student in a very tangible way
-- Allows students to hone musical skills in the context of a vital and vigorous music ministry
-- Fosters inter-generational relationships
-- Helps the church maintain its standards of high quality music presentation for worship and
special events
At the beginning of each semester a team appointed by the music director will publicize the scholar ministry and interview interested students. They will then recommend a group of as many as five students, one each Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass to be part of the chancel choir and a fifth instrumentalist or singer to be part of the contemporary music ensemble. The music director will interview each student directly and in consultation with the Worship and Music Ministry make final decisions and report those to the Session. Once selected, students will be contractually bound to certain performance requirements including rehearsal and Sunday worship participation. Upon completion of the term of service, funds will be directed to the appropriate department at the student’s college to pay that semester’s expenses. Funds will not be paid directly to the student.
The Music Scholar Ministry has several benefits for both student and our church:
-- Fosters good relations with local institutions of higher learning.
-- Adds depth to the volunteer personnel participating in our music ensembles
-- Assists student in a very tangible way
-- Allows students to hone musical skills in the context of a vital and vigorous music ministry
-- Fosters inter-generational relationships
-- Helps the church maintain its standards of high quality music presentation for worship and
special events
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