As part of our on-going centennial celebration, this Sunday we will feature our education ministry under the worship leadership of Pat Tuttle and Ginny Soll. FirstLight will begin with the Avery&Marsh song, "We are the church." We'll also sing "What a mighty God we serve" and "I will call upon the Lord." Lauren Patton will sing a special at the offering. She's off to MD in a week to begin rehearsals for a traveling production of "The Wizard of Oz;" yeah Lauren! We'll close worship with Carl Schalk's "God of the sparrow, God of the whale." Under the leadership of Pat and Ginny, the worship will have a decided child-ish flavor, and the music will compliment with joy and simplicity.
Worship at 11AM will include the hymns "All things brights and beautiful" (ROYAL OAK); "Called as partners to Christ's service" (BEECHER); and "God of the sparrow, God of the whale" (ROEDER). We'll use the Avery&Marsh song as the introit and sing Dauermann's "The trees of the field" at the benediction. As a special treat I will be playing John Leavitt's "Scenes of Childhood" for the prelude. This is a set of five pieces inspired by five poems from Robert Louis Stevenson's "A child's garden of verse." Originally for organ with narrator, I'll be doing it with just the organ, though the text of the poems will be in the guide to worship. If one is listening carefully, one might hear snippets of "Twinkle, twinkle little star," "Old MacDonald had a farm," and other kids songs in the five movements! Get there early: 4 of the 5 movements will be heard before the Trinity bell and reading of announcements! The choir will sing Pepper Choplin's "Train up a child" at the readings.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Hymn Sing
This Sunday we will have a hymn sing as part of our Centennial celebration. It will be a combination of the familiar "call out your favorite" hymn sing format, and a journey through the last century through hymnody.
I have done some research and found pertinent facts and hymns for each decade, 1908, 1918, 1928, etc. You can see the planned list here. The starred items are hymns we will plan to sing. These will be interspersed with opportunities to request favorite hymns from our current hymnals, the Presbyterian Hymnal of 1990 and the supplemental hymnal, Sing the Faith. We will also have available copies of the 1955 old "red" hymnal to accommodate requests for older favorites.
We have invited other PC(USA) churches from the valley to be with us (Montreat, Warren Wilson, Swannanoa and Riceville).
The adult handbell ringers will be a special guest group at this event. They will ring two pieces, a setting of the Latin American praise chorus, "Tuya es la gloria," and a premiere of a handbell arrangement of the hymn "How can I keep from singing" by Mike Barker.
Margaret N. and Mike Barker will reprise a piano 4-hands piece they played for worship recently as part of the event also.
An ice cream bar and reception will follow the event which begins at 7PM.
I have done some research and found pertinent facts and hymns for each decade, 1908, 1918, 1928, etc. You can see the planned list here. The starred items are hymns we will plan to sing. These will be interspersed with opportunities to request favorite hymns from our current hymnals, the Presbyterian Hymnal of 1990 and the supplemental hymnal, Sing the Faith. We will also have available copies of the 1955 old "red" hymnal to accommodate requests for older favorites.
We have invited other PC(USA) churches from the valley to be with us (Montreat, Warren Wilson, Swannanoa and Riceville).
The adult handbell ringers will be a special guest group at this event. They will ring two pieces, a setting of the Latin American praise chorus, "Tuya es la gloria," and a premiere of a handbell arrangement of the hymn "How can I keep from singing" by Mike Barker.
Margaret N. and Mike Barker will reprise a piano 4-hands piece they played for worship recently as part of the event also.
An ice cream bar and reception will follow the event which begins at 7PM.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Middle music
Steve Thorngate has this article at Sojourners. He talks about the middle ground to be found between the poles of exclusively traditional worship music and the pop contemporary music used by some congregations. His contention is that there is plenty of music that melds the two poles right in the middle: refreshing lyrics, contemporary harmonies, awareness of inclusivity and social issues.
I'd like to think we are trodding this middle way in both services. You are as likely to hear a Cameroon worship song as a Vaughan Williams motet at 11AM worship; you're as likely to hear Taize as Chris Tomlin at FirstLight.
Thorngate uses Marty Haugen's Holden Evening Prayer service as a jumping off point. I encountered this at the Worship & Music conference this summer. Apparently Haugen's non-seasonal work has gotten a lot of play during Lent. Haugen has therefore recently released a prayer service specifically for Lent. Thorngate make reference to someone I had not encountered before. Give a listen to what Charless Pettee is doing with the Psalms!
We will be holding four special evening services this fall: a Taize/Iona service, a healing service, our Thanksgiving service, and a "blue" Christmas service. I hope to explore some of these divergent musical resources for these services. Do keep an eye out for them and plan to attend for the worship of course but also to explore the rich diversity of contemporary worship music.
I'd like to think we are trodding this middle way in both services. You are as likely to hear a Cameroon worship song as a Vaughan Williams motet at 11AM worship; you're as likely to hear Taize as Chris Tomlin at FirstLight.
Thorngate uses Marty Haugen's Holden Evening Prayer service as a jumping off point. I encountered this at the Worship & Music conference this summer. Apparently Haugen's non-seasonal work has gotten a lot of play during Lent. Haugen has therefore recently released a prayer service specifically for Lent. Thorngate make reference to someone I had not encountered before. Give a listen to what Charless Pettee is doing with the Psalms!
We will be holding four special evening services this fall: a Taize/Iona service, a healing service, our Thanksgiving service, and a "blue" Christmas service. I hope to explore some of these divergent musical resources for these services. Do keep an eye out for them and plan to attend for the worship of course but also to explore the rich diversity of contemporary worship music.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Prophets' retreat
Yesterday the Prophets spent a day apart in retreat. We had a great group that included our musicians and our tech team. We took time giving warm-fuzzies to everyone in our group. We also tried playing one another's instruments! Andy G. (our facilitator) asked us to take an instrument other than our usual one and using that instrument play a song (together). It wasn't quite as bad as one might expect; we joked that it would be fun to demonstrate that to the congregation some time (with a little more practice!!).
We also reflected on the joys and concerns that we are experiencing in our ministry as worship music leaders for FirstLight. Some will be easy to address, some will take some imagination and some will take some real effort to address. But our list of joys was by far the longer of the two lists. We took time talking about the history of FirstLight as well as our development as a music ensemble, and some of the folks who have helped us get where we are. We also shared with one another musical selections that were especially meaningful to each of us. All the music was great, but Melissa C. tipped the scales by singing a song she herself had written. It was a whole new side of her we had not known before!
After a great lunch we continued our sharing and near the end heard from Karen Haak about her hopes and plans for FirstLight worship. We closed by sharing ways to tweak this retreat event if (and when) we do it again. You can look at a typed version of our post-its here. We were thankful to the Montreat Conference Center (thanks Judy S. and Mike M.!) for hosting us (for free) and our own Andy who was back in his pre-retirement role as group facilitator. We will do it again for sure. Be sure and ask Caroline P. what color her toes were; she'll blush and have to explain herself!
We also reflected on the joys and concerns that we are experiencing in our ministry as worship music leaders for FirstLight. Some will be easy to address, some will take some imagination and some will take some real effort to address. But our list of joys was by far the longer of the two lists. We took time talking about the history of FirstLight as well as our development as a music ensemble, and some of the folks who have helped us get where we are. We also shared with one another musical selections that were especially meaningful to each of us. All the music was great, but Melissa C. tipped the scales by singing a song she herself had written. It was a whole new side of her we had not known before!
After a great lunch we continued our sharing and near the end heard from Karen Haak about her hopes and plans for FirstLight worship. We closed by sharing ways to tweak this retreat event if (and when) we do it again. You can look at a typed version of our post-its here. We were thankful to the Montreat Conference Center (thanks Judy S. and Mike M.!) for hosting us (for free) and our own Andy who was back in his pre-retirement role as group facilitator. We will do it again for sure. Be sure and ask Caroline P. what color her toes were; she'll blush and have to explain herself!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Beyond the music wars
Here is an interesting article on worship music. It reminded me of how lucky or whatever we are at BMPCNC to have such a diverse pool of talented musicians. And two distinctive venues to allow them to use their gifts to lead worship through music. I wouldn't claim that we have "arrived" in terms of how we do worship and music, but we most certainly have all the right ingredients. Our vision is clear: to offer two varieties of worship experience. How that is expressed is constantly evolving.
There was a time when our church lived through some pretty intense skirmishes on the matter of music and worship. I think we have moved beyond that and are at a point now of trying to do what we are committed to as best we can.
One of the things I heard most frequently after our Montreat-Anderson outing was folks favorable response to the diversity of the music we shared in worship and in the pre-service concert. Amen to that. We are using folks best gifts in service to God. That makes for authentic and vibrant worship.
There was a time when our church lived through some pretty intense skirmishes on the matter of music and worship. I think we have moved beyond that and are at a point now of trying to do what we are committed to as best we can.
One of the things I heard most frequently after our Montreat-Anderson outing was folks favorable response to the diversity of the music we shared in worship and in the pre-service concert. Amen to that. We are using folks best gifts in service to God. That makes for authentic and vibrant worship.
Review: CD: Morris Robinson, Going Home
on, the Mozart and Verdi Requiem masses, etc.
On the other hand, the present collection of spirituals is not reflective of standard spiritual renditions. These are highly orchestrated settings. Not a thing in world wrong with that, but it's not the standard format. Not what you’re likely to hear on Sunday morning in many churches. Robinson sings with that singular combination of artistry and passion than would have a congregation either on its feet or on its knees. A couple of the tunes use full orchestral accompaniment (Royal Phil., Robert Sadin conductor). There are some nicely set tunes that use a gospel rhythm section and additional vocal soloists and back-up singers. Duke Ellington's "Come Sunday gets a very nice treatment, the strings fulfilling what must have been Ellington's wish for a lush, full sound to accompany the prayer. The unfortunate oddity is "Going Home:" tacky words combined with the theme from Dvorak's "
Friday, July 25, 2008
Music for Worship 27 July
The week we'll have guest music leadership at FirstLight. Ginny Soll will be on piano, with Donna Marie Todd leading the singing. Music at the offering will be by Kurt Shaffer and Andy Banzhoff. (Thanks for covering for the Prophets, you guys!) They will also play along on the congregational song. We'll be singing some favorites: "King of kings," "Jesus name above all names," As the deer" and "Father, I adore you." Kurt will sing a Keith Green song at the offering, "Your love broke through." Karen Haak is wrestling with the Jacob story this week so worship will include "Jacob's ladder" and a new text to that tune, "We are dancing Sarah's circle."
The music ministry has been invited to lead worship music at the Montreat Conference Center this week. We're taking a goodly representation of our program: Chancel Choir, Prophets of Praise and Tune Weavers. We'll present a min-concert of sacred music prior to worship. That will include Dan Locklair's "Phoenix Procession" for organ, Handel's "Hallelujah, amen" by the Choir and "Come ye sinners" lyric by Joseph Hart in a contemporary new setting by Martin S. Smith and Fanny Crosby's "Draw me nearer" also in a new setting y Diane Sheets, both sung by the prophets. The pre-service music and the prelude will be three variations by James Woodman on LASST UNS ERFREUEN. During worship music will include the South African freedom song, "Hallelujah, we sing your praises," and William Dawson's "Every time I feel the Spirit." Hymns will include "All creatures of our God and King" (LASST UNS ERFREUEN), "Amazing grace" (AMAZING GRACE) and "Lord dismiss us with thy blessing" (SICILIAN MARINERS). The service will include a baptism, the first one anyone can remember in 20+ years of doing these services. Worship will conclude with a festive setting of KUM BA YAH by John Behnke. Of special note, there will be no 11 AM service at BMPCNC this Sunday, so everyone can attend worship at Montreat-Anderson. Don't be late!
The music ministry has been invited to lead worship music at the Montreat Conference Center this week. We're taking a goodly representation of our program: Chancel Choir, Prophets of Praise and Tune Weavers. We'll present a min-concert of sacred music prior to worship. That will include Dan Locklair's "Phoenix Procession" for organ, Handel's "Hallelujah, amen" by the Choir and "Come ye sinners" lyric by Joseph Hart in a contemporary new setting by Martin S. Smith and Fanny Crosby's "Draw me nearer" also in a new setting y Diane Sheets, both sung by the prophets. The pre-service music and the prelude will be three variations by James Woodman on LASST UNS ERFREUEN. During worship music will include the South African freedom song, "Hallelujah, we sing your praises," and William Dawson's "Every time I feel the Spirit." Hymns will include "All creatures of our God and King" (LASST UNS ERFREUEN), "Amazing grace" (AMAZING GRACE) and "Lord dismiss us with thy blessing" (SICILIAN MARINERS). The service will include a baptism, the first one anyone can remember in 20+ years of doing these services. Worship will conclude with a festive setting of KUM BA YAH by John Behnke. Of special note, there will be no 11 AM service at BMPCNC this Sunday, so everyone can attend worship at Montreat-Anderson. Don't be late!
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