Music for Sunday, November 25

Well, it's the Sunday after Thanksgiving, but it's not Christmas or even Advent yet! This is the last Sunday of Ordinary Time - Christ the King Sunday. Pope Pius XI institute the feast of Christ the King in 1925, to be celebrated throughout the universal church. Feeling that there was a rise of secularism throughout much of Europe, Pius hoped the institution of the feast would have various effects. They were:

1. That nations would see that the Church has the right to freedom, and immunity from the state.
2. That leaders and nations would see that they are bound to give respect to Christ.
3. That the faithful would gain strength and courage from the celebration of the feast, as we are reminded that Christ must reign in our hearts, minds, wills, and bodies.

Christ the King Sunday used to be celebrated on the last Sunday of October, but since the calendar reforms of 1969, the feast falls on the last Sunday of Ordinary Time, which is the Sunday before Advent. It is fitting that the feast celebrating Christ's kingship is observed right before Advent, when we liturgically wait for the promised Messiah.

Phil Wickham

At the Prelude, the Contemporary Music Group will sing This Is Amazing Grace, by Phil Wickham. The lyrics are perfect for this day that we celebrate the King of Kings.

Who breaks the power of sin and darkness

Whose love is mighty and so much stronger

The King of Glory, the King above all kings

Who shakes the whole earth with holy thunder

And leaves us breathless in awe and wonder

The King of Glory, the King above all kings

This is amazing grace

This is unfailing love

That You would take my place

That You would bear my cross

You lay down Your life

That I would be set free

Oh, Jesus, I sing for

All that You've done for me

Who brings our chaos back into order

Who makes the orphan a son and daughter

The King of Glory, the King of Glory

Who rules the nations with truth and justice

Shines like the sun in all of its brilliance

The King of Glory, the King above all kings

At the offertory, the Trinity Choir will sing All Shall Be Amen and Alleluia, by Thomas Keesecker on a resurrection text of St. Augustine of Hippo. The text is wonderfully woven with a flowing piano accompaniment. This is a favorite anthem of the choir.

All shall be Amen and Alleluia.We shall rest and we shall see.

We shall see and we shall know.

We shall know and we shall love.

We shall love and we shall praise.

Behold our end, which is no end.

At the postlude I will attempt one more musical tribute to the King of Kings with the playing of Handel's Hallelujah from Messiah. While most people think about Easter when hearing this grand chorus, it is perfect for Christ the King Sunday.

King of kings and Lord of lords!

And He shall reign forever and ever!

Hallelujah!

Music for Sunday, November 11

This Sunday is Veteran's Day. It also marks the 100th Anniversary of the end of World War I, from which Veteran's Day was born.

In the first Armistice Day proclamation in 1919, President Woodrow Wilson called for the nation to remember those who had died in their country’s service and to make the day an opportunity for America to "show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nation." In 1938 Congress called for the observance of Armistice Day in churches and schools — again dedicating the day to the cause of world peace. In 1954 Armistice Day was renamed Veteran's Day. So, I thought we would recognize this occasion with music, as close to the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month as we possibly could. At communion we will sing as a congregation two hymns that will mark this day well - This Is My Song and Let There Be Peace On Earth. 

The stirring melody of the first hymn comes from a symphonic tone poem by Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) by the name of Finlandia, Op. 26. Not only is the spirit of the music appropriate for “This Is My Song,” but the history of Sibelius’ composition also adds meaning. He wrote Finlandia as a patriotic offering in 1899, and revised it in 1900. The composition was performed as the last of seven musical pieces that accompanied a series of tableaus, each reflecting portions of Finnish history. Out of agitated and tumultuous opening music—symbolizing the struggles of the Finnish people—the serenity of the hymn-like melody emerges, symbolizing hope and resolution. Lloyd Stone (1912-1993), an American public school teacher who lived in Hawaii, wrote the first two stanzas of “This Is My Song”. During the brief time of peace between two world wars, it was a song of hope for all nations—“for lands afar and mine.” The poet acknowledges love for his own country, but balances that with the love that others feel around the world for their nations.

Methodist theologian Georgia Harkness (1881-1974) now enters the story. In the late 1930s she added a third stanza..  It is a prayer to the “Lord of all earth’s kingdoms.” Harkness skillfully ties the reference to “earth’s kingdoms” to a petition found in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come; on earth thy will be done.” Christ becomes the central figure in Harkness’ stanza, as one who will unite us in service to each other and help us to “learn to live as one.” Her stanza ends with a personal dedication: “Myself I give thee; let thy will be done.” In this stanza, Harkness transforms a hymn of peace with vague religious overtones into a prayer for peace that comes from the author of peace, Jesus Christ.

Let There Be Peace On Earth was born of the folksong movement of the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s. It was written by Sy Miller and his wife Jill Jackson-Miller in 1955, and introduced at a retreat of young people from a wide variety of religious, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. After the retreat, the young people started sharing the song, and it quickly made its way around the world. First sung at schools and churches, it began to be used in celebrations of Brotherhood Week, Veteran’s Day, and United Nations Day. Taped, copied, printed in songbooks and passed by word of mouth, it eventually spread overseas, sung by Maoris in New Zealand and Zulus in Africa.

Music for Sunday, November 4 All Saints

Today is All Saints Day, and as such, we will celebrate this Sunday, November 4. The hymns and songs will certainly reflect the day and celebrate the saints, but the anthems will celebrate a couple of special saints. But first, the hymns!

"For All the Saints" was written as a processional hymn by the Anglican Bishop of Wakefield, William Walsham How. The hymn was sung to the melody Sarum, by the Victorian composer Joseph Barnby, until the publication of the English Hymnal in 1906. This hymnal used a new setting by Ralph Vaughan Williams which he called Sine Nomine (literally, "without name") in reference to its use on the Feast of All Saints, 1 November (or the first Sunday in November). It has been described as "one of the finest hymn tunes of [the 20th] century."

 The Sequence hymn is probably the most requested hymn I get! The text was written by Lesbia Lesley Scott (1898-1986), who wrote pedagogical and inspirational hymns for her three children during the 1920s. Many were written in response to the children’s suggestions: “Mum, make a hymn for a picnic,” or “Mum, make a hymn for a foggy day.”  Though these domestic expressions of family faith were never intended for publication, at least one of them appears to have had a life all its own. “I sing a song of the saints of God” was composed for All Saints’ Day. It stresses that saints not only lived in the distant past but also may live and work today as they carry out the everyday activities of their lives. Given the song’s humble and domestic origins, the author was “a little disconcerted by its popularity,” since this was neither her favorite hymn nor the favorite of her children. Evidently this was a concern held more broadly, according to British hymnologist Richard Watson, since the seemingly irreverent hymn “has disconcerted others too.” “I sing a song of the saints of God” is a particular favorite among Episcopal parishioners in the United States. The website, Anglicans Online lists this hymn as number fourteen (out of twenty) “Desert Island Hymns.

Diane and Lannis Roberts 

At communion, the Trinity Choir will sing a memorial anthem for our beloved Diane Roberts, whom we lost in the spring. The anthem chosen by Lannis is a stunning arrangement of a Catholic Prayer, “Angele Dei”, known as the prayer to one’s Guardian Angel. This is a fitting memorial for Diane! Composed by Susan LaBarr, it features a lovely melody and beautiful close harmonies. A graduate of Missouri State University, she was a member of MSU’s premier female a cappella group, A Cub Bell, and even won “Best Soloist” award at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella competition in 2004!

ANGELE DEI,

qui custos es mei,

Me tibi commissum pietate superna;

(Hodie, Hac nocte) illumina, custodi, rege, et guberna.

Amen.

ANGEL OF GOD,
my guardian dear,
To whom his love commits me here;
Ever this (day, night) be at my side,
To light and guard, to rule and guide.
Amen.

Mercy Me

At communion the Contemporary Music Group will sing one of the first contemporary songs I remember, “I Can Only Imagine” I heard this song for the first time shortly after we moved to Kingwood in 1999. My neighbor, Lee, had terminal brain cancer, and sadly passed away in late 1999. I accompanied this song as it was sung at his memorial, and it has stayed with me ever since. Recorded by the band Mercy Me, the song was inspired by the death of lead singer Bart Millard's father, and considers what it would be like in Heaven and to be standing before God. In 2002, "I Can Only Imagine" earned the Dove Awards for 'Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year' and 'Song of the Year'; Millard earned the Dove Award 'Songwriter of the Year' at the same ceremony. With 2.5 million copies sold, it is the best-selling Christian single of all time, 

I can only imagine what it will be like

When I walk, by your side

I can only imagine what my eyes will see

When you face is before me

I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory

What will my heart feel

Will I dance for you Jesus

Or in awe of You be still

Will I stand in your presence

Or to my knees will I fall

Will I sing hallelujah

Will I be able to speak at all

I can only imagine

I can only imagine when that day comes

When I find myself standing in the Son

I can only imagine when all I would do is forever

Forever worship You

I can only imagine

On Friday evening, November 2, you will have an opportunity to remember family members that have passed. Our All Soul's Day service is held in the music suite at 7:00pm. This is a lovely, reflective service with music mainly from the Taize tradition.