Holy Eucharist Rite II at 10:30 a.m. with the St. John’s Adult Choir, sermon by the Rev’d Todd FitzGerald.

Worship at Home:

Click here: Service Bulletin

Service Music:

Voluntary    Fantasy on Cwm Rhondda    Paul Manz (1919-2009)
Chant de Paix (Song of Peace)    Jean Langlais (1907-1991)

Paul Manz was was an American composer for choir and organ, and a champion of hymn singing.  Manz was most famous for his celebrated hymn festivals. Instead of playing traditional organ recitals, Manz would generally lead a “festival” of hymns from the organ, in which he introduced each hymn with one of his famously creative organ improvisations based on the hymn tune in question. The congregation would then sing the hymn with his accompaniment. 

Processional Hymn 690    Guide me, O thou great Jehovah    Cwm Rhondda

Gloria in excelsis S278    William Mathias (1934-1992)

Sequence Hymn 68    Rejoice! rejoice, believers    Llangloffan

Offertory Music    Nunc dimittis: Collegium Regale    Herbert Howells (1892-1983)
Patrick Reardon, tenor

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word;
For mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
To be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Sanctus S128    William Mathias

Fraction Anthem S166    Agnus Dei    Gerald Near (b. 1942)

Communion Anthem    Swing low, sweet chariot    Spiritual, arr. Alice Parker (b. 1925)

Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home

I looked over Jordan, and what did I see
A band of angels coming after me
Sometimes I’m up, sometimes I’m down
Sometimes I’m almost to the ground

Alice Parker is a national treasure: America’s reigning queen of choral music. – American Record Guide
My twenty-years’ experience with Robert Shaw, an immersion in folk music of many kinds, has had a profound effect on my own understanding of song. I learned to see each tune as a small universe, setting up its own rules of pitch and rhythm, mood and dance. If I understand that universe, and work within it for my setting, the result is an organic whole that allows the original melody to flourish. – Alice Parker

Communion Hymn 302    Father, we thank thee who hast planted    Rendez a Dieu

Hymn in Procession    Great is thy faithfulness    Faithfulness

Voluntary    Processional    William Mathias (1934-1992)

Bruce Henley, assisting organist