Music at All Saints Parish Sunday, January 13, 2008
First Sunday After the Epiphany: The Baptism of our Lord
From All Saints Music Director Donald Teeters
This is an always special date on the Liturgical Calendar as it is one of the few times each year that we give special attention to the Rite of Baptism. It is even more special this year as we welcome our brother Christian Brocato as Celebrant and Preacher for the first time as a Priest in the Episcopal Church. We will also keep in our prayers and thoughts the three other men who have been associated with All Saints at one time or another and who were ordained on Saturday, the 12th, also. Inauguration and commitment will be the themes in our music today.
Choral Music
The offertory anthem is a particular favorite of Christian's that is also especially appropriate to today's themes: "Greater love hath no man" was composed by the early 20th century English composer John Ireland. The text, drawn from various parts of the Bible, begins, "Many waters cannot quench Love, neither can the floods drown it." The concluding verses are especially appropriate for this Sunday: "I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
At the Communion the choir will sing two short works: the hymn "Fairest Lord Jesus" and a motet written by Edward Elgar for the Coronation of King George V, "O hearken Thou unto the voice of my calling, my King, and my God: for unto Thee will I make my prayer."
Hymns for Epiphany I
Each with a text that is both beautiful and right for the occasion, and each married to a tune of splendid quality.
Hymn 657 - Love divine, all loves excelling
Hymn 121 - Christ, when for us you were baptized
Hymn 547 - Awake, O sleeper, rise from death
Hymn 616 - Hail to the Lord's Anointed