Name of Jesus, Year A: January 1, 2023

Today's observance is classified as a "lesser festival" on the calendar of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. "Name of Jesus" was originally called the "Octave" because it fell on the eighth day of Christmas. It was first observed by sixth century Roman Catholics. We celebrate the name of Jesus, given to him by an angel before he was even conceived, and look to the day when every tongue confesses "that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

We're a couple days past the mid-point of Christmas - but it is STILL Christmas. Today's worship service includes a service of Christmas Lessons and Carols - scripture readings and hymns.

Most of these readings are chosen from the traditional observance of Lessons and Carols at King's College in Oxford, England - a service first sung in 1918. The last two readings are from the propers for the day.

OPENING VOLUNTARY Chorale Prelude on "O Come, All Ye Faithful" (Adeste fideles)

Sigvart A. Hofland / attr. John Francis Wade

GATHERING HYMN Once in Royal David's City (Irby) ELW 269

FIRST CAROL O Come, Divine Messiah 

This hymn, a jubilant cry of welcome, bids the Savior to come fulfill the promise of the Genesis reading.

SECOND CAROL In a Deep, Unbounded Darkness (Divinum mysterium) ACS 1093

This text that originated as the theme song for a Bible Study institute in China is a meditation on the eternal nature of God. Like the hymn "Of the Father's Love Begotten," with which this tune is often paired, we begin in the time before creation when God claimed us. After praising God's steadfastness in stanza two, our joy overflows at the incarnation in stanza three. Finally, stanza four returns us to the realm of eternity, joining together the beginning and final chapters of the Bible by connecting references to stories from Genesis and Exodus with the wedding feast of the Lamb in Revelation. (From Sundays and Seasons)

THIRD CAROL He Came Down (He Came Down) ELW 253

The reading tells us that a child has been born. This traditional song from Cameroon tells us why he has been born.

FOURTH CAROL O Little Town of Bethlehem (St. Louis) ELW 279

At this point in our service we'll only sing stanzas 1 - 3. We'll sing stanza four as the offering hymn. "Oh, Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray" is usually sung with a mind to the incarnation. Moving it to the spot just before communion gives it a different spin, reminding us of Christ's true presence in the eucharist.

FIFTH CAROL From Heaven Above to Earth I Come (Vom Himmel hoch) ELW 268

This is a true Lutheran hymn with a text and tune both attributed to Martin Luther. The first three stanzas are sung from the point of a Christmas angel announcing the birth of God's son. The next set of verses are from our point of view and end with us joining in the song of angels.

SIXTH CAROL At the Name of Jesus (Noel nouvelet)

This hymn is usually sung on Christ the King Sunday to a stolid English tune. Just for fun, and to highlight the Christmas season a little more, the text is paired today with the tune of a traditional French Christmas carol. (Modern worshipers may associated the hymn with Easter since it is often sung as "Now the Green Blade Rises.")

HYMN OF THE DAY Love Has Come

MUSICAL OFFERING All My Heart Again Rejoices

Jerusalem Lutheran Church
near Rincon, Georgia

In 1731 a group of German protestants, known as the Salzburger emigrants, were expelled from their homeland by Count Leopold Anton Firmian, the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg. Their crime? They refused to recant their faith. 

The group's leader, Pastor Samuel Urlspurger, asked King George II for help and he granted them land in Ebenezer, Georgia - about 55 miles from Atlanta. About 150 of the Salzburgers established the town in 1734. It was not successful since the lands was too far from water to be fertile and many of the settlers died. 

They resettled near the Savannah River where they built Jerusalem Lutheran Church in 1769. (It is Georgia's oldest church building still in use.) This time their community prospered, but only after they introduced slavery - something the community had initially been against.

There is a story that they were singing this hymn as they left Austria.

COMMUNION HYMN In the Bleak Midwinter (Cranham) ELW 294

COMMUNION HYMN It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (Carol) ELW 282

SENDING HYMN Good Christian Friends, Rejoice (In dulci jubilo) ELW 288

CLOSING VOLUNTARY Trumpet Tune on "Noel nouvelet" 

Wayne L. Wold

sources:

Wikipedia, including the photo of Jerusalem Lutheran Church By Bubba73 (Jud McCranie) - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44838325

Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Paul Westermeyer

Manual on the Liturgy, Lutheran Book of Worship

https://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/

Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas Eve), Year A: December 24, 2022

4:00 OPENING VOLUNTARIES Two Settings of "In dulci jubilo"

J. S. Bach (1685-1750)

Marcel Dupré (1886-1971)

10:30 A SERVICE OF MUSIC FOR CHRISTMAS EVE

In dulci jubilo J. S. Bach

A Babe So Tender arr. Richard Dickinson (Festival Choir)

I discovered this piece while cataloging our collection of choral octavos a few years ago. I've not been able to learn any information about the arranger. From the octavo itself, I learned this is a Flemish carol and that the English text was also by Richard Dickinson.

The copyright date is 1959 and I suspect it has been in our files for a very long time. The pages are not merely yellowed - they are completely brown! I imagine Hugh Alderman leading the choir through this anthem in the early 60s, and it's possible it hasn't seen the light of day since.

It's a charming tune filled with images of Christmas Eve and little bursts of "Noel! Noel!"

The Seven Joys of Mary arr. Richard Shephard (Festival Choir)

This traditional European carol is based on images from medieval devotional literature. 

Glory to the Newborn King arr. Dan Edwards (St. Mark's Ringers)

This is an energetic arrangement of the well-loved Christmas hymn "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." It features bell peals and mallets.

Before the Marvel of this Night Carl Schalk (Festival Choir)

This lyrical Christmas anthem addresses the Christmas angels, encouraging them to sing of peace, bliss, and love.

The text is by Jaroslav Vajda (1919-2008), whose lyrics fill modern hymnals. (He has six hymns in ELW, including Now the Silence, Now the Peace.) The composer, Carl Schalk (1929-2021) is also well-known in Lutheran circles. His credits include hymn tunes (nine of which are in ELW) and several books about church music and hymnody.

Christmas Night arr. Michael Helman (St. Mark's Ringers)

This piece is a medley of three Christmas favorites - "Still, Still, Still," "In the Bleak Midwinter," and "Once In Royal David's City." There are no special techniques, just the lovely sound of bells. You might notice that several of our ringers have sections where they play with two bells in each hand - a technique that brings out the melody.

In the Bleak Midwinter arr. Catherine Bennett (Festival Choir)
Night Long Awaited / Noche de paz arr. Shari Hansen (Festival Choir)

A modern "villancico" - or Spanish Christmas carol - is paired with a Spanish version of "Silent Night." Pastor Daniel joins with the Festival Choir on guitar.

In dulci jubilo Marcel Dupré 

GATHERING HYMN O Come, All Ye Faithful (Adeste fideles) ELW 283

PSALM 96

Tonight's psalm is a hymn version sung to the tune Old Hundredth.

Love Has Come (Un flambeau)

Stanzas of this modern hymn, sung to the tune of an irresistible French carol, are used as the gospel acclamation. The tune is also sung to "Bring a torch, Jeanette, Isabella."

HYMN OF THE DAY Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Mendelssohn) ELW 270

(4:00) MUSICAL OFFERING Away in a Manger arr. Aaron David Miller

Ellen Olson, viola

(10:30) MUSICAL OFFERING All My Heart Again Rejoices arr. David Lasky

David Lasky's arrangement of this classic German carol has an infectious Baroque quality.

COMMUNION HYMN Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming (Es is ein Ros) ELW 272

CANDLE LIGHTING HYMN Silent Night, Holy Night (Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht)
ELW 281

SENDING HYMN Angels We Have Heard on High (Gloria) ELW 289

Heinz Memorial Chapel
University of Pittsburg

CLOSING VOLUNTARY On This Day Earth Shall Ring arr. J Wayne Kerr

The nativity image on the banner is from Sundays and Seasons. 

The Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year A: December 18, 2022

Is there a more fulfilling part of the church calendar than the one that begins Advent, peaks at Christmas, then has its final flourish on Epiphany? Is there a time with more scripture readings that console yet challenge us? Does another liturgical season offer hymns of comfort beside hymns that thrill and inspire us? The answer is"No!" (Be forewarned, I might ask the same question and expect the same answer when we hit the Lent/Easter/Ascension arc.)

I love Christmas as much as anybody, but I wish Advent were at least six weeks long! Here's what's on the playlist for Advent 2022's last hurrah.

OPENING VOLUNTARY 

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus

Welcome back, Tara!

(HYFRYDOL)

Susan Staples Bell

St. Mark's welcomes long-time member Tara Harrison to play our prelude today. Tara and her husband, Alvin, recently moved to Atlanta. We are happy that she is able to spend part of her vacation with us!

GATHERING HYMN Awake! Awake, and Greet the New Morn (REJOICE REJOICE)

ELW 242

Marty Haugen, a much-loved composer in Lutheran circles, has a very lucky aunt named Marie Smedsrud - at the time a campus pastor at Luther College (Decorah, IA). In a year when his family decided to exchange non-material presents, he wrote this hymn for her Christmas gift. The text originally opened with "Rejoice, rejoice!" and had a Christmas message. Even though the text was later tweaked for Advent, the melody retains its infectious lilt. Tunes can make all the difference in how we perceive a text. Compare this "Awake, awake" with the "Wake, awake" that opens J. S. Bach's great "Wake, Awake for Night is Flying" (Wachet auf).

HYMN OF THE DAY Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus (HYFRYDOL)

This text is in ELW. We sang it last week with the tune JEFFERSON. Today we sing it with the Welsh tune HYFRYDOL, one of the most-loved tunes in American churches - and probably Welsh and English churches as well. We see the tune 4 times in ELW, so singing it today makes a fifth usage for St. Mark's.

When this tune comes up, someone is likely to jokingly refer to it as "Hydrofoil" - but according to Westermeyer, the "h" is pronounced and the "y" is sounded like "uh" - making the correct pronunciation "HUH-fruh-dol." (I'm likely to keep saying "HIGH-froh-dawl" because old habits die hard.)

As you sing, notice the buoyancy and joy that invade the text. Our "Come!" is filled with joy. With JEFFERSON, our "Come!" feels more like a desperate plea. WE NEED BOTH VERSIONS! As I said earlier, "Tunes can make all the difference in how we perceive a text."

St Mary of the Mount Church
Pittsburgh, PA

MUSICAL OFFERING The Seven Joys of Mary arr. Richard Shephard

In reading today's gospel narrative, you might see Joseph as the hero of this story. Today's musical offering, a traditional European carol, explores Jesus' entire life through Mary's eyes from the time "when he was first her Son" to his ascension "to wear the crown of heaven."
The carol is probably based on devotional literature from the Middle Ages. It's also easy to see a connection between these "joys" and the "mysteries" that Roman Catholics recall when they pray the rosary.

COMMUNION HYMN He Comes to Us as One Unknown (REPTON)

ELW 737

SENDING HYMN "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" (VENI, EMMANUEL)

ELW 257

CLOSING VOLUNTARY Trumpet Tune on "People, Look East"

Jerry Westenkuehler

Sources:

Image of St. Joseph Reni, Guido, 1575-1642. Saint Joseph and the Christ Child, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57764 [retrieved November 21, 2022]. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Guido_Reni_-_Saint_Joseph_and_the_Christ_Child_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg.

Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Paul Westermeyer

Wikipedia

The Third Sunday of Advent, Year A: December 11, 2022

OPENING VOLUNTARY Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus arr. Cathy Moklebust
St. Mark's Ringers

GATHERING HYMN Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers (Haf trones lampa färdig)

ELW 244

This hymn's ending is a perfect beginning to today's service of music. With hearts and hands uplifted, we plead, O Lord, to see the day of earth's redemption that sets your people free. This line reminds us, as Pastor Daniel did last year, that Advent is about so much more than preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

And now, on to our service of Advent Lessons and Carols!

Our service is based on the "O Antiphons." These eighth century antiphons are commonly paired with the fifteenth century tune Veni, Emmanuel. In ancient times, each antiphon was sung on a specific day, beginning December 17th, until the last antiphon was sung on the day before Christmas Eve. In today's version, the choir sings the antiphon and the assembly joins on the refrain - until we all stand to sing the final antiphon together. It becomes a gospel acclamation as we proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Even though it's Advent, this service contains four "whispers of Christmas." See if you can spot them. They'll be revealed at the end of this post!

"O Key of David" as printed in a liturgical book

First Antiphon: O come, O Wisdom from on high. . .

Hymn Creator of the Stars of Night (Conditor alme siderum) ELW 245

Second Antiphon: O come, O Lord of might. . .

HYMN Joy to the World (Antioch) ELW 267

Third Antiphon: O come, O Branch of Jesse. . .

HYMN Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming (Es ist ein Ros) ELW 272

Fourth Antiphon: O come, O Key of David. . .

HYMN O Lord, How Shall I Meet You (Wie soll ich dich empfangen)  ELW 241

Fifth Antiphon: O come, O Dayspring. . .

HYMN The Night Will Soon Be Ending (Llangloffan)

This is the only hymn not found in ELW. The text is by Jochen Klepper (1903-1942), a writer, poet, and journalist in Germany. Klepper was married to a Johanna Stein, whose family was Jewish. Even though German citizens married to Jewish persons were not supposed to be drafted, he was anyway - perhaps because Johanna was baptized just before their marriage. He was released from the army in 1942. After a visa was denied for their second daughter, the three of them committed suicide.

Klepper's text is paired with a stalwart Welsh tune. I borrowed it from Lutheran Service Book, the hymnal of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod.

Sixth Antiphon: O Come, O King of Nations. . .

HYMN Savior of the Nations, Come (Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland) ELW 263

Seventh Antiphon: O come, O come, Emmanuel. . .

HYMN The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came (Gabriel's Message) ELW 265

This becomes our hymn of the day, recalling the annunciation as told in Luke's gospel.

The carol originated in the Basque region which includes parts of Spain and France.

MUSICAL OFFERING And Christ Shall Be Our Peace K. Lee Scott

COMMUNION HYMNS

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence (Picardy) ELW 490

What Feast of Love (Greensleeves) ELW 487

Communion prepared for one of our Saturday evening services

SENDING HYMN Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus (Jefferson) ELW 254

Our final hymn is also where we began! Just like next year when we will find ourselves on another Advent journey.

CLOSING VOLUNTARY People, Look East

Matthew Mechemer

Did you catch the four "whispers of Christmas?"  Here they are:
Joy to the World - people are often surprised when I tell them this is an Advent hymn, and perhaps even more suited to the "End Times" section of the hymnal. If you read it without the trappings of Christmas, it becomes obvious that this hymn is about the second coming!

Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming - it's equally at home for Advent and Christmas. ELW places it in the 
"Christmas" section. Since it speaks of Isaiah's foretelling, it is often sung when the Isaiah text is read.

The Angel Gabriel - how can this refrain not remind you of the refrain from Angels We Have Heard on High, or Ding Dong Merrily on High ?

What Feast of Love - The tune Greensleeves is a lush vehicle for Delores Dufner's communion text, but you can't convince me that somewhere in your head you aren't also singing What Child Is This.

Sources:

Image in the banner: Swanson, John August. The Procession, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56558 [retrieved November 21, 2022]. Original source: Estate of John August Swanson, https://www.johnaugustswanson.com/.

(Image from liturgial book) By Castorepollux.Ordre des prêcheurs - Gallica(Original text: Own work), CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45447332

Wikipedia

The Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship (Paul Westermeyer)

The Second Sunday of Advent, Year A: December 4, 2022

OPENING VOLUNTARY Variations on "Es ist ein Ros"

Alfred V. Fedak

See the text and tune at ELW 272.

"A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch shall grow out of his roots." (First Reading, Isaiah 11:1)

This hymn's text uses the image of a rose, rather than a "shoot," blooming from Jesse's lineage, but it's a clear echo of today's reading from Isaiah. It even says, "Isaiah had foretold it. . ." Using the image of the flower permits even more expressive poetry in the line, "This flow'r whose fragrance tender with sweetness fills the air, dispels with glorious splendor the darkness everywhere."

This endearing text is equally at home in Christmas and Advent. The first of Fedak's variations is marked "tenderly," but they become more playful as they move to the end.

GATHERING HYMN Prepare the Royal Highway (BEREDEN VÄG FOR HERRAN)

ELW 264

Each time we sing this hymn, I'm reminded that this is the point that Handel decided to start his "Messiah." After a calm recitative of "Comfort ye, my people," the tenor breaks into one of the best-loved Handel arias - "Every Valley Shall Be Exalted." Mountains and hills are made low, the crooked is straightened, and the rough places become plains."

Together, the recitative and aria are one my favorite moments in the oratorio medium. If you have a minute, listen to the English tenor Nicholas Starratt's rendering at this link.

Nicholas Starratt
from his websiter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Pz9BCMFoP8&list=RD2Pz9BCMFoP8&start_radio=1

Though he was born in Finland, the author of this text was of Swedish heritage. Frans Mikael Franzén was ordained in 1803 and began his pastoral career in a rural parish where he worked on his hymn writing skills. When he died in 1834, he was bishop of the Swedish diocese of Härnøsand.

PSALM Hail to the Lord's Anointed (FREUT EUCH, IHR LIEBEN)

ELW 311

Today we sing a metrical setting of the psalm. Metrical settings are poetic versions of texts in a specific meter that allows them to be sung with a hymntune.

HYMN OF THE DAY Comfort, Comfort Now My People (FREU DICH SEHR)
ELW 311

MUSICAL OFFERING Creation Will Be at Peace 

Anna Laura Page

The text of this piece also closely relates to the Isaiah reading. I don't think I would wrong if I said this is one of our choir's (and the Cantor's) very favorite pieces of choral literature for church choirs.

It's dedication reads "For Peggy Say, sister of former hostage Terry Anderson." 

In 1985, Terry Anderson, an American journalist, was taken hostage in Lebanon after playing a tennis game in Beirut. He was held in several secret locations and finally released after six years and nine months.

This text and music remind us that there will come a day when kidnapping (and evil's other manifestations) will end - and creation will be at peace. 

The Peaceable Kingdom, Edward Hicks (1780-1849)

COMMUNION HYMNS
Now the Heavens Start to Whisper (SUO GÂN)
ACS 901

This traditional tune from Wales pairs elegantly with a contemporary text by Mary Louise Bringle. While a new tune to Lutheran hymnals, its form with three lines being identical makes it easy to learn. The contrasting third line holds both the highest note and the high point of the melody. Both text and tune have a quietness about them. Notice the words "whisper," "slumber," "stirring, faint within," "drift away" - reminders that Christ comes in the quiet so that our hearts grow "soft" and "warm." (From Sundays and Seasons)

There's a Voice in the Wilderness (ASCENSION)
ELW 255

SENDING HYMN Hark! The Glad Sound (CHESTERFIELD)

CLOSING VOLUNTARY Trumpet Tune on "Comfort, Comfort Now My People"

Jerry Westenkuehler

Sources:
(Image of John the Baptist) Eyck, Jan van, 1390-1440. John the Baptist, Ghent Altarpiece, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56708 [retrieved November 21, 2022]. Original source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jan_van_Eyck_-_The_Ghent_Altarpiece_-_St_John_the_Baptist_(detail)_-_WGA07634.jpg.

The Hymnal Companion: Evangelical Lutheran Worship
Wikipedia

(Peaceable Kingdom image)  By Edward Hicks - National Gallery of Art, Washington, D. C., online collection, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=175611