Music for the 19th Sunday after Pentecost: October 3, 2021

OPENING VOLUNTARY Where Love Is Found (O Waly Waly)

The tune is a folk song of questionable origins – various sources claim it comes from England, Scotland, and Ireland. Its text speaks of the joys of love:

The water is wide, I cannot cross o’er.
Oh, would that I had wings to fly.

Give me a boat that can carry two,

And both shall row, my love and I.

But as is the case with folk songs, things don’t always remain as we might want them to. A final verse concludes:
O love is gentle and love is kind,

Gay as a jewel when first it’s new,
But love grows old and waxes cold,

And fades away like morning dew.

 

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus speaks of divorce from the perspective of a culture in which divorce was the man’s prerogative, when women had few rights and children were considered a drain on resources. The lesson for the men he was speaking to is this: Women and children are precious in the kingdom of God

In the 70s, Hal H. Hopson made some minor changes to the tune and called it Gift of Love – which we’ll sing during communion. The text is based on I Corinthians 13, making it a popular choice for weddings.

 

GATHERING HYMN For the Beauty of the Earth (Dix) ELW 879

Composers love setting this text to new music. My favorite is by John Rutter who created delicate countermelodies that dance around a lyrical melody. Follow this link to a recording by the Bath Abbey Girls Choir in Somerset, England.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtFASXydzgI

God has placed us in a world of physical beauty, and made it even more so because of the relationships we enjoy.

 

PSALM Psalm 26

Michael Perry (1942-1996) was a member of the English clergy and the author of more than 300 hymns, including this metrical setting of Psalm 26. The text is paired with an English tune, Westminster Old.

 

With this text, the psalmist affirms the same desire as Job in the reading before – to live a life free from sin against God.

 

HYMN OF THE DAY Great God, Your Love Has Called Us

(Ryburn) ELW 358

 

MUSICAL OFFERING Draw Us in the Spirit’s Tether Bob Moore 

COMMUNION HYMN The Gift of Love

Hal H. Hopson adapted O Waly Waly with a text based on I Corinthians 13 for use at weddings. Later, the same arrangement came to be a popular choral anthem before finding its way into denominational hymnals. Today we’ll sing a hymnal version, but with the accompaniment of the choral anthem.

 

SENDING HYMN Now Thank We All Our God (Nun danket alle Gott) ELW 840

Does it get more Lutheran than this? This joyful hymn of thanksgiving is a fitting way to conclude our worship time together. Throughout this service we have been reminded of God’s many gifts of love. May we manifest that thanksgiving with our own gifts of love in the coming week.

 

CLOSING VOLUNTYARY Nun danket alle Gott Robert A. Hobby

Hobby has designated this setting to be played as a procession. It alternates an interlude played in a plenum manner (with all the principal stops) and trumpet, with a choral setting of the melody played on a trumpet chorus.

 

Music for the 17th Sunday after Pentecost: September 19, 2021

 

OPENING VOLUNTARY Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies (Ratisbon)
setting, Benjamin M. Culli
 
GATHERING HYMN All Are Welcome (Two Oaks) ELW 641
 
PSALM Psalm 1 (Winchester New)
This metrical setting comes from the 1912 Psalter.
 
HYMN OF THE DAY Children of the Heavenly Father (Tryggare kan ingen vara) ELW 781
 
MUSICAL OFFERING Teach Each Other in Wisdom
Bradley Ellingboe
 
COMMUNION HYMNS
Bread of Life, Our Host and Meal (Bread of Life) ELW 397
Loving Spirit (Restoration) ELW 397
 
SENDING HYMN Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness (Nettleton) ELW 843
 
SENDING VOLUNTARY Hymn to Joy setting, May Schwarz

Music for the 16th Sunday after Pentecost: September 12, 2021

 

OPENING VOLUNTARY Trumpet Tune in D
David N. Johnson
Worshipers at St. Mark’s are used to hearing voluntaries based on hymns, but today’s prelude is a ceremonial piece written in 1962 when the composer was college organist and organ instructor at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.
It is often requested for weddings. Trumpet Tune in D was transcribed for strings to be played at the 1971 wedding of Tricia Nixon, daughter of President Richard M. Nixon, in the Rose Garden at the White House.
This is one piece in his catalog of about 300 organ and choral compositions, most written for use in the church.
 
GATHERING HYMN Lead On, O King Eternal (Lancashire) ELW 805
Modern congregations might take exception to the war-like, male-image driven, portions of this text. It is believed that Ernest W. Shurtleff wrote this text for his graduating seminary class at Andover Theological Seminary, but there is no historical document to support the claim.
 
If the opening language seems martial, the second verse clarifies that God’s kingdom isn’t brought about “with swords loud clashing, nor roll of stirring drums,” but with “deeds of love and mercy.”
 
This is not so much a hymn about defeating an enemy. It’s about the journey of the church under the light of the cross.

 

HYMN OF THE DAY Lift High the Cross (Crucifer) ELW 660
 
MUSICAL OFFERING There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy
Bob Moore
Frederick W. Faber’s well-known text is given a new melody for this choral setting. Bob Moore is a local composer who serves Director of Music Ministry at Church of Our Savior (Episcopal) in Mandarin.

 
COMMUNION HYMNS

Gloria

Laudate Omnes Gentes
Raise a Song of Gladness

These prayer songs all come from the Taizé community in France. They are designed to be sung several times in a meditative manner. If you go to Taizé, it’s not uncommon to hear people singing in several languages at the same time. Feel free to sing either the Latin or English texts.

Since these songs can be learned quickly, worshipers might even sing them as they stand in line (socially distanced, of course), waiting to receive the elements.

Prayer service in the Church of Reconciliation at Taizé

 

SENDING HYMN If God My Lord Be for Me (Ist Gott für mich)

ELW 788
This is a new hymn for me – possibly for you too. It wasn’t known by anyone at choir rehearsal on Wednesday night.
Paul Gerhardt is one of Germany’s best known hymn writers – some sources say his texts are even more loved than the ones by Martin Luther.
Since it’s new, I’ve done a tutorial that you can find at the link below. It picks the hymn apart phrase by phrase. Please let me know what you think!

 See the tutorial here: https://youtu.be/8Amr1pV4kqU

 

CLOSING VOLUNTARY If God My Lord Be for Me (Ist Gott für mich)
setting, John Eggert
Think of it as a reprise!

Sources: Wikipedia
Hymnal Companion to Evangelical Lutheran Worship
Credit for Taizé photo: By Christian Pulfrich - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71616599

Music for the 15th Sunday after Pentecost: September 5, 2021

 OPENING VOLUNTARY I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (Kingsfold)

setting, Anne Krentz Organ

GATHERING HYMN Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty (Unser Herrscher) ELW 533

HYMN OF THE DAY Open Your Ears, O Faithful People (Yisrael v'oraita) ELW 519

MUSICAL OFFERING Gracious Spirit, Dwell with Me 
K. Lee Scott

COMMUNION HYMNS

Pass Me No, O Gentle Savior (Pass Me Not) ELW 150

I'm So Glad Jesus Lifted Me (Jesus Lifted Me) ELW 860

SENDING HYMN Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise (St. Denio)
ELW 834

CLOSING VOLUNTARY He Who Would Valiant Be (St. Dunstan's)

setting, Douglas E. Wagner

Music for the 14th Sunday after Pentecost: August 29, 2021

 

OPENING VOLUNTARY Two Versets on “Morning Has Broken” (Bunessan)

Richard Proulx, 1937-2010

 

GATHERING HYMN Dearest Jesus, at Your Word (Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier)
ELW 520

 

HYMN OF THE DAY As a Chalice Cast of Gold

This hymn is not in ELW. The text is by author and poet Thomas Troeger (b. 1945) and the tune is Dix.

 

MUSICAL OFFERING Create in Me
Thomas Keesecker
The text comes from Psalm 51.

 

COMMUNION HYMN Lord, I Want to Be a Christian
African American Spiritual

 

SENDING HYMN O Word of God Incarnate (Munich)

ELW 514

 

CLOSING VOLUNTARY Fanfare Postlude on St. Thomas

In many hymnals this tune is paired with the text “I Love Thy/Your Kingdom, Lord.)

Music for Mary, Mother of Our Lord: August 15, 2021

Mary’s role is not limited to giving birth to Jesus and mothering him in his childhood. In John’s gospel, she is among the women standing near the cross; in Acts, she is among the disciples awaiting the gift of the Spirit. Through all that happened she continued to see how God was at work through her son, keeping the ancient promises to her ancestors, brushing aside the rich and powerful, and focusing on those as poor and powerless as Mary herself.  

From Sundays and Seasons, Augsburg Fortress

OPENING VOLUNTARY The Angel Gabriel from Heaven  
setting, Paul Manz
 
GATHERING HYMN Savior of the Nations, Come (Nun komm der Heiden Heiland) ELW 263

 

St. Mary of the Mount Catholic Church
Pittsburgh

CANTICLE OF PRAISE My Soul Proclaims Your Greatness, O Lord
setting, Anne Krentz Organ
Mary’s Song, also called the Magnificat, is usually associated with Evening Prayer. This is the first of three versions we will sing an hear today.  The second version, from the gospel of Luke, is the gospel reading for the day.
 

Gospel Acclamation
Michael Krentz has pulled the melody from the popular Christmas carol Greensleeves and added a setting of the gospel verse for the day. This same tune comes back as the offering hymn.
 
HYMN OF THE DAY For All the Faithful Women (Kuortane) 

ELW 419
 
MUSICAL OFFERING There Is No Rose Pat Messick
A 15^th century text is set to a gentle contemporary tune. This is a macaronic carol, one that mixes English with Latin words. Another example of this type of song is Angels We Have Heard on High.
 
OFFERING HYMN What Feast of Love (Greensleeves) ELW 487
 
COMMUNION HYMN Canticle of the Turning (Star of County Down) ELW 723
In recent years this has become a favorite hymn at St. Mark’s. It’s hard to resist a stirring text paired with an Irish jig!
 
SENDING HYMN Signs and Wonders (Freu dich sehr) ELW 672
Listen for the angel wings in the organ introduction.

Annunciation by Leonardo da Vinci

CLOSING VOLUNTARY Prelude and Chorale on Nun komm der Heiden Heiland
prelude, Walter L. Pelz; chorale, Johann Walther

Portrait of Mary: By Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato - Web Gallery of Art:   Image  Info about artwork, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1432637

The Annunciation: By Leonardo da Vinci - http://www.marysrosaries.com/collaboration/index.php?title=File:Annunciation_-_Leonardo_Da_Vinci_-_Annunciazione.jpeg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13126265

 

Music for the 11th Sunday after Pentecost: August 8, 2021

 

OPENING VOLUNTARY

Prelude and Chorale on “O Bread of Life from Heaven” (O Welt, ich muss dich lassen)
prelude, Johann Gottfried Walther, 1684-1748; chorale, Heinrich Isaac, 1450-1517, arr. J. S. Bach, 1685-1750

 

GATHERING HYMN What Is this Place (Komt nu met zang)

ELW 524

Text: Huub Oosterhuis, b. 1933; tr. David Smith, b. 1993                                                

Music: A. Valerius, Nederlandtsch Gedenckclanck, 1626

 

This traditional Dutch hymn may not be known to everyone at St. Mark’s, but everyone will find it easy to sing. It’s written in the popular Lutheran bar form. There is a short “A”section that is sung twice and leads into the final six bars. The tune feels like a folk song and is easy to sing.

If you’d like to get the tune in your head a little before Sunday, here is a wonderful recording of a solo singer accompanying himself on guitar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4F8qnmBew4

 

An illuminated manuscript from the early 1400s

PSALM Psalm 130

“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.”

The assembly sings a refrain that quotes the tune Yigdal (The God of Abraham Praise). A cantor sings the stanzas using an Anglican chant called “Cambridge Chant.”

 

HYMN OF THE DAY Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness (SchmÜcke dich) ELW 488

Text: Johann Franck, 1618-1677, tr. Lutheran Book of Worship                                            

Music: Johann Crüger, 1598-1662
The hymn is introduced with a chorale prelude on the same tune by Johann Gottfried Walther, 1684-1748.

 

MUSICAL OFFERING O Bread of Life from Heaven

David Ashley White

COMMUNION HYMN Bread of Life from Heaven

(Argentine Santo / Break Now the Bread) ELW 474

Text: Susan R. Briehl, b. 1952                                     

Music: Argentine traditional, refrain; Marty Haugen, b. 1950, stanzas

 

The refrain came comes out of the charismatic Christian tradition in Argentina. This refrain is so easily learned, that worshipers might even sing it as they approach the ministers to receive communion.

Susan Briehl and Marty Haugen collaborated on the stanzas that appear in this version.

SENDING HYMN My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less (The Solid Rock) ELW 596

Text: Edward Mote, 1797-1874                                                                                              

Music: William B. Bradbury, 1816-1868

Back in the late 70s I sang with a touring choir of high school students called the New Way Singers. This was through the Nebraska Christian College. We sang a downright danceable version of this hymn in a style not often seen in church music – DISCO!

CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) was just coming to be known as a genre. We were all huge fans of Amy Grant. (I'm still a fan!)

The New Way Singers summer of 1979. I'm on the left near the back, third row (sort of), with my hands on my right knee.

 

CLOSING VOLUNTARY Fanfare on “Let the Whole Creation Cry” (Salzburg)

setting, Stephanie Honz

sources: Wikipedia
Hymnal Companion: Evangelical Lutheran Worshiphttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Folio_70r_-_De_Profundis.jpg#/media/File:Folio_70r_-_De_Profundis.jpg