Regular readers will know how important music is to me, and much has been said about the importance of music in worship over recent weeks – in a weekly course, in our church services and in magazine articles. It has been all the more poignant for the long absence of music from our worship, and its reintroduction at the end of July … More When is a ‘Performance’ not a ‘Performance’?
“Benedictus” is a Latin word which translates literally to “blessed”. Very often in communion settings – indeed in the one we use at St Margaret’s – the Benedictus is bundled up with the “Sanctus” (see last month’s magazine), which is Latin for “holy”. Originally, they were separate paragraphs in the eucharist, and therefore treated separately by composers … More Benedictus
The term “Communion Setting” is used to cover the musical arrangements for the congregational responses throughout the eucharistic prayer. Communion setting suites have six separate movements … More Communion Settings
“Sanctus” is a Latin word which translates literally to “holy”. Very often in communion settings – indeed in the one we use at St Margaret’s – the Sanctus is bundled up with the “Benedictus”, which is Latin for “blessed”. Originally, they were separate paragraphs in the eucharist, and therefore treated separately by composers … More Sanctus – various
Welcome to our service of holy communion for Sunday 30 June, on which we remember SS Peter and Paul. Rev Philip Miller presides.
We begin with the hymn “Morning has Broken” … More Saints Peter and Paul
It’s June. After one of the wettest Mays on record, many of us are hoping and praying for a drier, sunnier summer. Many of us are also hoping and praying for the return of some of the freedoms we took for granted until March last year … More What a Wonderful World (Weiss & Thiele, arr. Brymer)
A creed is essentially a statement of faith, of what we believe. The Latin word Credo means “I believe and trust”. There are many of these, but the most regularly used in Anglican services are the Apostles’ creed, the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed. Why three? Do we believe different things at different times? … More Credo
The liturgical theme for the fourth Sunday of Easter is always “the Good Shepherd” – who is of course Jesus. There are many references in the gospels of Jesus likening himself to the shepherd of a flock (in which we are the sheep), and of course there is the famous parable of the Lost Sheep … More Love Leadeth Me (Chris O’Hara)
ent is over, we have celebrated the resurrection of our Lord, and the Easter season is in full swing. Thus it makes perfect sense to continue my series on Communion Settings with the Gloria … More Gloria
Is it only me that has a favourite compendium of sacred anthems? It’s “the blue and yellow one”, also known as “Anthems for Choirs 2: Twenty-four Anthems for Sopranos and Altos (unison and 2-part)”, edited by Philip Ledger and published by OUP. Unusually for such a compendium, I have sung well over half of the 24 anthems, and many of my favourites are in the selection … More The Song of the Tree of Life – Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
St Margaret's Church Prestwich 