For me, “La Mer” is a love song to the sea, shore and sky, which is why Tom and I decided to offer it during a service for Creationtide in September 2024. On the appointed day, I had to be elsewhere for family reasons, so our recording of this song is only available in the recorded version of the service that went out on Sunday 15 September … More La Mer – Charles Trenet (1913-2001), trans. Janet Raynor
This article was first published in the September 2021 issue of our parish magazine.
About a year ago, in the autumn of 2020 we had endured a full national lockdown, a summer of somewhat eased restrictions, and were entering a time of less-than-clear tiered restrictions. If memory serves, that meant that worshippers could attend services in person, but had to remain seated throughout, keep a mask on at all times, and absolutely no singing whatsoever … More Thou Visitest the Earth
Good morning and welcome to our service of holy communion for Sunday 13 October 2024. Rev Steve will preach, and Rev Sue presides. We begin with the hymn “Take my life” … More Delayed Gratification
Cohen steadfastly avoided giving explanations for his lyrics, instead allowing cover singers and audiences to find their own meaning in the poetry. He did however say that “many different hallelujahs exist”, and that “there is a religious hallelujah, but there are many other ones. When one looks at the world, there’s only one thing to say, and it’s hallelujah” … More Hallelujah – Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)
Do you recall that up until Monday 19 July 2021, in accordance with England’s covid-19 restrictions at the time, congregational singing was prohibited, as was choral singing in groups larger than 6? This posed some challenges for planning a service with music as its focus! … More St Margaret’s Patronal Festival Medley (arr. Dalton & Porter, 2021)
Good morning and welcome to our service of holy communion for Sunday 22 September, the third of Creationtide, in which we focus on mountains.
Rev Helen will preside, Rev Steve reads, and Krystyna will preach.
We begin with the hymn “Praise to the Lord the Almighty” … More Creationtide – mountains
The “Agnus Dei” is the last movement of any mass setting, and it means “Lamb of God”. Throughout the Old Testament, blood sacrifices are offered to please God, to praise him, to thank him, and to ask favour of him. Jesus put an end to that by offering himself as the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. He became the sacrificial lamb, submitting entirely to God’s will and dying a tortuous death on our behalf … More Agnus Dei
Good morning and welcome to our service of holy communion for Sunday 8 September – the second in the season of Creationtide – in which we consider humanity.
Rev Sue presides and Rev Christine will preach.
We begin with the hymn “There is a longing in our hearts” … More Creationtide week 2: Humanity
Good morning and welcome to our service of All Age Worship for Sunday 1 September. We begin the season of Creationtide by thinking about the earth. Rev Steve will preach, and Rev Sue presides.
We begin with the hymn “How Great Thou Art” … More Creationtide week 1: Earth
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’?
St Margaret's Church Prestwich 