Wrong number, wrong time

No, the title is not because today is the second Sunday of Easter despite being the first after Easter Sunday. For some time we have been using the Laudate hymnal at Holy Trinity but as we only have one music copy, the musicians have been using the Celebration Hymnal where appropriate. Obviously the hymn numbers are not the same in each book and this is a frequent recipe for confusion. Today was a case in point as choirboy put the wrong Laudate number on the choir's music sheets and on the boards at the front and the side of Church. Fortunatley Mrs Choirboy spotted the error before we launched into the opening number. However, determined not to be saved by his eagle-eyed wife choirboy decided to announce the number for the gospel acclamation (in case of confusion) but gave the completely wrong number and merely enhanced the confusion already present in many people's minds.

The clocks of course went forward last night and although to choirboy's mind not widely publicised, the Church was full and there were only a few regulars missing. Our own Sue, however, failed to make provision and had to sneak in shortly after the start of mass - better late than never Sue !

Entry: - We come tell our story

Gloria: - Gloria

Gospel Acclamation: - Alleluia No1 verse 2

Credo/I believe

Offertory: - Take our bread

Sanctus:- Newquay Mass #1

Mem Accl: -
Lord by Your cross and resurrection, You’ve set us free, You’ve set us free. You are the saviour of the world. You are the saviour of the world (repeat)
Saviour, Saviour Saviour, Saviour
You set us free, You set us free. You are the saviour of the world. You are the saviour of the world

Amen: - Amen, Amen, Amen
We will sing of Your love forever. We will sing Your praise forever Amen
Amen, Amen, Amen

Agnus Dei: - Newquay Mass #1

Communion: - There is a longing

Recessional: - Lord of the dance

Thank you

In this immediate post-Easter post I would like to thank all members of our choir, musicians and parishioners for their support and contributions to our Easter celebrations. Hopefully, through our music worship we are not only augmenting the prayer and worship life of our community, but also bearing witness to the risen Lord in our lives.
Alleluia !

Alleluia, He is risen

Finally we have arrived in the liturgical and the spiritual sense. Renewed with the joy of the resurrection we celebrated on Easter Sunday in a Church so gloriously filled that people were on the altar, in the aisles, the sacristy and the confessional. What an act of witness to the risen Lord !

Our Holy week celebrations began on Holy Thursday with the Mass of The Lord's Supper - to choirboy's mind one of the most beautiful and poignant celebrations in the liturgical calender. In a stark contrast to Easter Sunday, the Church was 3/4 full but we enjoyed the liturgy as we marked the beginning of the most important 3 days in our liturgical year. It marked the use of 'Knocking on Heaven's Door' (modified by choirboy and augmented vocally by Jimmy and Paul to great effect) as part of our continuous musical motif over the Easter period. We sang it during the washing of the feet on Holy Thursday, the veneration of the cross on Good Friday and communion on Easter Sunday. 'Will I see You again' is a choirboy composition based on what he imagines St Peter is thinking having denied Christ - it featured some great guitar work by Paul.

Holy Thursday March 20th 2008

Entry - Song of the body of Christ

Gloria - Glory, glory, glory to God

Gospel Accl - Plymouth Alleluia

Washing of feet – Knocking on Heaven’s door

Offertory – This is my body

Mem Accl - Lord by Your cross and resurrection

Holy Holy – Gathering Mass

Amen – A-men, we lift our hearts


Communion – Let all mortal flesh

Will I see You again (song of St Peter)

Transfer of Eucharist – God to enfold you/Tantum Ergo

In a simple Good Friday liturgy, we invoked Our Lord to answer our pleadings using a simple muscial construction that was also used during the Vigil.

Good Friday

After each prayer the cantor intones: -

C Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer
R Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer
C Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer
R Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer
All Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer

Veneration of the Cross

Knocking on Heaven’s door
When I survey the wondrous cross

Communion: - Soul of my Saviour/Sweet Sacrament Divine

Our Vigil started in the Church Hall and the ceremony went smoothly inspite of events trying to conspire otherwise (a dodgy paschal candle being the chief culprit)

Gloria – Misa de Angelis 467 L498

Alleluia – Plymouth Alleluia

Rite of Blessing of Water
Baptised in water


Sanctus – Gathering Mass

Memorial Acclamation - Lord by Your cross and resurrection

Amen – Amen – A-men, we lift our hearts

Agnus Dei – Burntwood Mass

Communion - Alleluia sing to Jesus
There is a longing in our hearts

Recessional – Jesus Christ is risen today

And so to Easter Sunday and an uplifting and joyous celebration of the resurrection. The Church literally rocked through the Creed and once again we sang 'Knocking on Heaven's Door' as the drudgery of 'Battle is O'er' was soon forgotten. In a reflective piece redolant of perhaps a different worship environment, we sang the moving 'More Love, More Power' with great lead guitar from Paul and synthesiser from Choirboy's only (and much loved) daughter, Caitlin - fantastic !

Entry Jesus Christ is risen today 322 L267

Gloria Glory, glory , glory to God 406 L532

Alleluia Plymouth Alleluia

Credo/I believe

Offertory This is my body 730 L627

Holy Holy Newquay Mass (i)

Mem Accl Lord by Your cross

Amen Amen – We lift our hearts and voices

Lamb of God Newquay mass (i)

Communion Battle is o’er

MORE LOVE, MORE POWER

Recessional Alleluia #1

The final countdown

The title is not a prelude to the camp rock hit of the same name by Europe (can you remember anything else by them ?) but to the most important week in our liturgical calender. Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week and Choirboy has lifted the picture from another blog where the picture is headed with the apt title 'The Week that changed the world'). Our liturgy was dominated by the two themes of Palm Sunday - the blessing of the palms and the reading of Our Lord's Passion.
On the musical side of things Mary was well enough to return to the organ (although I have learnt that Ray has been in hospital and is now fortunately recovered). Choirboy once again played the psalm on the organ but I fear it was a bit too much for Father Mark - a bit over/melodramatic. It certainly is a powerful and moving psalm with the despair of the psalmist showing through the words. Perhaps we wil modify it next year ! Now we gear up for the Easter Tridium but we will not be singing the Sanctus or Agnus Dei from the Misa de Angelis at the Vigil. This would be a shame but I must assure you dear readers that the glorious Misa de Angelis has received a reprieve from the butchery that would have befallen it had we tried to sing it - Phew !!!!!
Finally, Paul tells me he is getting a new guitar (everyone should have at least three guitars). This is a great coincidence as choirboy himself is convinced that he needs another guitar and has embarked on the tortuous journey of convincing the redoubtable Mrs Choirboy that this is indeed the case. This will not be an easy journey for choirboy but he is prepared to be strong in the face of adversity.

Entry All glory laud and honour 16 L229

Kyrie

R. Psalm My God, my God, why have You forsaken me

Alleluia Praise to You, O Christ, our Saviour (V1)

Offertory Gifts of bread and wine

Holy Holy Newquay Mass (iii)

Mem Accl Lord by Your cross

Amen Amen – All glory to Our Lord and King
Songs of praise to You we sing
In honour of Your sacrifice
The bread and wine that brings us life
Amen, Amen, Amen

Lamb of God Newquay mass (iii)

Communion The servant king

Eat this bread

Recessional Give me joy in my heart

5th Sunday of Lent - any room will do ?

On this the fifth Sunday of Lent, Father Mark told us of the story of Brian Moore and his 'story' about 'The room'. You can read it here: -

http://www.stagnesalumni.org/BriansEssayTheRoom.shtml

Whatever you think of the origins of this tale and there is some controversy (http://www.snopes.com/glurge/room.asp), it is a powerful testimony that should make all of us think about the nature of our lives and how we live them.

On the musical front in the absence of Mary who was ill, choirboy had to make a last minute change to the music liturgy. However, despite our depleted numbers our music went well and we sang the psalm which choirboy had set to music for the organ. Let's hope Mary is better next week, thanks to Kevin for the guitar stand (and good luck in Norfolk).

Entry Gather us in
Kyrie

R. Psalm With the Lord there is mercy
And fullness of redemption

Alleluia Praise to You, O Christ, our Saviour (V1)

Offertory All that I am

Holy Holy Newquay Mass (iii)

Mem Accl Lord by Your cross

Amen Amen – All glory to Our Lord and King
Songs of praise to You we sing
In honour of Your sacrifice
The bread and wine that brings us life
Amen, Amen, Amen

Lamb of God Newquay mass (iii)

Lamb of God, Lamb of God
You take away the sin of the world (repeat)
Have mercy on us, have mercy on us
Have mercy on us and grant us Your peace

Communion I am the bread of life

Recessional Freely freely

Emergency ward 10

How apt that on this Sunday we heard of the healing of a blind man by Jesus as one of choirboy's offspring has been in hospital and in need of the same divine help. He was swiftly followed into the local hospital by Jimmy's son - the previous week Paul's daughter had been unable to play her bass because of illness. There must be something about playing the guitar at Holy Trinity !
The picture on the left comes from
http://www.scripturepics.org/gallery/
The site has some fantastic pictures which will probably feature regularly on this blog ! Back to the music - we managed to complete our new mass setting again and added a new Amen which choirboy thought went well. Unfortunately it foxed the Deacon who launched into an alternative Amen !

Entry: - Gather us in

Kyrie

Alleluia: - Praise to You, O Christ, our Saviour (V4)

Offertory: - Gifts of bread and wine

Holy Holy: - Newquay Mass (iii)

Mem Accl: - Lord by Your cross

Amen Amen All glory to Our Lord and King
Songs of praise to You we sing
In honour of Your sacrifice
The bread and wine that brings us life
Amen, Amen, Amen

Lamb of God: - Newquay mass (iii)


Communion: - The Lord’s my shepherd

Recessional: - Walk in the light