This promise is for you - The certainty of God's love

Tonight we start our lenten series of discussion and reflection, 'This promise is for you'. The theme of the first meeting is 'The certainty of God's love'.We will be using music to illustrate some of the themes.
The opening hymn is a choirboy composition and can be found at

www.myspace.com/holytrinitychoirboy

The second two hymns are by Graham Kendrick - his music is both beautiful and uplifting and choirboy's absolute favorite:-

http://www.grahamkendrick.co.uk/


Opening Hymn The truth we seek
(Jesus is the source of all hope and love – He is the Truth we seek)

In hope and love
The truth we seek
The truth we find in You (repeat)
In Jesus we shall find
The message of eternal life
In hope and love
The truth we seek
The truth we find in You (repeat)
Jesus…..
The truth we find You (repeat)

Prayer
Amazing Love (Acknowledging the enormity of God’s gift to us – His Son, Jesus)

Final Hymn
To You, O Lord I lift up my soul (The Psalmist praises God for the certainty of His love)

We're Off - Into Lent that is

Partly I am sure becuase we didn't have a practice this week and for other reasons I am not vertain about, we were rather thin on the ground in the choir - at least until just before mass started. This spoilt choirboy's gameplan of rehearsing our new mass settings - still there is always the Monday practice (for those who come!). Father Stephen's theme for the next few weeks will be the ten commandments and there will even be time during the sermon for a question and answer session. Personally choirboy thinks this an interesting and bold experiment - hopefully people will feel brave enough to join in.

Mary forgot not only her handbag (with her glasses) but also that there is no Alleluia in Lent (this was probably in fact choirboy's fault). A close shave until a sharp prod from choirboy stopped her launching into the Plymouth Alleluia. This has left a problematical gap in the music liturgy which has not, musically at least, yet been solved.

Our mass settings today were of the Kyrie and Holy, Holy from what choirboy calls 'Newquay Mass (ii)' and from the Burntwood Mass. The former can be heard at: -

www.myspace.com/cornwallchoirboy and www.myspace.com/holytrinitychoirboy

whilst further information about the Burntwood Mass can be obtained from: -

www.cjmmusic.co.uk

Entry: - Lord of all hopefulness

Kyrie: - Newquay Mass (ii)

Offertory: - O bread of heaven

Sanctus:- Newquay Mass (ii)

Amen: - Amen - We will sing

Agnus Dei: - Burntwood Mass

Communion: - My God loves me

Recessional:- On Eagle’s wings

Lent is coming !

On our last Sunday before Lent, our liturgy contained things both old and new (in the musical sense). This was our last week of our present mass settings prior to Lent and some (never tried before) new settings. It also contained our first go at a new offertory hymn, 'Lord we come to Your table. A version of this can be heard at: -
http://www.myspace.com/holytrinitychoirboy

Father Stephen was spared the preparation of a homily because we had a pastoral letter from the Bishop (http://www.plymouth-diocese.org.uk/). Nevertheless, he managed a few timely words on the excesses of modern life and the need to 'Live Simply' (http://www.livesimply.org.uk/). In particular he urged us to consider our responsibilities in our stewardship of the planet.

You may be wondering why the blog is late this week but judging by the number of visits on my site meter choirboy feels a bit like a virtual voice in the wilderness! The choirboy family have been visiting friends and relatives in the North West. We managed to find a church on Ash Wednesday in a land of plenty, church wise, although in a strong Catholic community, like us they are struggling with numbers (particularly of younger people). Choirboy can recommend to anyone who has never been there to visit, Liverpool's Metropolitan Cathedral (above) - a truly beautiful building with fantastic features and a fascinating history. Entry: -Praise my soul the King of heaven

Gloria: - Gloria

Alleluia: - Plymouth Alleluia

Offertory: - Lord we come to Your table

Chorus
Bread and wine we offer now to You
To transform as only You can do
Body, blood, soul, divinity
Lord, I ask You to be one with me


V1 Lord we come to Your table
Lord we bring You bread and wine
Lord we ask You now to bless us
Take our gifts and make them thine

V2 Lord we lay our lives before You
Lord we bring ourselves to You
Lord we ask You to transform us
Fill our souls with love renewed

V2 Lord we bring our sins before You
Lord we ask You to forgive
All our faults and make us worthy
And find in us a place to live

Holy Holy: -Gathering mass

Memorial Acclamation: -
Lord by Your cross and resurrection, You set us free, You 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

Lamb of God: -
Lamb of God You take away the sins of all the world (repeat)
Lord have mercy on us
Grant us Your peace. Grant us Your peace

Communion: -I will be with you

Recessional: - Hail Redeemer, King divine


Lord we come to Your table (2006), Lord by Your cross (2006), Amen – we will sing (2007), Lamb of God (2006) ©petermerrin,carnebo hill, goonhavern and CCLI.

Flu.........

Father Stephen returned from his visit home with the news that he has not had a holiday at all ! Unfortunately he caught the flu and was bed bound for most of his stay. He's still not right, so with Deacon Brian preaching on inner space and poverty of spirit, mass was somewhat foreshortened. Maz is back to form and with Jimmy in Dublin for a family celebration, Lousie shared the guitar duties with choirboy. All went very well save for the fact that at least one person thought that the Great Amen was too long - choirboy will think of shortening it by two bars, althought it is no longer than the previous Amen we have been using. With his defenses down after mass, choirboy has agreed to sing some Irish rebel songs at the Patrick's night dinner - we shall see !

Within a couple of weeks we will be once again using new music at mass and the Sanctus is available here: -

www.myspace.com/holytrinitychoirboy

Our music liturgy today included a communion piece written by choirboy as a reflection - 'The truth we seek' Maz did a great job of adding a clarinet part, even though the music has yet to be committed to paper - thanks.

Entry: - Be thou my vision

Gloria: - Gloria

Alleluia: - Plymouth Alleluia

Offertory: - One bread, one body

Holy Holy: - Gathering mass

Mem Accl: - Lord by Your cross

Amen: - Amen - We will sing

Lamb of God: - Newquay mass (ii)

Communion: - Lay Your hands

The truth we seek

In hope and love
The truth we seek
The truth we find in You (repeat)
In Jesus we shall find
The message of eternal life
In hope and love
The truth we seek
The truth we find in You (repeat)
Jesus…..
The truth we find You (repeat)

Recessional: - I watch the sunrise

Pillocks

We can thank Father David Mead for the title of this week's blog. It was from a phrase that he used in his stimulating semon - 'God sometimes choses pillocks'. Unfortunately, I haven't got a picture that can augment this phrase. Father David runs a retreat centre near St Austell and will also be addressing the next 'big breakfast' - choirboy and a small number of other parishioners will be taking advantage of this opportunity to eat and reflect on our roles, as men, within the Church.
This Sunday we sang Amen - we will sing for the first time and choirboy was pleased with the result. An example of this prayer can be heard at: -

www.myspace.com/cornwallchoirboy

Unfortunately Jimmy has probably broken a bone in his strumming hand and Maz has been ill, so we were again rather musician-lite. However, it was great to see a hoarse Maz on Monday at practice when everyone was in very good form. For those who wish to hear 'We come to Your table', there is an example at: -

www.myspace.com/holytrinitychoirboy

With a bit of luck we will be singing this in a few weeks as well as a new mass setting for Lent.
Entry: - This is the day

Gloria: - Gloria !

Alleluia: -Plymouth Alleluia

Offertory: - Take our bread

Holy Holy: - Gathering mass

Mem Accl: - Christ has died

Amen: - Amen - We will sing

Lamb of God: - Newquay mass (ii)

Communion: - Do not be afraid

Recessional: - Oh Lord, all the world belongs to You