Music Notes: This Sunday, Pentecost 10, I passed over two hymn selections for this Sunday, primarily thinking they might not be known in Episcopal circles, because being German tunes, they are more well-known amongst our Lutheran brethren, numbers 408 & 430. If these tunes are known to you, please do let me know. They are wonderful, uplifting melodies. Now, as you may know, I am not adverse to learning new tunes, especially when I think they are easy. We sang a new tune last week, Vater Unser and as a review, it is good when we get to sing it again to a different text: In this case, 575, ‘Before the throne, O God, we kneel,’ which is a hymn prescribed for our lectionary this week. Our other hymns are, 420, 577, 674, 701 & 665, of which 420 is quite apropos for more than just for our Sunday worship as tomorrow afternoon, Monday, August 2^nd 41 choristers from around New England, New York, Pennsylvania, District of Columbia and Virginia descend upon Newport & Salve Regina University for the first ever, RSCM summer singing course held in Rhode Island and I, the RSCM committee, staff and faculty are all ecstatically excited (is there such a phrase?), to say the least! Choristers will be back and forth from Morning Prayer, theory and liturgy classes, to rehearsals, trips to the beach, dress rehearsals and Compline, all in preparation to sing two Evensongs and a Festival Choral Eucharist the likes of which will enrich the soul in worship with the beautiful gift of music sung by choristers of faith who are working to learn and increase their skill in the musical arts of the church. Two of our own, Ben & Curtis Kitchen, will participate this week and I thank Mother Anita and Emmanuel’s Vestry for the generosity of their support through the establishment of an RSCM Chorister Scholarship Fund to assist with the tuition for this course and future RSCM singing courses for up-coming choristers. Ben & Curtis, having worked to complete the RSCM Level 1 course, will be presented with the Level’s Light Blue ribbon & RSCM metal this Sunday’s. They are excited about meeting and making new friends who enjoy singing this coming week. So, invite, ‘beg, borrow & steal’ and implore friends and neighbors to worship with you, Wednesday, Friday and next Sunday, August 8^th at Trinity and in our beautiful space, Emmanuel Church, (God with us), to hear the fruits of a week long RSCM summer singing course, under the direction of a nationally known music director from the St. Alban’s School in Washington, DC. We are indeed honored and privileged that God’s mission for us has included being a major host for this event. I will write more about the course next week and all may view our web pages for Updates and Photos of choristers’ activities at http://www.emmanuelnewport.org/rscm-newport-course-2010/. Music refreshes the soul and brings people to church for delights to the ear and mind that cannot be found anywhere else. It provides a connection with God to receive spiritual renewal. Do join us for these special musical offerings and on Sundays, in all our ministries in Newport. Here at Emmanuel, you are welcome to join us for Summer Choir through August. We meet Sundays at 8:45 to rehearse the music of the day for the 10 A.M. Eucharist. I invite anyone interested in doing a little singing to share your talents with us and all who worship at Emmanuel Church.

Peace and see you at worship – AJH

The Chorister Creed & Prayer

‘I will sing with the spirit and with understanding also’

The First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 14:15

Bless, O Lord, us your servants who minister in your temple;

Grant that what we sing with our lips we may believe in our hearts,

And what we believe in our hearts we may show forth in our lives;

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

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Music Notes August 1, RSCM WEEK

Gloria S-280

Psalm 107: 1-9, 43