Music Notes: This Sunday, Pentecost 9, part of the scriptural focus is on our Lord’s Prayer. Last week for the special visit of the Bishop, we sang the prayer to a Greek Orthodox chant and this week we return to its recitation during the Thanksgiving; however, the choir will also offer a choral version as their anthem in reflection of the Gospel and before the Gospel, our Sequence will be a paraphrase of our Lord’s Prayer to lead us into the lesson’s reading. Throughout the centuries, many composers have written music to our Lord’s Prayer and choosing one or more to sing is frustrating for just that very reason, there are so many. But Luther, who made it his work to make known the grace of God to his native German brethren, adapted the tune Vater Unser to the words of the prayer for publication in 1539 and from there it went on to become a part of the English Psalter in 1560 with an English versification of the prayer and it later appeared in the Scottish Psalter. Almost 200 years later, J.S. Bach would use the chorale in three of his immortal Cantatas and the St. John Passion. This was all for the purpose of putting the teachings of Christ into the hands of the people. It must be remembered that at the time this was done, the general population was illiterate and did not read, but they could sing by rote. Therefore, listening and singing was key to teach and edify the people who came to worship and learn about Christ and is also why beautiful pictorial windows of stained glass adorned even small churches to depict and teach the lessons of grace and redemption through Jesus Christ. We are blessed richly today with the gifts of education, to able to read, as well as hear and sing the music of the church that lifts us to a weekly and even daily renewal of closeness to God and as we sing new (old) songs like Vater unser, or old favorites like 518, 460, 711 and 410, with and without descants, we can thank God for the enjoyment of this life, the knowledge that He is only a prayer away and that through the gift of music, He inspires the mind and gives rest to the heart & soul. This afternoon, the Emmanuel Music & Arts Series continues to do just that: Last Saturday the 17^th, 57 people heard the Jubilate Ringers hand bell choir from St. Luke’s Church East Greenwich in concert here at Emmanuel. It was a warm evening, but with a good Newport ocean breeze, was not at all unpleasant. Today, Sunday, July 25^th at 4 P.M. Ecclesia Consort will sing Bach. His monumental choral motets are scriptural sermons in music and sung on this last day of the Newport Music Festival, their singing will be dedicated to the late, Dr. Mark P. Malkovich, III. It was his vision and love of music that made Newport a worldwide center for the musical arts in this festival. Invite your friends and neighbors to hear these special choral works that are well-worth hearing ‘live’ at least once in one’s lifetime. We thank Pierre Masse and Ecclesia Consort for bringing this music right here to Emmanuel Church. Also, invite others to worship with you and us on Sundays in this beautiful space we call Emmanuel Church, (God with us). God’s mission for us we have stated as: ‘We are a dynamic faith community committed to sharing God's love. Our mission is to equip people to live as disciples of Jesus.’ And as music refreshes the soul and brings people to Emmanuel for delights to the ear and mind that cannot be found anywhere else, all who may long for a connection with God can receive a spiritual renewal here, where the ambience of sacred space is truly the inspiration of God. Join us for this musical offering and on Sundays, in all our ministries in Newport. You are welcome to join us for Summer Choir during the summer months, Sundays at 8:45 to rehearse the music of the day from 8:45 to 9:45 A.M. before the 10 A.M. Eucharist. I again thank our new singers, India, Sean, Steve, Laura and her daughter Lilly, for joining us this summer and 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 - July 25, 2010

Gloria S-280

Psalm 85 Spoken

The Sermon on the Mount by Carl Heinrich Bloch.