This Saturday is the First Sunday of Advent. Welcome to Year B on the liturgical calendar!
In light of what happened over the weekend with weather, please keep an eye on your email and the website on Saturday afternoons for any changes to the plan.
On Saturday afternoon, Jonathan and I phone-conferenced regarding the music for December (in place of our 3 PM meeting). We have a tentative plan in place for Christmas Eve, and I'm hoping to have the rest of December selected in the next few days.
Thanksgiving Eve mass is being held on Wednesday evening at 7 PM. The 11:00 group is covering, so feel free to join them.
We're switching to Mass of Joy & Peace this week. Please look this over so we don't have to spent too much time reviewing before mass on Saturday. In addition to the recordings below, sheet music can be found on the Mass Settings page. I'd definitely like to re-introduce the choir parts on this setting in the coming weeks since we seemed to be in a pretty good place with those last time we practiced. Please note that we don't use the Gloria over Advent and the Memorial Acclamation will be 'We Proclaim Your Death'.
We also have one new tune this week, 'Within Our Hearts Be Born', which will be used as our Gathering song throughout Advent. If unfamiliar, please look it over. Our Closing song for all of Advent is 'O Come, Divine Messiah, which we did this time last year. I'd like to re-introduce the choir parts in the coming weeks.
If anyone would be interested in covering the Psalm, please let me know by Wednesday.
I'm tentatively planning to practice from 6:30-8:00 PM -- I'm aware that this is Thanksgiving weekend and that kickoff is at 3:30 PM, but since we've missed quite a few practices lately, I'd really like the chance to review the music and discuss the plan for Advent. Please let me know by Wednesday if you'd be available to stick around; if not enough people can stay, then I'll cancel. Stay tuned for a decision on this.
My director's notes and agenda will also be released on Friday.
Finally, continuing with website improvements, I've created a 'Links' page above with links to various parish and music resources. This is still a work-in-progress, so feel free to let me know if you want anything added to it.
Also, I've added jump breaks to all posts since the launch of this site. In short, posts on the main page will now only show the title, image, and the first few lines of the body rather than the entire article. Clicking 'read more' or the title will open the entire post. This will hopefully make it easier to search for older content and make the appearance of the main page cleaner.
UPDATE (11/25): Jonathan reports that "we flew by the seat of our pants to get through Mass [last Saturday]. Maggie, Jim and I work the opening/closing hymns for Advent. A lot of people didn't make it out because of the snow, but the music ministry was about as large as it ever was. We're a pretty cool bunch in my book!"
UPDATE (11/26): I got details on the Penitential Rite and Blessing of Advent Wreaths from the Office. We will most likely not be doing the Rite this week since there's the Wreath Blessing, but should plan on doing it for the remaining Sundays of Advent. Also, the song used immediately after the Wreath Blessing will be 'O Come, O Come, Emmanuel' (verse 1 only).
UPDATE (11/26): both Barb and Joanne have pulled out of directing music for Thanksgiving Eve mass due to the weather this evening. Father will likely be leading the music, possibly with mass held in the Chapel if not many in attendance.
UPDATE (11/26): I got very few responses back on availability for rehearsal, and no volunteers for the Psalm. We'll make a final call on practice before mass on Saturday, and I'll tentatively plan to do the Psalm myself.
Here are the songs for this week:
Gathering:
GC 329 - Within Our Hearts Be Born
Penitential Rite:
Mass of Joy & Peace
Response (need one):
SS 71 - Lord, Let Us See Your Kindness (Psalm 85)
Gospel Acclamation (need one):
Mass of Joy & Peace
Blessing of Advent Wreath:
GC 317 - O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (verse 1 only)
Offertory:
GC 320 - The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns
Holy, Holy, Holy:
Mass of Joy & Peace
Eucharistic Acclamation:
Mass of Joy & Peace
Eucharistic Doxology:
Mass of Joy & Peace
Lamb of God:
Mass of Joy & Peace
Communion:
SS 153 - I Am the Bread of Life
Closing:
GC 333 - O Come, Divine Messiah
I hope you all have a happy, blessed Thanksgiving, and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again on Saturday (weather-permitting, of course)!
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