This Saturday is the Second Sunday of Advent.
Jonathan and I met before mass to plan upcoming rehearsals and discuss Advent music selections. Beginning in mid-January, we hope to restart work on several prelude pieces and do regular preludes perhaps once a month.
After mass, Jonathan, Maggie, Ginny, Karina, and I stuck around to look over and work on music for Advent. Most notably, we started learning the parts for 'Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming', which will be used during mass on the Forth Sunday and as one of our Christmas Eve preludes. We also started looking at 'Cherry Tree Carol', but are still waiting for the music to come in.
Due to an error on my part, I had to make some changes to the music selections we discussed at rehearsal. Several pieces were moved around, once new piece added, and one removed. Most notably, 'Lo, How a Rose' was moved from Offertory this week to Offertory on the Forth Sunday. We will instead do 'Comfort, Comfort, O My People' this week. This is a more complex choral piece than 'O Come, Divine Messiah', but I think we can pull it off since we've done it in the past. All in all, this worked out for the better since it'll give us more time to work on new pieces.
The music for December was sent to the Office on Sunday for approval -- will let you know of any changes.
Finally, just a quick reminder that we will be covering the
There will be practice after mass from 6:30-8:00 PM -- we'll continue work on several Advent and Christmas pieces, so please plan to be there!
- The choral parts for 'Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming'
The melody for 'Cherry Tree Carol'- The plan for 'Each Winter as the Year Grows Older'
- The plan for 'Creator of the Stars at Night'
- The Psalm for next week
The more musicians we have at rehearsal, the better we can start to nail down these tunes! More details to follow later this week.
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UPDATE (12/2): Barb let me know that the RCIA Rite of Dismissal is being held at Saturday mass this week, so we'll do 'A Lamp for Our Feet' after the Homily.
UPDATE (12/2): I got a message earlier today from Barb in the Office -- Father Charlie would like to know if we'd be willing to switch from covering the Christmas Eve 4 PM mass to 6 PM? Father believes that we're needed more at the 6 PM mass (presumably there's no coverage) since he's presiding in the Hall at 4 PM and could cover music.
Jim, Jonathan, and I briefly discussed this and I've already expressed a few concerns of my own to Barb. I know we've already started planning around a 4 PM mass, so please let me know ASAP if you have a strong preference one way or another. I'd like to get back to the Office with a consensus no later than tomorrow morning.
UPDATE (12/3): Thanks to those of you who got back to me about the change in mass time! It sounds like the general consensus is we could do either time, but 4 PM would definitely be preferable. I was in touch with Barb this morning and requested we keep our 'traditional' 4:00 time. She'll let me know what Father's final decision is on this, as there are two masses still in need of coverage.
Father requested that we change our common Communion song for December to one that has a 'repetitive refrain'. Instead of SS 150, Bread of Life, we'll do GC 328, My Soul in Stillness Waits.
UPDATE (12/4): I just got a follow up message from the Office and the final word from Father is we're covering the 6 PM mass in the Parish Hall, rather than our usual 4 PM (sorry...I tried...). I know this isn't ideal, so please let me know if this is going to be a problem for you. We'll re-evaluate the plan for mass and rehearsal on Saturday.
UPDATE (12/5): the annual Tree-Decorating party is being held on 12/20 from 2:00-4:00 PM. Barb let us know that the committee in charge has put out a call for musicians to carol during the event. I've done this the past few years, and it's always a good time. We all just show up and 'wing it' on various Christmas songs while the tree is decorated. This will not affect our usual 4:30 practice that afternoon.
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Here are the songs for this week
Gathering:
GC 329 - Within Our Hearts Be Born
Penitential Rite:
Mass of Joy & Peace
Response (Jim):
SS 71 - Lord, Let Us See Your Kindness (Psalm 85)
Gospel Acclamation:
Mass of Joy & Peace
Rite of Dismissal:
A Lamp for Our Feet
D. Haas - (c) 1991 - GIA Pub.
Refrain: May the Word be a lamp for your feet,
And a light to guide your path!
Speak, O Lord: You are the Word of Life! (R)
Offertory:
GC 326: Comfort, Comfort, O My People
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:
GC 328 - My Soul in Stillness Waits
Closing:
GC 333 - O Come, Divine Messiah
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