This Saturday is the 4th Sunday of Advent.
During the liturgy, there was a bit of confusion over which Eucharistic Acclamation we're using. Until further notice, the Acclamation will be 'When We Eat This Bread'.
Jim, Ginny, Maggie and I stuck around afterward to look at some of the music for Christmas. We focused on three pieces: 'Angels We Have Heard on High', 'Silent Night' / 'Night of Silence', and 'Brightest and Best'. Please check out the recordings from practice to get an idea of what we're aiming for on these.
For 'Angels', we experimented with Jim palming on guitar and keeping the feel of the song subdued and a bit staccato. Voices and guitar start the piece off, with melodic instruments coming in later on harmony lines.
For 'Silent Night' / 'Night of Silence', we'll use largely the same arrangement as last year. Maggie will be singing 'Night of Silence' while the rest of the choir does 'Silent Night'. The former will be offset by one verse so we start and end on 'Silent Night'.
Finally, 'Brightest and Best' is a piece I only learned of recently. The first and last verse of the piece will be done as a canon with men singing the melody offset by two bars. The refrain will be sung in unison.
The Advent Penance Service was held on Tuesday night. Father had approached us about covering it on Saturday. Besides Jim, Ginny, Rose, Steve and I, Chris (the 9 AM pianist) played and Margie helped cantor. Thanks again for coming to help out with this!
Per our discussion at rehearsal, I emailed the Office about the possibility of changing the Psalm this Saturday to 'Shepherd Me, O God'. Dee let me know that since Barb is out, the programs where printed in advance last week. I'll speak to Father about this on Saturday, but we may want to be prepared to do the song in the program just in case.
Please plan to stick around for rehearsal after Mass on Saturday from ~7:00-8:00 PM. Let's review/clean up the pieces we worked on last week as well as look at the remaining songs for Christmas Eve. Details to follow.
Also, I tentatively have a dress rehearsal on the board for Wednesday, December 23rd, from 7-9 PM in the Parish Hall.
Here are the songs for this week:
Gathering:
GC #486 - The King of Glory
GC #325 – Like a Shepherd
Materials (audio) (sheet music)
Penitential Rite:
Mass of Joy & Peace
Response:
GC #075 – Psalm 80/85/Luke 1: Lord, Make Us Turn to You
Materials (audio)
GC #031 - Psalm 23 - Shepherd Me, O God
Materials (audio) (sheet music)
Gospel Acclamation:
Mass of Joy & Peace
Offertory:
Recorded Music ('Bridge Over Troubled Water')
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 #105 – Christ, Be Our Light
Materials (audio) (sheet music)
Closing:
GC #556 – Canticle of the Turning
Materials (audio) (sheet music)
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GC #325 – Like a Shepherd
Materials (audio) (sheet music)
Penitential Rite:
Mass of Joy & Peace
Response:
GC #075 – Psalm 80/85/Luke 1: Lord, Make Us Turn to You
Materials (audio)
GC #031 - Psalm 23 - Shepherd Me, O God
Materials (audio) (sheet music)
Gospel Acclamation:
Mass of Joy & Peace
Offertory:
Recorded Music ('Bridge Over Troubled Water')
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 #105 – Christ, Be Our Light
Materials (audio) (sheet music)
Closing:
GC #556 – Canticle of the Turning
Materials (audio) (sheet music)
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