10:30am Eucharist, Sunday, January 20th, 2019

The Second Sunday after Epiphany

Prelude: Chorale Variations on “Blessed Jesus, At Thy Word”, By: Johann Gottfried Walther

Processional Hymn: 524, I love thy kingdom, Lord (St. Thomas)

Gloria S204

First Reading: Nehemiah 8:2-10

Second Reading: Ephesians 2:1-6

Gospel Hymn: 440, Blessed Jesus, at thy word (Liebster Jesu)

Gospel: Luke 4:14-21

Offertory Anthem: “Springs in the Desert” By:Arthur B. Jennings

Choir: Say to them that are of a fearful heart. Be strong, fear not; behold, your God will come and save you. The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. For in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams flow in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water. A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the way of holiness; the redeemed shall walk there: and the ransomed of the Lord shall return with songs and everlasting joy; and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Doxology: Hymn 380, stanza 3

Holy: S125, Proulx

Communion Anthem: “Nunc dimittis”, By: Edward Bunnett

Choir: Lord, now lettest Thou thy servant depart in peace,

according to Thy word.

For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation,

Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

To be a light to lighten the Gentiles,

and to be the glory of Thy people Israel.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,

world without end. Amen.

Communion Meditation: “Largo in E Flat”, By: Edward Bunnett

Recessional Hymn: 490, I want to walk as a child of the light (Houston)

Postlude: “Festal March”, By: Edward Bunett

Music Notes:

By: Ashley Sosis

Here is a beautiful description of today’s offertory anthem as a musical depiction of Isaiah 35 by Paul Westermeyer.

‘“Springs in the Desert” is by Arthur B. Jennings, organist and choirmaster of Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, MN from 1939-1966. Widely sung since its publication in 1920, Jennings took parts of Isaiah 35 and responded to its vision of the end of sorrow. A brief lilting introduction in F sharp minor sets up a proclamatory tenor solo that encourages the fearful to be strong and not to fear, for “your God will come and save you.” Then the desert blossoms in a newly lilting F sharp major. Streams flow. The parched ground becomes a pool. The organ spins out of the springs of water and drives the rejoicing forward to set up the choir’s announcement of the highway of holiness on which the redeemed first walk more slowly and then accelerate as the ransomed of the Lord who return with songs of joy. Sorrow and sighing flee away as the music slows to its quiet and liquid ending. Here it is more like a meditation or glimpse into the end of sorrow and sighing, a foretaste of the feast to come, “springs in the desert” and the joy of God’s presence.’

I enjoyed pondering what today’s anthem choices should be based on our Gospel reading from Luke. How should one respond when Jesus himself appears in the temple, telling all that they should look no further for the Messiah? The fulfillment Isaiah’s prophesies (Springs in the Desert’s Isaiah 35) and the words of Zechariah in The Canticle of Zechariah came to mind, “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation!”

May we continually feel the presence of our Lord with us in our church, and may He renew us every Sunday as we meet in His Name. Amen!