10:30am Eucharist, Sunday, March 17th, 2019

The Second Sunday of Lent

Themes from the Readings: God’s covenant with Abram, Paul urges the Philippians to stand firm in Christ; Jesus says of the Kingdom of God, “strive to enter through the narrow door.”

Prelude: “In Pastures Green”, By: Niamh O’Kelly, Canterbury Bells Handbell Ensemble

Processional Hymn: 142, Lord, who throughout these forty days (St. Flavian)

Kyrie S91, Willan

First Reading: Genesis 15: 1-12, 17-18

Second Reading: Philippians 3:17-4:1

Gospel Hymn: 488, Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart (Slane)

Gospel: Luke 13:22-3p5

Offertory Anthem: “Lord, for thy tender mercy’s sake,” By: John Hilton, Pg.27 from Oxford Easy Anthem Book

Choir: Lord, for thy tender mercy’s sake

lay not our sins to our charge;

But forgive that is past, and give us grace

to amend our sinful lives;

To decline from sin, and incline to virtue,

That we may walk in an upright heart

before thee this day and evermore.

Doxology: Hymn 380, stanza 3

Holy: S125, Proulx

Communion Anthem: “O Holy Jesu,” By: Palestrina, Pg.104 from Oxford Easy Anthem Book

Choir: O holy Jesu!

Pardon our offenses, for that thou hast made us thine,

And hast redeemed us by thy most precious blood.

Communion Meditation: “If thou but trust in God to guide thee,” BWV647, By: J. S. Bach (1685-1750)

Recessional Hymn: 635, If thou but trust in God to guide thee (Wer nur den lieben Gott)

Postlude: “If thou but trust in God to guide thee,” BWV642, By: J. S. Bach (1685-1750)

Music Notes By: Ashley Sosis

Today’s offertory anthem, “Lord, for thy tender mercy’s sake” is published by Oxford Press, edited by Anthony Greening and, according to Oxford, written by Richard Farrant or John Hilton. Other publishers decisively attribute it to Farrant, and many performances of this piece have simply listed “Farrant” or “attributed to Farrant” in their programs. This is an instance where research only further obscures the answer. The earliest manuscript of this piece does not cite a composer (and most likely a hand written copy of an even older lost manuscript) and is preserved in the Ely Cathedral library in England. A scholarly article by Godfrey E. P. Arkwright that appeared in a German music journal in 1905 analyzed this manuscript and concluded that it is possible that the piece is either by Farrant or Hilton (John Hilton the Elder) but is more likely written by the composer Christopher Tye (c. 1505-before 1573), and supports this theory with many examples of how the anthem is written in Tye’s compositional style. The author summarizes that “until further evidence is forthcoming, students who wish to be cautious will probably prefer to assign our anthem to the “School of Tye”, to which it belongs without any question whatsoever.” A few other articles I found mentioned Thomas Tallis (c.1505-1585), or John Hilton the younger (ca. 1599 – 1657) as possible authors but none can back up either claim with any substantial evidence. One thing that we know for sure is that the anthem has served countless churches in their observance of Lent since the Elizabethan era. May it bless you with a moment of prayerful reflection in our service today!