Sunday, September 29th, 2013

Organ Prelude: Vorspiel by: Adolph Friedrich Hess (1809-1863)

Processional Hymn: 368 Holy Father, Great Creator

Gloria: S280, Powell

Gospel Hymn: 594 God of Grace and God of Glory

Offertory Anthem: Creator Spirit, Fount of Life, by: David D. Brensinger

Creator Spirit, Fount of life

And Spring of all creative pow’r,

Each human art You bring to birth

Draws life from You to grow and flow’r.

Now we this glorious harvest bring,

Our worship’s greatful offering.

We offer music’s gift of praise,

Its pow’r to move our souls to prayer,

And fire our hearts with faith and love,

Your gracious Gospel to declare,

We bring the arts of dance and song,

For these to perfect praise belong.

This sacred house in which we meet

Was by an architect designed

That we might find You present here,

Though not by walls to be confined,

We learn within this place of prayer

To recognize You ev’rywhere.

Then teach us so to use these gifts

That praise may ev’ry pow’r employ,

And all the world be moved to share

The fullness of Your people’s joy;

For Jesus Christ has come to give

Abundant life for all to live.

Doxology

Holy: S125, Proulx

Communion Anthem: Fairest Lord Jesus Tune: St. Elizabeth, harmonization by: Thomas Tertius Noble (1867-1953)

Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,

O thou of God and man the Son;

Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,

Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.

Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,

Robed in the blooming garb of spring;

Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,

Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

Fair is the sunshine, fairer still the moonlight,

And all the twinkling, starry host:

Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer,

Than all the angels heaven can boast.

Communion Meditation: Short Voluntary, by: John Worgan (1724-1790)

Communion Hymn: 321 My God, Thy Table Now is Spread

Recessional Hymn: 555 Lead On, O King Eternal

Organ Postlude: Simple Gifts Tune: Shaker Tune, arranged by: Wilbur Held (1914-)

Music Notes:

Today’s music included a selection that was first written to accompany dance, not sacred worship. The Shaker dance song (not hymn) Simple Gifts, was composed in 1848 by Joseph Brackett, a member of the Shaker community in Alfred, Maine. The tune was not known outside of the Shaker community until it was included in a movement in Aaron Copland’s ballet, “Appalachian Spring”, which premiered in 1944. Wilbur Held, the arranger of the organ postlude based on the “Simple Gifts” tune, was born near Chicago in 1914. He studied organ with Marcel Dupre and Andre Marchal and composition with Normand Lockwood and Wallingford Riegger. Dr. Held started composing little pieces for the organ because he felt that there was a lack of teaching material aimed at developing style and registration, especially for the romantic use of the instrument . In 1978, he retired to Clairmont, CA and at age 99 he remains an active member of the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.