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Home , Cantoris, Hear My Prayer

Choral For the Fifth Sunday of Easter

May 6, 2012 5:00 PM

The Rev. Judith L. Rhodes, Rector The Reverend Dr. Paul J. Carling, Associate Rector The Reverend Kristin K. Miles, Assistant for Formation

The Saint Paul’s , John Abdenour, Director Joseph Ripka, Organ

Welcome to this service of Choral Evening Prayer, or Evensong. In the Episcopal Church, the —that is , services of Morning and Evening Prayer—celebrate the sacramental nature of the movement of time. Rooted in ancient monastic tradition, the services focus on the Word of God as it is revealed through the Lessons (scripture readings), the Canticle(s) (at Evening Prayer drawn from the Gospel of Luke), the Psalm, and the prayers, which are always grounded in Scripture. This service will be conducted as a ‘choir’ service, that is, a service being held in the choir—or chancel—of the church, and sung primarily by the choir and (). The congregation is invited to sing the and to participate through listening, contemplation, and prayer. Hymns may be found in the blue Hymnal 1982 in the pew rack in front of you.

Order of Service

Organ Voluntary Adagio e dolce from Sonata III BWV 527 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) The People stand as the Choir and Officiant enter.

Introit John Abdenour (b. 1962) I will bless the Lord at all times * his praise shall ever be in my mouth. Look upon him and be radiant, * Nor let your faces be ashamed. Taste and see that the Lord is good; * Happy are they that trust in him. —from Psalm 34

Invitatory Sentences Responses by Gerre Hancock (1934-2012) Psalm 22 Deus, Deus meus Chant by Edward John Hopkins (1818-1901) sung by the choir, the People seated 25 My praise is of thee in the great congregation : my vows will I perform in the sight of them that fear him. 26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied : they that seek after the Lord shall praise him; your heart shall live for ever. 27 All the ends of the world shall remember themselves, and be turned unto the Lord : and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him. 28 For the kingdom is the Lord's : and he is the Governor among the people. 29 All such as be fat upon earth : have eaten and worshipped. 30 All they that go down into the dust shall kneel before him : and no man hath quickened his own soul. 31 My seed shall serve him : they shall be counted unto the Lord for a generation. 32 They shall come, and the heavens shall declare his righteousness : unto a people that shall be born, whom the Lord hath made. 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.

The First Lesson Acts 8:26-40 An angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this chariot and join it.” So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” The eunuch asked Philip, “About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?” He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. Reader The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God. 24 “The day thou gavest, Lord, is ended” St. Clement St. Paul’s Cathedral (1893-1982) My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoicèd in God my Savior. For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations. He hath showèd strength with his arm: he hath scatterèd the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away. He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel, as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed forever. 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. The Second Lesson John 15:1-8 Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” Reader The Word of the Lord. People Thanks be to God. Nunc Dimittis 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.

Sung by the Officiant and People together, all standing I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. Officiant The Lord be with you. Choir (sung) And also with you. Officiant Let us pray . The People kneel or sit. Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. Sung by the Officiant and People, together Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those Who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen. The Suffrages and the Collects Officiant and Choir

V. O Lord, show thy mercy upon us; R. And grant us thy salvation. V. O Lord, save the state, R. And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee. V. Endue thy ministers with righteousness. R. And make thy chosen people joyful. V. O Lord, save thy people, R. And bless thine inheritance. V. Give peace in our time, O Lord, R. Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God. V. O God, make clean our hearts within us, R. And take not thy Holy Spirit from us. The Officiant chants three collects. Words of Welcome (1809-1847) Hear my prayer, O God, incline Thine ear! Thyself from my petition do not hide. Take heed to me! Hear how in prayer I mourn to Thee, Without Thee all is dark, I have no guide. The enemy shouteth, The godless come fast! Iniquity, hatred, upon me they cast! The wicked oppress me, Ah where shall I fly? Perplexed and bewildered, O God, hear my cry! My heart is sorely pained, within my breast, my soul with deathly terror is oppressed, trembling and fearfulness upon me fall, with horror overwhelmed, Lord, hear me call,

O for the wings, for the wings of a dove! Far away, far away would I rove! In the wilderness build me a nest, and remain there for ever at rest. —William Bartholomew (1793-1867) The People kneel for the prayers. Officiant and People Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom thou hast made. We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful; and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to thy service, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end. Amen. A Prayer of St. Chrysostom (said by the Officiant) Almighty God, who hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication unto thee; and hast promised through thy well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name thou wilt be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, the desires and petitions of thy servants as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. Amen. Officiant Let us bless the Lord; People Thanks be to God. Officiant and People, together The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen. Hymn 541 “Come, labor on” Ora labora Organ Voluntary Con moto maestoso from Sonata III Op. 65 Felix Mendelssohn + + +

We thank you for joining us for this service.

We thank Joseph Ripka for joining us today as our guest organist. After serving for two years as St. Paul’s , Joseph was appointed Organist and Choirmaster of Calvary Episcopal Church in Stonington, Connecticut, and he also serves as accompanist for the Anglican Singers of New London, Connecticut. He and his wife Erin live in Stonington with their daughter Clara. We are very grateful to the Choir Paarents, Margy Barney, and the Music Ministry Team for presenting today’s wonderful English Tea at 4 PM. If you missed the tea beforehand, there might be a delicious nibble or two still available afterwards, although the choristers are usually quick to pounce on the leftovers! Would your son or daughter like to sing in The St. Paul’s Choir? The choir offers a superb education in choral music, the prospect of regional and international tours, the opportunity to work with world renowned musicians, and a Christian community of musical friends with whom to grow to maturity. Boys and girls in grades 2 and up are welcome. Membership in the choir is open to all; there is no requirement to be a member of the parish, and no prior musical training is required. For further information, speak to or write ( [email protected] ) John Abdenour, director of music, or for more background and perspective, speak to one of the many choir parents in the congregation today! Our new class of probationer members is being formed right now, to begin rehearsals in the autumn. St. Paul’s Cookbooks are for sale in the parish hall following the service today , and make a wonderful Mother’s Day gift for that special mom, and also benefit the choir.

MUSIC NOTES

John Abdenour composed I will bless the Lord in 2007 as a surprise gift to his longtime friend Peter Stoltzfus Berton, and dedicated it to Peter, his wife Jennifer, and their infant daughter. The work was premiered in an evensong at St. Paul’s where Peter was to guest-direct an anthem of his. The surprise succeeded. The work is a setting of verses from Psalm 34, including “Look upon him and be radiant,” a favorite line of the composer. The and Responses are a setting by Gerre Hancock , the renowned Organist and Master of Choristers of Saint Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue from 1970 to 2004. Dr. Hancock died this past January, and his ashes have been lovingly interred in the chancel of Saint Thomas Church, only a few feet from where he stood to conduct the choir. The St. Paul’s Choir sang this set of responses on its recent tour of England. Herbert Howells composed many settings of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis for various cathedrals and other choral foundations. Today we hear the awe inspiring setting he composed for the vast acoustic and large professional choir of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. The work is a study in long, rising and falling phrases, and slowly unfolding harmonic development which lend the work a strange, compelling and exotic majesty. Especially sung in a dry acoustic (like ours), this setting of the evening canticles would be a significant challenge to the stamina of any choir. Felix Mendelssohn enjoyed a storied career throughout Europe as a composer and performer, but his life was cut short by illness at the age of 38. He was particularly fond of England, visiting the country ten times. Hear my prayer is one of his best loved choral works, and was set to an English libretto by William Bartholomew, who later wrote the libretto for the oratorio .

LEADING WORSHIP TODAY Officiant and Precentor The Reverend Dr. Paul J. Carling, Associate Rector of St. Paul’s

Readers The Rev. Kristin K. Miles, Assistant for Formation Mr. Matthew Wiant

Acolytes Jeanne-Lyn Chieffalo, Neal Minto and Jack Jerrild

Ushers Trish Garton, Dennis Pryor THE ST PAUL’S CHOIR represents this parish’s reinterpretation of the Anglican choral tradition. The choir consists of 30 treble boy and girl choristers, singing with 16 professional and skilled volunteer altos, tenors, and basses. This past July the choir completed its fourth quadrennial tour of the British Isles, singing services at Hereford, Worcester, and Gloucester cathedrals. More information about the St. Paul’s Choir, and recordings available for online listening, can be found on the “Music Ministry” and “Listen to the ” pages of the church’s web site, www.stpaulsfairfield.org .

The St. Paul’s Choir

Cantoris Choir - Treble Elisabeth Boveroux, Benjamin Boveroux, Lydia Brown, Sarah Buggy, Fiona Campbell, Ryan Cranston, Julia Haas, David Hewitt, Mary Grace Kennedy, Julia Lennon, Elizabeth McCormack † (Associate Head Chorister) , Josephine Minto, Sophia Minto, Hannah Nemiah, Matthew Pulsifer, Miranda Schlate, Harrison Spencer, Colin Spencer, Sara Wiant § (Head Chorister)

Alto – Cantoris : Robin Clark-Smith, Derek Greten-Harrison (Section Leader), Cherise Rowan, Eva Uhrich

Tenor – Cantoris: Christopher McCormack (Section Leader)

Bass – Cantoris : Eric Andren, John Dyer, Nathan Milholin (Section Leader), Aidan Pryor

Decani Choir - Treble Isabella Barney, Charlotte Buggy, Timoney Campbell (Assistant Head Chorister) , Dylan Cranston, Kelly Cranston, Emily Erikson, Rachel Garton, Madeline Gill, Mary Ingram, Meghan Jerrild, Audrey Lamb, Sydney Lennon, Emma Littig, Lexi Osborne, Benjamin Pulsifer, Olivia Seymour, Bennett Spencer, Eliza Wiant

Alto – Decani: Tracey Cranston, Janet Davis, Amanda Hall (Section Leader), Sarah McCormack

Tenor – Decani: Becket Greten-Harrison (Section Leader) , Kevin Cotellese (guest)

Bass – Decani: Timothy Barney, Scott Cranston (Section Leader) Gianni Pellegrini, Philip Sidebottom, James Steele

† Soloist, Hear my prayer § Soloist, O for the wings of a dove

S AINT P A U L ’ S E PISCOPAL C H U R C H

661 O L D P OST R OAD - F AIRFIELD , C T 0682 4

203 – 259-3013 www.stpaulsfairfield.org