Come Down, O Love Divine

The Day of Pentecost
June 9, 2019

The Day of Pentecost marks the end of the Great Fifty Days of Easter and celebrates the gift of the Holy Spirit. The liturgical color is red. The Paschal Candle burns brightly, as it has throughout the Easter season, and this is the last day to hear and say the "alleluias" at the end of the dismissal. We also celebrate Holy Baptism on this day. The water of the asperges reminds us of our baptism and our new life in Christ.
Another tradition is the reading of the 2nd chapter of Acts in several languages. From the chaos of the different languages, we hear the message emerge in a clear proclamation. The different languages also represent the "four corners" of the earth. The followers of Jesus, receiving the Holy Spirit, were empowered to proclaim the Gospel. As our closing hymn poetically states, "a hundred men and women turned the known world upside down."

 All of today's hymns focus on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit, and baptism. From the classic "Hail thee, festival day" to the modern hymn, "Like the murmur of the dove's song," we celebrate this principal feast with soaring music. The offertory anthem is one of our favorites: an arrangement by P.R. Dietterich of the classic hymn, "Come down, O Love divine." The hymn is a translation of a 14th century text by Bianco da Siena, an Italian mystic poet. The tune, Down Ampney, was composed by a 20th century British composer, Ralph Vaughan Williams. The text is found in The Hymnal 1982, #516. Here is a link to a recording of the hymn: Come down, O Love divine

May we all continue the feast as we "go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit." Alleluia, alleluia!

 Music for The Day of Pentecost
June 9, 2019

Hymns
225, Hail thee, festival day (Salve festa dies)
511, Holy Spirit, ever living (Abbot's Leigh)
296, We know that Christ is raised and dies no more (Engelberg)
513, Like the murmur of the dove's song (Bridegroom)
509, Spirit divine, attend our prayers (Nun danket all und bringet Ehr)
506, Praise the Spirit in creation (Finnian)

Service Music: 
Psalm 104:25-33: A Hymntune Psalter, Carl P. Daw, Jr. and Kevin R. Hackett
Sanctus, S-128   -William Mathias
Memorial Acclamation, S-138   -McNeil Robinson II
Great Amen, S-146   -Robinson
Fraction anthem, S-167   -Plainsong, adapt. Martens

Anthems:
Vidi Aquam   -Marty Wheeler Burnett (b. 1961)
Come Down, O Love Divine   -Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958), arr. P.R. Dietterich
I Will Not Leave You Comfortless   -Everett Titcomb (1884-1968)

Organ music:
Veni, Creator Spiritus   -setting by Wilbur Held (1914-2015)
Prelude in E-Flat Major   -Anton Bruckner (1824-1896)

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