Praying Twice

The First Sunday of Advent December 1, 2019 A new liturgical year begins today. We light the first candle of the Advent wreath and enter this season of expectant waiting for the coming of Christ at Christmas.  Over the course of the four Sundays of Advent, we will sing almost all of the great Advent hymns in The Hymnal 1982 . The Cathedral Choir will also be singing anthems based on Advent hymns throughout the season. Take some time to look through the "Advent" section of our hymnal - numbers 53 through 76. In fact, you might consider reading or singing one hymn each day leading up to Christmas. Our hymnal is a wonderful resource for reflection and prayer, and hymns help us engage more deeply in journey through the liturgical year. I encourage you to join me in the Choir Room at Trinity Cathedral, Omaha on Sunday, December 1 at 9:30 a.m. for an adult forum entitled "What to Listen For in Advent Music." We will explore the hymns and service music to be sung ...

The Last Sunday after Pentecost (Christ the King) November 24, 2019 Today is the Feast of Christ the King. As the liturgical year draws to a close, this day celebrates Christ's kingship and sovereign rule over  all creation. Festive hymns and anthems are a hallmark of this glorious celebration. We will welcome a new year next Sunday as Advent begins. Like many churches across the United States, our offertory anthem this morning is the choral classic, "My Eternal King" by Jane Marshall. It is a large scale, English cathedral style anthem by an American composer who served on the faculty of Southern Methodist University. Marshall died last summer after a long and prolific career. Learn more about Marshall and hear a recording:  Jane Marshall Music for the Last Sunday after Pentecost (Christ the King) November 24, 2019 Hymns 494   Crown him with many crowns ( Diademata ) 435   At the name of Jesus ( King's Weston ) 296  We know that...

The Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost November 17, 2019 Choristers Singing, Initial "C" from the opening of Psalm 98, "Cantate Domino" Guglielmo Giraldi, 1450-1490 Sing to the Lord a new song, * for he has done marvelous things.                             Psalm 98:1 This morning's appointed psalm - " Cantate Domino " in Latin - is the source for the name of our children's choir program. Cantate Choral Academy was founded in 2016. You will hear our Trinity Cathedral choristers sing this morning! The Bible contains many references to music. Psalm 98 continues: Shout with joy to the Lord , all you lands; lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing. Sing to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the voice of song. With trumpets and the sound of the horn shout with joy before the King, the Lord . Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it, the lands and those who dwell th...

The Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost November 10, 2019 We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing; he chastens and hastens his will to make known; the wicked oppressing now cease from distressing: sing praises to his Name; he forgets not his own. Americans traditionally associate this hymn with Thanksgiving Day. However, it appears in the general "Praise to God" section of The Hymnal 1982 , and a closer reading reveals that it is appropriate for almost any time of year.  According to The Hymnal 1982 Companion , the text was originally published in a collection of Dutch patriotic songs in 1626. The songs celebrated the end of Spanish domination in the Netherlands, and they are filled with psalm-like language referencing God's justice and the defeat of a repressive enemy. The modern English translation by Theodore Baker was written in 1894. The tune is a Dutch folk song, published by Viennese composer and conductor Edward Kremser. It was popula...

All Saints' Sunday November 3, 2019 Today, we celebrate All Saints' Day, which our Book of Common Prayer allows us to transfer to the Sunday following November 1. This feast commemorates all saints, known and unknown. It is one of the seven principal feasts of the church year, and one of the four days recommended for the administration of baptism.* In addition to singing many of the great congregational hymns for this day, we will hear a choral setting of words by the prolific hymn poet, Issac Watts (1674-1748). The music is composed by Craig Phillips, Director of Music at All Saints' Episcopal Church, Beverly Hills, California.  The modern harmonic language provides new life to a classic All Saints' Day text, using occasional dissonance to highlight the meaning. The third stanza, a song of triumph over death, features a soaring duet between the first and second sopranos. Hear a recording and see the music:  Give Us the Wings of Faith Composer Craig Phill...