Praying Twice

Due to Dr. Marty Wheeler Burnett's sabbatical this summer, Praying Twice will also take a summer break. Posts will resume on Sunday, September 9. For information about summer music at Trinity Cathedral, including our Summer Choir and our Intergenerational Choir Day, click here: Trinity Cathedral Music Best wishes for a wonderful summer!

The First Sunday after Pentecost: Trinity Sunday May 27, 2018 Today is Trinity Sunday, our "feast of title" and the traditional end of the program year at Trinity Cathedral. Read more about Trinity Sunday in Dean Loya's letter in Cathedral Matters:  Cathedral Matters Are you a fan of royal weddings or The Crown ? If so, you will especially enjoy today's choral music. For our celebration of Trinity Sunday, the Cathedral Choir is singing a variety of classic works from the English Cathedral repertoire. Prelude music for organ, choir, and trumpets will begin at 10:20 a.m. The entrance hymn, "God of hope and joy and wonder" was written for our cathedral by Nebraska hymn poet, Rae E. Whitney. The author of over 500 hymns, Whitney's work is found in the hymnals of most denominations and is celebrated around the world. It is sung to the classic English tune, Westminster Abbey . Today's offertory anthem is an Anglican classic: "I Was Glad...

The Day of Pentecost May 20, 2018 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. A number of people in the congregation may be wearing red for Pentecost - it's not just a Nebraska thing! 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. As part of the liturgy, we will renew our baptismal vows. 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...

The Seventh Sunday of Easter May 13, 2018 Last Sunday, we sang Psalm 98, "Sing to the LORD a new song." Today, our Cathedral Choir is doing just that. Michael McCabe, an Omaha composer, has written a new anthem, "God of Abundance," which we will premiere this morning and record next week. (Read more about McCabe in the 4/15/18 edition of Praying Twice.) The text is by The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, the 26th Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church. The text speaks of the wonders of creation and the abiding presence of God - appropriate themes as this Easter season draws to a glorious conclusion: God of glorious and radiant abundance, we give thanks for all that is, for stars in their nebulae, for wind in the trees, seeds in the pod,  food on the tables, and the grace of fellowship we enjoy in the banquet. We give thanks for your presence in our midst, as the Holy One, as the eternal Spirit, and in the face of each...

The Sixth Sunday of Easter May 6, 2018 Sing to the LORD a new song!    -Psalm 98 This week, we feature our children's choir program, Cantate Choral Academy . CCA offers choral music education for children and youth and is affiliated with the Royal School of Church Music. The international RSCM "Voice for Life" curriculum sets milestones for choristers which are recognized with colored ribbons and medallions at each level. Several of our choristers will receive these awards today, marking significant achievement over the course of a year or more of study. The mission of the Academy is formation for lifelong praise of God through sacred choral music in the Anglican tradition.  We seek to equip singers for this mission through music education of the highest quality and engagement of mind, body, and spirit in sacred choral offerings. We offer two ensembles for children’s voices: Laudate Choir – a preparatory choir for grades 1-3 Cantate Choir - an adva...

The Fifth Sunday of Easter April 29, 2018 In the next three editions of Praying Twice, we'll focus on some of the people who provide musical leadership for worship at Trinity Cathedral. At today's 10:30 Eucharist, you will hear festive Easter music played by our Handbell Ensemble. Bells have long been associated with Easter joy. Throughout the season, you have heard Trinity's historic tower bells, small bells (and occasional sets of car keys) rung during the Gloria in excelsis at the Great Vigil of Easter, and even a bell stop ( zimbelstern ) on our pipe organ.  Handbells were originally invented to allow ringers to practice long, complicated tower bell peals without disturbing the entire neighborhood. By the 20th century, composers began writing music specifically for groups of ringers. In addition, handbells play a role in liturgical music, accompanying psalms, hymns, and chants. Our Trinity Cathedral Handbell Ensemble is directed by Janeen Jensen a...

The Fourth Sunday of Easter April 22, 2018 The Fourth Sunday of Easter is often called "Good Shepherd Sunday." The lessons reflect the image of Christ as the Good Shepherd. Psalm 23 is appointed for this day. Many favorite hymns and anthems incorporate this theme, and we will sing several of them today. Our offertory anthem is a lyrical, contemporary setting by William Bradley Roberts - "Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us." The Rev. Dr. Roberts is Professor of Church Music and Virginia Theological Seminary and a widely respected composer of church music. The gentle, lyrical melody floats peacefully over a serene organ accompaniment. Listen to a recording:  Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us A favorite hymn for this day is "The King of love my shepherd is" ( St. Columba ), a lovely Irish tune paired with a metrical paraphrase of Psalm 23. It is a hymn often requested for funerals, but it is also especially suited to this day. We will sing it during C...