Praying Twice

The Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany February 24, 2019 This snowy Sunday, we are pleased to welcome the Reverend Dr. William Bradley Roberts as our guest preacher and choral conductor. He will lead the Cathedral Choir in two of his anthems, "In All These You Welcomed Me" and an arrangement of a spiritual, "This Little Light of Mine." William Bradley Roberts is currently Professor of Church Music at Virginia Theological Seminary and Director of Chapel Music. He received the Bachelor of Arts degree from Houston Baptist University with double majors in Voice and Music Education. He received the degrees Master of Church Music and Doctor of Musical Arts from Southern Seminary (Louisville, Ky.) with an emphasis in Conducting and Voice. His doctoral dissertation is entitled  Darius Milhaud, His Life and Choral Works with Biblical Texts: A Conductor’s Study . Roberts was ordained to the priesthood in May 2016. Prior to his coming to Virginia Seminary, he...

The Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany February 17, 2019 Today's offertory anthem is my setting of a blessing that is particularly meaningful to me. I was introduced to this text by the Reverend Elizabeth Goodyear Jones, who served as interim rector when I was the principal parish musician at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Jackson, Mississippi in the mid-1990s. She concluded every Eucharist with this blessing, written by the Reverend William Sloane Coffin, Jr. William Sloane Coffin (1924-2006) served as chaplain of Yale University and later as senior minister of the Riverside Church in New York City. He was a leader in the civil rights and peace movements of the 1960s and 1970s. I composed the musical setting for Liz's final Sunday at St. Philip's in 1995. While on sabbatical last summer, I made some revisions to the anthem, and our choir sang it at our recent Recovery Eucharist. I have corresponded with the Reverend Coffin's widow and son, and I've rec...

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany February 10, 2019 Bruckner Organ, St. Florian Monastery, Austria Photo credit: Greg Kraftschik  Today's anthem, "Locus iste," is by Anton Bruckner, a nineteenth century Austrian composer. The Latin text is appointed for the dedication of a church and is translated as follows: This place was made by God, a priceless sacrament, beyond reproach. Unlike many of Bruckner's more complex compositions, "Locus iste" is within the reach of excellent church and school choirs and is one of his most widely performed choral works. Listen to a recording here:  Locus iste Today, we begin the public phase of our Cathedral Commons capital campaign. Like many of you, I have been reflecting  on the importance of Trinity Cathedral - this place - in my life. I moved to Nebraska in 2003, and the cathedral congregation warmly welcomed me. Two parishioners (you know who you are) showed up at my house on move-in ...

The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany February 3, 2019 Faithful Family   Larry Poncho Brown Our children's and youth choirs have been learning about African American spirituals and will be singing an arrangement of one this morning: "Let us break bread together on our knees." This spiritual most likely originated in the West African Gullah slave culture in the southeastern United States. Spirituals are distinct musical genre and one of the important American contributions to sacred music. Originally transmitted through oral tradition, they were transcribed by musicologists in the nineteenth century. In the twentieth century, spirituals were popularized by well known singers, including Paul Robeson and Marian Anderson, and by university choirs such as the Fisk Jubilee Singers. (Hear Marian Anderson's historic recording: Let Us Break Bread Together .) "Let us break bread together" may be the most widely known spiritual; it is included in many hymna...

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany January 27, 2019 Like many Episcopal churches around the country, we are holding our Annual Parish Meeting this Sunday. This day provides an opportunity to remember where we've been and look ahead to the future. Our music for this day has a special focus on our cathedral's ministry and mission. This year marks the tenth anniversary of our Trinity Cathedral hymn, written for us by Nebraska hymn poet, Rae E. Whitney. In the spring of 2009, we invited Rae to Omaha for a weekend celebrating her work. She presented a lecture and a workshop, and she joined us for Sunday worship and a hymn festival. Her new hymn for Trinity Cathedral, "God of hope and joy and wonder," was first sung at that Sunday Eucharist. The hymn, a song of praise to the Holy Trinity, incorporates elements of the cathedral's history, architecture, and ministry, but it is also suitable for general use. In an optional stanza specific to Trinity Cathe...

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany January 20, 2019 As we continue through the Sundays after Epiphany , Jesus' identity is revealed more fully. This week's gospel reading describes the first miracle at a  wedding in Cana of Galilee, where Jesus changes water into wine. Several of our hymns specifically refer to this miraculous event, and we'll sing two of them today. Other hymns focus on the overarching Epiphany theme of light - the Light of Christ, made manifest in Jesus.  Today's offertory anthem comes to us from Russia. "Heavenly Light" is a classic choral composition by Alexander Kopylow (sometimes spelled Kopylov), a composer, violinist, and teacher who lived from 1854 to 1911. Russian composers of this period sought to create a national style by using folk-like melodies and distinctive sounds. Kopylow makes particular use of the low bass tones of Russian choirs for a deep, rich choral sound. He also creates dramatic dynamic contrast througho...

The First Sunday after the Epiphany:  The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ January 13, 2019 The Sundays after the Epiphany tell the story of Jesus' public work and ministry, starting with his baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. In the weeks that follow, we will hear about the first miracle at the wedding in Cana, the calling of the disciples, and Jesus' teachings and miracles. The season ends with the Transfiguration, where, as at his baptism, Jesus is revealed as the Son of God. This season can last anywhere from four to nine weeks, depending on the date of Easter. It ends on the Tuesday (Mardi Gras) before Ash Wednesday. Throughout the season, our liturgy and music illuminate the gospel readings as Jesus is made manifest, bringing light and life and calling us to the renewal of our own baptismal vows. There is an interesting Nebraska connection to one of today's hymns. During the creation of The Hymnal 1982 , the text committee was searching f...