Music in Worship
Music in Worship
Advent Week 1: Hope
Sunday, December 3
Second Winds will offer Advent Overture as a prelude and will lead congregational hymns with the Sanctuary Choir and organ. During Advent, we not only celebrate and ponder Christ’s initial entrance into the world as a baby two-thousand years ago, but also ruminate on his eventual, triumphant return. Advent Overture explores, quotes, and expands upon hymns and carols relating to Christ’s first and eventual second coming into the world. How many familiar Advent tunes can you pick out? Second Winds will also join with the Pastoral Care Department in leading a Service of Wholeness and Communion at Marquette Manor at 10 AM on Friday, December 15.
Advent Week 2: Peace
Sunday, December 10
On Children's Christmas Music Sunday, Carol and Cherub Choirs will join forces with the Handbell Ensemble to sing and play Jason Krug’s arrangement of the traditional Advent carol, People, Look East. This song of preparation sets the Advent mood by charging us to prepare our houses, hearths, and tables, for “Love” (Christ) is on the way.
The handbells will ring Michael Helman’s setting of the Advent hymn Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus. Written for both handbells and handchimes, the piece moves through multiple key changes, and uses several different fun handbell techniques.
Advent Week 3: Joy
Sunday, December 17
Christmas Music Sunday
SANCTUARY CHOIR AND FULL ORCHESTRA
Mary excitedly exclaims these words in telling Elizabeth about the good news of Christ’s impending birth. We, too, are called to share this news! Invite friends, family, neighbors, and colleagues to experience God’s divine presence through proclamation, prayer, and praise in our annual Christmas Music Sunday.
Advent Week 4: Love
Sunday, December 24
Our church year begins with the season of Advent. We celebrate Advent with watchful anticipation of the arrival of Jesus. The word Advent means ‘coming’ or ‘arrival.’ As we wait for the coming of Christ, we celebrate Advent with music centered on the word “come” such as Nun Komm der Heiden Heiland (Savior of the Nations, Come), Veni Emmanuel (O Come, O Come Emmanuel), and Come, Thou Long-expected Jesus. Over the centuries the body of organ literature has been steadily augmented with chorale preludes based on these beloved hymns. There is an abundant supply of choices old and new, and only four weeks to fit them in. What a feast of riches! “Come” celebrate with us at Second to hear a variety of music that survives the test of time, and contemporary works that show God’s creative power in this time and place.
Patrick Pauloski & Carol Baker, directors
Dawn Waddell, organ
Carol and Cherub Choirs will offer Daniel Kantor’s perennial favorite Night of Silence at the 11 AM Christmas Eve Service. Imagine a frigid, dark, snowy landscape. It is so cold that all you can do is tremble in the shadows. But, even in the cold snow lie roses that will echo the beauty of the sun yet to rise. Author and Christian apologist C.S. Lewis so beautifully depicts this idea in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. A world without Aslan, Lewis’ representation of Christ, is cold, frozen-solid, and unmoving. When Aslan does come, the world thaws, day arrives, and the flowers can finally bloom and echo the warmth and light of the morning sun.
Dr. Michelle Louer, Director of Music & Fine Arts
Dr. John Allegar, organ
Dr. Michelle Louer, Director of Music & Fine Arts
Dr. John Allegar, organ