This morning, when I awoke, the rain continued. It was one of those mornings where it would be a great excuse to just stay home and use the weather as an excuse.
We got to church and though it was not raining when we got out of the car, by the time we got to the front door of the church, it had begun to rain... AGAIN.
However, sometime in the middle of the church service, I looked at the stained glass windows on the east side of the church and did I ever want to pull my camera out as the sun decided to come out shine beautifully through the church service. And, our closing hymn was this tune:
Share some of your worship experience today, whether from the pew or in the pulpit. How did God speak to you today? What hymns made worship meaningful to you?
And... before I end this post, please be reminded that tomorrow's book discussion is
The Friendship of Women: The Hidden Tradition of the Bible
led my Michelle of Quantum Theology.Won't you join us?
Oh dear Cathy, you may not like this -- but we had Gen. Joshua Chamberlain (or a family member dressed in Union Army uniform) in church today and one of the hymns requested in our summer hymnsing portion was The Battle Hymn of the Republic! We also sang A Mighty Fortress, There Is a Balm in Gilead, and Rejoice, Give Thanks and Sing; In Egypt under Pharaoh (tune Lancashire, written for the Amistad commemoration) and O God of Earth and Altar (based on G. K. Chesterton). We had a good sermon on Faith and Politics, and a baptism for a little baby girl named Clara!! (Our 90+ year old neighbor across the street was the only Clara I knew, up till now.) I have to confess I had not been to church in a while and today made me want to come back more regularly. Non-attendance has not been my usual M.O. up till this past couple of years. Going to a much bigger church is probably the reason. (No one will miss me! But that's not entirely true).
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a fun summer hymn sing to me!
ReplyDeleteWe, too, had a baptism of an eight year old girl.
Any other baptisms?
This was the last Sunday after four years for our wonderful organist and her family; her husband was our interim priest for several months after our rector's wife died and has been doing Adult CE for us, their son has been in our choir, youth programs, acolyte program, and I taught him to knit one Christmas Eve.
ReplyDeleteThey have been a huge part of our parish for almost exactly as long as Ken and I have.
So, we had a super fantastic "Farewell Sally" music- fest: The Mozart "Laudate Dominum" and Rudder "Psalm 23" with guest soloist and guest flautist, plus favorite hymns to show off the pipe organ: "King of Glory, King of Peace," "All Creatures of our God and King," "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty."
Postlude was the Widor Toccata, and not a soul left their seat while she played it.
What a huge part of our musical lives they have been. Now they are on to fresh fields and pastures new (a parish in Colorado), and so are we.
Our sun is shining, even through our tears.
We had a beautiful baptism today, of a sweet baby girl who is the daughter of a choir member. We also had a special anthem, Mendelsshon's "Hear My Prayer". Our soloist was a young woman who grew up in our church and is now a professional singer. She has sung all around the world in recent years, and it was so good to have her singing with us again.
ReplyDeleteI didnt recognise the hymn from the pianist playing - but the notes sounded like raindrops :)
ReplyDeleteI went to church. And even though I was in charge of putting the overheads up - I can't remember what we sang. That says something - maybe :) I did think that we were simply going through the motions of singing at it wasn't really worship but that's almost certainly me and where I am /where I was on Sunday.