THE WEDNESDAY REPORT: January 4, 2023

Dear Partners in Ministry,

Happy New Year! After a week to recuperate, we get right back down to business tomorrow night, with Ash Wednesday seven weeks from today. But before the busy-ness of each weekend makes it too difficult, let's chat about our aspirations for the year ahead. What are your "New Year's Resolutions" for this ministry in 2023; that is, what would you like to see us improve on, work toward, build on, etc.? I'd love to know what you're thinking, so please share an email with me over the next week if you have some ideas.

Memorial Mass for Pope Benedict XVI Tonight

Tonight, we'll join parishes throughout the Church in celebrating a Memorial Mass for Pope Benedict XVI before his funeral Mass in Rome tomorrow. Fr. Terry and I selected readings and music that honors his spirituality and life experience, his commitment to contemplative prayer, and the hope we all share in the Resurrection. Here's the lineup:

Gathering Song: [handout] Beati, (Taizé), the meditative piece we prayed with to begin our All Souls Day Mass. We'll sing it differently than it's presented here, but this gives you an idea of the piece.

Responsorial Psalm: JS 30 · Ps 27: The Goodness of the Lord (Soper)

Gospel Acclamation: chanted Alleluia from the Roman Missal

Prayer of the Faithful: JS 268 · O God, Hear Us (Hurd)

Preparation of the Gifts: JS 696 · In Every Age (Whitaker)

Communion: JS 791 · Gift of Finest Wheat (Kreutz)

Sending Forth: [handout] Nunc dimmitis (Taizé). Several parishioners have told me from time to time that one song on another "must be sung at my funeral." I want this one as my recessional. A stunning setting of the text we'll hear in the Gospel reading, "Now let your servant go in peace, according to your word."

Seating Adjustments

The Gaudete! concert provided an opportunity to test drive the idea of swapping tenors and basses, and the resulting sound was noticably improved, I think. So... starting tomorrow night, I'd like basses to be seated behind the altos, and tenors to move behind sopranos. This year, I'm going to work toward a new arrangement where each vocal section is seated in a block occupying the first three rows, leaving the top row empty and eventually gone altogether. It's going to take some time to get this right though, including taking the time to get to know each of you better as singers and finding ideal balances within each section. So let's start with this simple shift and work toward the bigger goal over the course of the spring.

Communion Conundrums: Can We Conquer Them?

One of the great common threads binding every faith community throughout the Christian world is the seeming impossibility of getting Communion right for the choir. We have the ingredients of a workable solution, but there are some issues that we need to hammer out! Tomorrow night at rehearsal, we're going to talk through some of these issues; after that, Fr. Terry and I will address our solutions to you and all the Eucharistic Ministers.

REHEARSAL NOTES: January 5

Pick up:

5.022 · Child of the Poor/What Child Is This (Soper) (if you don't already have it from the concert)
3.071 · Sent Forth as Light (Ward)
score · Psalm 27: The Lord Is My Light (Ward)
3.058 · O God, You Search Me (B. Farrell)

Turn in: nothing yet. We'll hold a Great Music Turn-In next Thursday.

Agenda: