THE WEDNESDAY REPORT: January 7, 2026

Dear Partners in Ministry,

I have several "New Year's Resolutions" for our Music Ministry on my radar, and I'll be sharing these with you over the next several weeks:

The creation of an advisory board for Music Ministry (see WR, Dec 31; nominations are now open)
New online resources for learning music and keeping track of returned scores (see below)
Reducing our dependence on the JourneySongs Choir hymnal (Jan 14)
A new direction for anthems and meditation pieces for the choir (Jan 21)

2026 Resolutions, Part 2: The Music Learning Library

I'm happy to share my latest experiment with Google Sheets, a one-stop shop for audio and practice tracks for the music we pray with at Saint Noel. It's very much in its infancy, so don't be too unimpressed with the relatively small collection represented; as time allows, I'll be adding relibable resources for just about every piece of music we do. This will be available to all our ensembles (as Greg chooses bell repertoire, we'll add it here too), and certainly, music we offer for funeral liturgies will be added as well.

I wanted to point out the piece sitting in the "featured" section at the moment for two very important reasons...

1. This weekend, we're introducing Steven Warner's "Christ Has No Body Now but Yours," a beautifully composed hymn on the writings of St. Theresa of Ávila. We'll rehearse this tomorrow night, but please take a listen and get a head start.

2. In addition to the recording by the Notre Dame Folk Choir, I've included a first sample track built from the technology I've chosen to replace Cantamus. This is a taste of what's possible using Dreamtonic's Studio V Synthesizer Pro, a remarkable app that uses AI to render notes and words realistically and clearly, right from within my notation software. It tends to be a bit pop/R&B oriented by default, but it's quite powerful and versatile; as I get better with the app I should be able to acheive more choral results. I can also create high-quality practice tracks for each section, which I intend to do for our Triduum repertoire, and this can be a helpful tool for our cantors too when a new psalm setting comes along. Let me know what you think!

The link for the Music Learning Library can be found with all the other resources you'll always find at the bottom of each week's post.

Reminder: Nominations for MM Advisory Committee Now Open

Nominations are now being accepted for section and ensemble representatives for the Music Ministry Advisory Committee. I'm looking for five representatives from Parish Choir (one for each section: Soprano I, Soprano II, Alto, Tenor, Bass); a representative to join Greg for Bell Choir; and one rep each for Cantors and Resurrection Choir. Just a few rules:

I will personally contact each nominated member and ask them to discern whether they are willing to serve if elected. If they decline, I will respect their decision and leave them off the ballot.
No self-nominations. You must be nominated by a peer.
No "campaigning." Let your good work speak for itself!
Nominees must have been a regularly participating member of their ensemble for at least one year.
Nominees cannot represent more than one ensemble. In the event that one person is elected to more than one position, they will be asked to choose one role; for the other(s), the person who received the next highest vote total will be chosen.

The election for Representatives will take place the week of January 19–23 by online poll. Only I will know who voted for whom.

Peace be with you,
Tony

REHEARSAL AGENDA: January 8

We'll rehearse all together until 8:30, then I'll stick around for work with cantors on Psalms for this weekend, Feb 8, and Feb 15.

Weekend Repertoire:

JS 516 · Baptized in Water (BUNESSAN/Saward)
JS 32 · Ps 29: The Lord Will Bless His People with Peace (Canter)
JS 253 · Mass of Glory: Lamb of God (Canedo/Hurd)
3.062 · Christ Has No Body Now but Yours (Warner)
5.100-4 · ACH 4 · Good Christian Friends, Rejoice (IN DULCE JUBILO)
3.047 · O Christ Our Life (Ward) review/clean up harmony, time permitting

THIS WEEK IN LITURGY

JANUARY 11: The Baptism of the Lord

READINGS: Read online at usscb.org
Lectionary for Mass: 21
2026 Workbook: p. 46
Breaking Bread 2026: p. 59
Cantors: Tony (5:00); Carolyn C (9:00); Kathy H (11:00)

MUSIC SELECTIONS:

Gathering: 643 · JS 516 · Baptized in Water (BUNESSAN/Saward)
Sprinkling Rite: instrumental on "Baptized in Water"
Glory to God: 864 · 1.001 · Mass of Creation (Haugen)
Responsorial Psalm: 747 · JS 32 · Ps 29: The Lord Will Bless His People with Peace (Canter)
Gospel Acclamation: 106 · JS 261 · Christmas Season Gospel Acclamation (Bridge)
Prayer of the Faithful: 1010 · JS 268 · O God, Hear Us (Hurd)
Preparation of the Gifts: NEW! 1012 · 3.062 · Christ Has No Body Now but Yours (Warner)
Eucharistic Acclamations: 881–886 · JS 248–253 · Mass of Glory (Canedo/Hurd)
- Holy · We Proclaim Your Death · Amen · Lamb of God
Communion: 1022 · 3.047 · O Christ Our Life (Ward)
Sending Forth: 93 · 5.100-4 · Good Christian Friends, Rejoice (IN DULCE JUBILO)

LOOKING AHEAD

JANUARY 18: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

READINGS: Read online at usscb.org
Lectionary for Mass: 64
2026 Workbook: p. 49
Breaking Bread 2026: p. 61
Cantors: Rich W (5:00); Pam P (9:00); Greg E (11:00)

MUSIC SELECTIONS:

Seasonal acclamations change this weekend.... changes highlighted in green.

Gathering: 433 · JS 620 · All the Earth (Deiss)
Glory to God: 864 · 1.001 · Mass of Creation (Haugen)
Responsorial Psalm: 755 · JS 43 · Ps 40: Here I Am/God, My God, Come to My Aid (Cooney)
Gospel Acclamation: 927 · JS 264 · Celtic Alleluia (O'Carroll/Walker)
Prayer of the Faithful: spoken response
Preparation of the Gifts: 309 · 3.081 · Here At This Table (Whitaker)
Eucharistic Acclamations: 864 · 1.001 · Mass of Creation (Haugen)
- Holy · When We Eat This Bread · Amen
Lamb of God: 930 · 3.090 · Lamb of God/Taste and See (Kendzia)
Communion: 328 · 3.079 · Bread of Life (Farrell)
Sending Forth: 464 · 3.091 · Christ, Be Our Light (Farrell)

JANUARY 25: Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

NOTE: Tony out on Sunday; subs TBD.

READINGS: Read online at usscb.org
Lectionary for Mass: 67
2026 Workbook: p. 52
Breaking Bread 2026: p. 63
Cantors: Tony (5:00); Charlie M (9:00); Mary P (11:00)

MUSIC SELECTIONS:

Gathering: 301 · JS 771 · Our God Is Here (Muglia)
Glory to God: 864 · 1.001 · Mass of Creation (Haugen)
Responsorial Psalm: 745 · JS 30 · Ps 27: The Goodness of the Lord (Soper)
Gospel Acclamation: 927 · JS 264 · Celtic Alleluia (O'Carroll/Walker)
Preparation of the Gifts: 548 · JS 640 · Christ Before Us (SUO GÁN/Whitaker)
Eucharistic Acclamations: 864 · 1.001 · Mass of Creation (Haugen)
- Holy · When We Eat This Bread · Amen
Lamb of God: 930 · 3.090 · Lamb of God (Kendzia)
Communion: 358 · 3.090 · Taste and See (Kendzia)
Sending Forth: 382 · JS 813 · City of God (Schutte)