Dear Partners in Ministry,

This week's Wednesday Report is all about concerts— what you've told me about them, and what next year may bring.

Next week, I'll have some requests for help to make next year's Concert Series possible.

A quick reminder for Music Ministry: tomorrow is a Cantor Night, meaning that choir members who are not cantors have the night off. Bells will rehearse as usual.

Peace be with you,
Tony 

Survey Says:

Thanks to everyone who took part in the concert survey I sent out earlier this year. I wanted to share these results with you, as they were quite informative.

Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number. Some questions allowed for multiple answers, so if they exceed 100%, nothing shady is going on. =)

PARTICIPATION:

• 85% of respondents identifed as members of either Parish Choir, Bell Choir, or both.
• 82% identified as having taken part in concerts with me; 56% said they'd participated with previous directors.

I believe that concerts are ______ important to our Music Ministry program.

• "Very": 36%
• "Somewhat": 57%
• "Not at all": 7%

I believe we as a Ministry have the people, energy, and commitment needed to perform concerts consisting of:

• A medium-sized feature piece and smaller pieces: 66%
• Several small pieces only: 39%
• Performance with another choir: 34%
• A single, large work: 18%
• We are not capable of concerts at this time: 2%

If I could choose a time of year (for concerts)... it would be:

• Gaudete Sunday: 57%
• Late Easter: 39%
• Advent (any weekend): 34%
• An hour prior to a Christmas Mass: 34%
• Late Fall: 32%
• Winter: 21%
• Early Fall: 14%
• Summer: 5%

What's the takeaway?

What I see in these results— and in the comments that were included as well— indicates to me that there is still a healthy energy to make concerts a part of our ministry, and that the majority of you still point to Advent as the time to do it. This makes a lot of sense, given the lopsided amount of preparation we need for Christmas vs. Easter. As for the repertoire: 66% of you indicated that what we had planned for this year's ill-fated Gaudete! concert was the what you feel is our best program to offer.

So, I am proposing that we go forward not only with a Gaudete! concert this Advent, but essentially the same concert we intended to perform in 2024: Holst's Christmas Day as the feature piece; and Manz's "E'en So, Lord Jesus, Quickly Come," Hampton's "Unexpected and Mysterious," and an additional piece I'll choose this Summer, as well as assembly sing-alongs. Between already having such a big head start in preparation, having a much less stressful year for bells, and having time to really get this just right, I think we can present a truly special event for our parish.

Gaudete Sunday is December 14 this year. As before, this would be a 4:00 pm concert.

We'll discuss this next Thursday at rehearsals, but if you'd like to send your thoughts ahead of time, just drop me a line.

THIS WEEK IN LITURGY          

May 25 · Sixth Sunday of Easter

Readings

• Read online at usscb.org
• Lectionary for Mass: 57
• 2025 Workbook: p. 180
• Breaking Bread 2025: p. 162

Cantors: Karin O (5:00); Pam P (9:00); Mary P (11:00)

• Gathering: WA · 3.065 · Laudate Dominum (Taizé)  
• Glory to God: BB 858 · JS 176 · Mass of Renewal: Glory to God (Stephan)  
• Responsorial Psalm: BB 770 · JS 58 · Ps 67: O God, Let All the Nations (Smith)  
• Gospel Acclamation: JS 177 · Mass of Renewal (Stephan)
• Prayer of the Faithful: TEMP · Mass of Encounter: Prayer of the Faithful (Ward)  
• Preparation of the Gifts: BB 416 · JS 640 · Christ Before Us (SUO GÁN/Whitaker)
• Eucharistic Acclamations: JS 179–184 · Mass of Renewal (Stephan)      
  Holy · We Proclaim Your Death · Amen · Lamb of God
• Communion: WA · 3.047 · O Christ Our Life (Ward)
• Sending Forth: BB 385 · JS 813 · City of God (Schutte)    

LOOKING AHEAD       

June 1 · The Ascension of the Lord

Readings

• Read online at usscb.org
• Lectionary for Mass: 58
• 2025 Workbook: p. 184
• Breaking Bread 2025: p. 164

Cantors: Dave R (5:00); Jerry G (9:00); Charlie M (11:00)

• Gathering: JS 458 · Alleluia! Sing to Jesus (HYFRYDOL)    
• Glory to God: BB 858 · JS 176 · Mass of Renewal: Glory to God (Stephan)  
• Responsorial Psalm: BB 792 · JS 99 · Ps 118: This Is the Day (Soper)
• Gospel Acclamation: JS 177 · Mass of Renewal (Stephan)
• Prayer of the Faithful: TEMP · Mass of Encounter: Prayer of the Faithful (Ward)  
• Preparation of the Gifts: BB 394 · JS 431 · Lord, You Give the Great Commission (ABBOT'S LEIGH)
• Eucharistic Acclamations: JS 179–184 · Mass of Renewal (Stephan)      
  Holy · We Proclaim Your Death · Amen · Lamb of God
• Communion: BB 364 · 3.061 · Take and Eat (Joncas)  
• Sending Forth: WA · JS 599 · Halleluya! We Sing Your Praises (South African)           

June 8 · Pentecost Sunday · Confirmation Mass (11:00)

Readings

• Read online at usscb.org
• Lectionary for Mass: 63
• 2025 Workbook: p. 199
• Breaking Bread 2025: p. 174

Cantors: Tony W (5:00); Marie P (9:00); Karin O (11:00)

• Gathering: WA · 8.012 · Veni Sancte Spiritus (Taizé)
• Glory to God: BB 858 · JS 176 · Mass of Renewal: Glory to God (Stephan)  
• Responsorial Psalm: BB 785 · JS 88 · Ps 104: Send Forth Your Spirit, O Lord (C. Walker)
• Sequence: WA · 8.015 · Come, Holy Spirit: a Pentecost Litany (Ward)
• Gospel Acclamation: JS 177 · Mass of Renewal (Stephan)
• Prayer of the Faithful: TEMP · Mass of Encounter: Prayer of the Faithful (Ward)  
• Preparation of the Gifts
  • 5:00/9:00: WA · 8.010 · Spirit of Our God (Ward)  
  • 11:00: BB 435 · JS 433 · Send Us Your Spirit (Schutte)         
• Eucharistic Acclamations: JS 179–184 · Mass of Renewal (Stephan)      
  Holy · We Proclaim Your Death · Amen · Lamb of God
• Communion
  • 5:00/9:00: WA · 3.059 · I Received the Living God (French carol, arr. Ward)
  • 11:00: WA · 3.070 · The Blessed and Broken (Ward)  
• Sending Forth: BB 445 · JS 745 · One Spirit, One Church (Keil)               

June 15 · The Most Holy Trinity

Readings

• Read online at usscb.org
• Lectionary for Mass: 166
• 2025 Workbook: p. 204
• Breaking Bread 2025: p. 178

Cantors: Name (5:00); Name (9:00); Name (11:00)

Music Selections (Green indicates changes to ritual and service music for Ordinary Time):

• Gathering: BB 468 · JS 620 · All the Earth (Deiss)  
• Glory to God: BB 867 · 1.001 · Mass of Creation (Haugen)
• Responsorial Psalm: BB 800 · JS 115 · Ps 145: I Will Praise Your Name/The Hand of the Lord Feeds Us (Soper)    
• Gospel Acclamation: BB 930 · JS 264 · Celtic Alleluia (O'Carroll/C. Walker)
• Preparation of the Gifts: BB 463 · JS 696 · In Every Age (Whitaker)
• Eucharistic Acclamations: BB 874–878 · 1.001 · Mass of Creation (Haugen)
  Holy · When We Eat This Bread · Amen
• Lamb of God: BB 933 · JS 789 · Lamb of God (Kendzia)
• Communion: BB 305 · JS 766 · Gather the People (Schutte)  
• Sending Forth: BB 548 · JS 593 · Lift Up Your Hearts (O’Connor)           

RESOURCES

MUSIC SELECTIONS: Triduum and Easter · April 17–June 8, 2025

MUSIC SELECTIONS: Ordinary Time II (Summer) · June 15–August 31, 2025

MASTER SCHEDULE