Dear Partners in Ministry,
May the Fourth be with you! What a week.

First of all, thank you so much for all your prayers and good wishes over the last eight days. Jenny, whose experience of COVID was miraculously asymptomatic, is back to work and feeling fine. I am recovering well and into Day 2 of the Covid Pill. Technically, I am free to leave isolation tomorrow according to CDC guidelines, but I am waiting to determine our rehearsal until I take another rapid test tonight. If it’s negative, then we’re on for a 90-minute rehearsal, and I will of course stay masked up. If positive, then I will cancel rehearsal. Stay tuned!

THREE ITEMS FOR TOMORROW’S REHEARSAL:

FIRST THINGS FIRST!

From now on, please make a habit of stopping by the music stand(s) in the bell of the piano to pick up song sheets and any new music you might need. If we all can get in the habit of grabbing these items beforehand, we’ll save a lot of rehearsal time.

NEW SEATING ORDER: PHASE I

For right now, let’s hold off on fully implementing a new seating order, as I received some important feedback that I just haven’t had the energy to fully process. However, I have removed those organ-side seats and moved the cantor stand… so those components are a go.

REMINDER: MUSIC TURN-IN TOMORROW (AT LAST!)

Remember to round up your choral scores for tomorrow’s rehearsal! We’ll collect:

• Ex 15: Song of Miriam
• Glory to the Christ
• Mass of Renewal (Gokelman)
• O Prince of Peace Upon the Cross
• Panis Angelicus
• Three Days
• Any other parish-owned octavos/scores you may have at home or in your folders, so we can get them all cataloged.

At this time, we’re not turning in our Choral Praise books.

SUMMER MUSIC SELECTIONS NOW AVAILABLE

As I posted to the Worship Blog last night, our music selections from June 12 to August 28 are now available! As always, you’ll find the link at the bottom of this post.

Some notes re: the song sheets…

• I’ve retooled the layout of this form a bit to make things easier to read quickly (I hope!) Selections are listed in bold type, except for the assembly’s source; this should guide your eye right to the JourneySongs or other source you need.
• I’ve also redone color somewhat now that our book situation is settled. If it’s JourneySongs, it’s in green; if it’s in a score or handout, it’s in gold (changed from blue for better contrast); if it’s not for the assembly (a bell piece, instrumental, or choral reflection), it’s in red (you won’t see this very often).
• I also simplified the section for the Eucharistic Prayer acclamations, since they will always come from the same source.

Highlights for the Summer:

• Our acclamations are a hybrid this summer. We’ll keep the Glory to God from Mass of Creation; our Gospel Acclamation is the Celtic Alleluia; Our EP acclamations come from the Mass of Glory; and we’ll use the Lamb of God attached to Tom Kendzia’s “Taste and See.”
• I’m contributing a few psalms this summer, including ones I’m writing now. As soon as I can, I’ll get scores and audio out to all of you.
• I’m very happy to introduce one of my songs to you this August, “In Your Dwelling Place.” This piece was written to accompany the scriptures often chosen at funerals, weaving them together into a unified message of consolation and hope:  “We sing to you, O God, our life and our salvation;
  in you we shall rejoice and be glad." If you'd like to get a first look and listen, click the Preview button on the song's product page: https://www.giamusic.com/store/resource/in-your-dwelling-placeward-print-009447.

THIS WEEK IN LITURGY

RITUAL AND SERVICE MUSIC FOR THE SEASON:

• Glory to God: Mass of Creation (Haugen) MI 884 [score]
• NEW Now on May 8! Dismissal: The Word of God (Ward) WA [score]
• Gospel Acclamation: Mass of Renewal (Stephan) MI 877 [JS 177]
• Prayer of the Faithful: O God, Hear Us (Hurd) WA [JS 268]
• Eucharistic Acclamations: Mass of Renewal (Stephan) 
• Holy: MI 878 [JS 179]
• Mystery of Faith: MI 879 [JS 180]
• Amen: MI 882 [JS 183]
• Lamb of God, April 24: Mass of Creation (Haugen) MI 888 [score]
• Lamb of God, May 1–June 5: Mass of Renewal (Stephan) MI 883 [JS 184]

MAY 8 · Fourth Sunday in Easter; Mother’s Day

• Gathering Song: Alleluia! Give the Glory (Canedo/Hurd) MI 899 [JS 245]
• Responsorial Psalm: Ps 100: All the Earth (Deiss) MI 429 [JS 620]
• Preparation of the Gifts: The Summons (KELVINGROVE/Bell) MI 385 [TBD]
• Communion: Gift of Finest Wheat (Kreutz, arr. Keil) MI 329 [score]
• Sending Forth: God Is Here! As We His People (ABBOT’S LEIGH) WA [JS 764] (We’ll take this faster than the recording)

MAY 15 · Fifth Sunday in Easter

• Gathering Song: MI 555 [JS 573] All the Ends of the Earth (Dufford)
• Responsorial Psalm: MI 818 [JS 115] Ps 145: I Will Praise Your Name (Soper)
• Preparation of the Gifts: MI 489 [JS 718] Love One Another (Dufford)
• Communion: WA [score] I Received the Living God (arr. Ward)
• Sending Forth: MI 388 [JS 813] City of God (Schutte)

MORE SELECTIONS

Triduum and Easter (April 14–June 5, 2022) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1S5HahYKcolxgY_Lzw1S0JKD09JPFz_AIYWbDfLhsQXw/edit?usp=sharing

Ordinary Time II (June 12–Aug 28, 2022) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VMX6Zyw2NyFh7sgEHnhZsTKIorzTMGzQhKxtCHX5mLo/edit?usp=sharing

Peace be with you… and Happy Easter!

Tony