The Annunciation
Anniversary of the Consecration of the Church
The Annunciation
We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts, that we who have known the incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ, announced by an angel to the Virgin Mary, may by his cross and passion be brought unto the glory of his resurrection; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
This week we delve deeply into the mysteries of Lent as we approach Holy Week and the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. [photo courtesy of Peter Field Peck, © copyright 2012]
Just like the First Sunday in Lent, the Fifth Sunday in Lent begins with the clergy and choir entering in silence, going to their respective places in the chancel. The Litany then begins with the words “O God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth” and the clergy and choir walk a long Procession through the nave, moving down the center aisle and through the side aisles among the congregation. By the time the Rector chants “Son of God: we beseech thee to hear us,” the choir and clergy have returned to their places in the chancel.
If you listen to this service via the webcast, you will notice the movements of clergy and choir throughout the Litany Procession as they as they go farther and come nearer.
After the Litany Procession, the Rector chants the Collect of the Day, and the lessons and psalm proceed as usual, leading up to a sermon by Fr Mead.
The Holy Eucharist is given at the High Altar and, for convenience, at the Chantry rail as well.
‚ñ∫ The Feast of the Annuncation is today, March 25. However, because this year March 25 is also the Fifth Sunday in Lent, we have translated the feast over to Tuesday, March 27, when we will celebrate with two said masses at 8am and 12:10pm in the Lady Chapel, and also a Festal Eucharist sung by the Gentlemen of the Choir at the High Altar at 5:30pm. The Rector speaks about the Annunciation, as well as about the upcoming concert of Bach’s St John Passion on March 30, in his weekly audio message.
Music notes: Knut Nystedt stands as one of Norway’s foremost composers and is perhaps best-known for his choral homage Immortal Bach. Nystedt studied composition in New York with Aaron Copland and Ernest White, but his works also draw from the traditions of Gregorian chant, Palestrina, and Bach. After experimenting in the instrumental sphere, Nystedt turned primarily to choral writing, a medium in which he could explore ‘a kind of kaleidoscope through which to discover entirely new tone colors.’ The Missa Brevis was composed in 1985 for the Norwegian Organists Association in Bergen. The Sanctus alternates between dance-like rhythmic and imitative writing, with more serenely contemplative moments. The Agnus Dei features expanding tone clusters, a hallmark of his compositions that are found throughout the Mass.
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