Music for September 27, 2015 + St. Michael and All Angels

Vocal Music

• Mass in the Lydian Mode - Richard Webster (b. 1952)
• Abide With Me - Richard Webster

Instrumental Music

• Improvisation on "St. Clement" - Gerre Hancock (1934-2012)
• Improvisation on “Picardy” –Charles Callahan (b. 1951)
• Hymn-Prelude on “Darwall’s 148th” - Percy Whitlock (1903-1946)

Congregational Music (all hymns from the Hymnal 1982.)

• Hymn 618 - Ye watchers and ye holy ones (LASST UNS ERFREUEN)
• Hymn 282 - Christ, the fair glory of the holy angels (CAELITES PLAUDANT)
• Hymn 535 - Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim (PADERBORN)
• Hymn 324 - Let all mortal flesh keep silence (PICARDY)
• Hymn 625 - Ye holy angels bright (DARWALL’S 148TH)

ON Sunday Afternoon, at 5 PM, Good Shepherd will celebrate the Feast of St. Michael with a choral eucharist. 

The Feast of Michael and All Angels, or Michaelmas, is celebrated on the 29th of September every year. As it falls near the equinox, the day is associated with the beginning of autumn and the shortening of days; in England, it is one of the “quarter days”.

There are traditionally four “quarter days” in a year (Lady Day (25th March), Midsummer (24th June), Michaelmas (29th September) and Christmas (25th December)). They are spaced three months apart, on religious festivals, usually close to the solstices or equinoxes. They were the four dates on which new servants were hired or land was exchanged and debts were paid. This is how it came to be for Michaelmas to be the time for the beginning of university terms. We use this service to mark the beginning of service for a new class of acolytes at Good Shepherd and the rededication of 81 members of our Acolyte Guild.

St Michael is one of the principal angelic warriors, protector against the dark of the night and the Archangel who fought against Satan and his evil angels. As Michaelmas is the time that the darker nights and colder days begin - the edge into winter - the celebration of Michaelmas is associated with encouraging protection during these dark months. It was believed that negative forces were stronger in darkness and so families would require stronger defences during the later months of the year.

The music for this year's service is written by Richard Webster, Director of Music and Organist at Trinity Church, Copley Square, Boston. His hymn arrangements for brass, percussion, organ and congregation are heard across the English-speaking world.

A native of Nashville, Mr. Webster studied organ with Peter Fyfe, Karel Paukert and Wolfgang Rübsam. He was a Fulbright Scholar to Great Britain, as Organ Scholar at Chichester Cathedral under the late John Birch.

Richard loves running, and has completed 26 marathons, including eleven Boston Marathons.