Music for Sunday, June 12, 2022 + Trinity Sunday

Vocal Music

• Missa Brevis No. 4 – Eleanor Daley (b. 1955)
• A Ukrainian Prayer – John Rutter (b. 1945)
• Give Me – Carson P. Cooman (b. 1982)

Instrumental Music

• All Glory be to God on High – Georg Philipp Teleman (1681-1767)
• We All Believe in One True God – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Congregational Music (all hymns from The Hymnal 1982 with the exception of those marked “R” which are from Renew.)

• Hymn 362 - Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! (NICEA)
• Hymn S-236 - Canticle 13: Benedictus es, Domine - setting by John Rutter
• Hymn 371 - Thou, whose almighty word (MOSCOW)
• Hymn 295 - Sing praise to our Creator (CHRISTUS, DER IST MEIN LEBEN)
• Hymn R206 - Holy, holy (Jimmy Owens)
• Hymn 368 - Holy Father, great Creator (REGENT SQUARE)

This Sunday is Music Sunday. Our music ministry will be honored as part of the worldwide Music Sunday Celebration of the RSCM (The Royal School of Church Music). 

There are so many special days in the calendar, but Music Sunday is a day to connect in spirit with the whole of the RSCM. It is heart-warming to know that churches around the country, and indeed the world, are focusing on the role of music in worship and the dedicated church musicians who lead this. 

Here at Good Shepherd, we will take the opportunity to acknowledge and thank the many people who work in music leadership in our church. We will also sing a Missa Brevis by Canadian composer Eleanor Daley and a new anthem by John Rutter, written as a prayer for the people of Ukraine.

Missa Brevis No. 4

The Service Music (Kyrie, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei) is the Missa Brevis No. 4 by Canadian composer Eleanor Daley. Missa Brevis means "brief mass," and was written for her own church choir. The three movements are written for a 4-part acapella choir. 

Born and raised in Parry Sound, Ontario, Daley received her Bachelor of Music Degree in Organ Performance from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario and holds diplomas in piano and organ from the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto and Trinity College, England. She has been the Director of Music at Fairlawn Heights United Church in Toronto, Ontario since 1982. During this time, she has established a thriving choral program for which much of her music has been composed, thanks to the continuing support and talent of her choirs.

A Ukrainian Prayer

The offertory anthem is a new work by the English composer John Rutter. Rutter was moved to write "A Ukrainian Prayer" when Ukraine was attacked by Russia. As Rutter says, "How can a composer respond to a global tragedy? By writing music is the most obvious thing. Like everybody, I’ve been shocked and dismayed by the events of recent days, and the first thing I wanted to do was write some music that would respond in my own way."

"I went to a late night service in my old college chapel, where they sang a setting of a lovely Ukrainian prayer. So, having encountered the text in another musical setting on Wednesday night, on Thursday, I wrote my own music. I hope the meaning of the text will resonate in people’s hearts."

The anthem is written in an acapella, Eastern Orthodox style. The text is an old Ukrainian prayer:

Боже, Україну храни

Дай нам силу, вірі, й надії

Отче наш, Отче наш

Амінь

A literal translation of the text is:

Good Lord, protect Ukraine.

Give her strength, courage, faith, hope. Amen.

Give Me

During communion, the choir will sing a round written by American composer Carson Cooman on a text by Khwaja Abdullah Ansari (1006–1088), a Muslim Sufi saint who lived in the 11th century. The choir has been closing their rehearsals each week by singing this round as part of our closing prayers.

O God, give me a heart that I can pour out in thanksgiving.

Give me life that I can spend it working for the salvation of the world.