Music for July 5, 2015 + The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

Vocal Music

• Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown – setting by K. Lee Scott (b. 1950) Danial Ward, bass-baritone

Instrumental Music

• Variations on an American Tune – Gordon Young (1919-1998)
• Variations on “God Save the King” – Charles Wesley (1757-1835)

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

• Hymn 636 How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord (FOUNDATION)
• Hymn R 37 Father, we love you (GLORIFY YOUR NAME)
• Hymn 536 Open your ears, O faithful people (TORAH SONG) 
• Hymn 716 God Bless Our Native Land (AMERICA)
• Hymn 718 God of our fathers, whose almighty hand (NATIONAL HYMN)

The fiberglass-and-steel “Statue of Liberation
Through Christ” at World Overcomers Outreach 
Ministries Church in Memphis, Tennessee.

A Christian, an American, and a church musician walk into a bar. The Christian looks at the church musician and says, "Let's sing a hymn!" The American says, "Yes! Let's sing "America, the Beautiful!" The church musician says, "I just came in here for a drink."

The Sunday near Independence Day is one day when I just want a drink.

My friend and fellow church musician, David Perry Ouzts, writes a blog similar to mine, and his post for this Sunday is called Fanfares and flag-waving: How to be Episcopalian for the 4th of July. I want to quote some of it here:

As a liturgist, the Sunday nearest to the fourth of July is always a Sunday of great compromise. As an Episcopal parish, we do not just throw out the readings (AKA “the propers”) for the day: that’s “liturgically illegal” according to the Book of Common Prayer and actually requires permission of “the Diocesan” (a.k.a. the Bishop).

On the other hand, in a country in which we give thanks for our religious freedom, praying in church for our country and its leaders is quite acceptable. Moreover, our hymnal, The Hymnal 1982, contains a small section of “National Songs,” those hymns that we all love and probably learned as school children. In fact, our Book of Common Prayer contains an entire set of proper readings for liturgies if held on the exact day of Independence Day in a given year; these propers never supplant the Sunday propers but are available for use, even as private devotions.

Well, like David and the Church of the Holy Communion in Memphis, we are going to go for the middle ground, the via media, as good Episcopalians are wont to do. I'm playing variations on "God Save the Queen" during communion, as written by Charles Wesley Junior, the son of the imminent hymn writer and Anglican priest. Charles junior was a musical child prodigy who became an organist and composer who spent most of his career as the personal organist of the English Royal family. 

God Save the Queen is, of course, the tune we Yanks use as for the words "My country, 'tis of thee," which we'll sing at the Independence Day Celebration after church in the Great Hall. It is also the tune for the communion hymn this morning, God bless our native land, a hymn that is a prayer for any land or nation. I feel it's fitting for a worship service.

The opening and closing voluntaries are based on a familiar hymn that, while it is not 'patriotic,' carries a real American flavor. Gordon Young wrote these variations on the tune NETTLETON (Come, thou fount of every blessing) for the dedication of an organ in Fort Worth. The theme and seven variations show off the colors of the organ in different and unique ways. Sometimes the theme (melody) is apparent. Other times it is only hinted at with fragments and chord progressions from the hymn. The last movement will be used at the closing voluntary. Why not stay and listen to this brilliant finale and let the lines for hot dogs die down!

The closing hymn is often referred to as the "National Hymn." Daniel C. Roberts wrote this "God of our Fathers" in 1876 for July 4 centennial celebrations in Brandon, Vermont, where he was rector at St. Thomas Episcopal Church. This hymn puts God first, and is constantly addressed to Him as a prayer for the nation, without reference to American superiority. The second and third stanzas allude to a nation's need for God's law and guidance to maintain peace. It was published in the Protestant Episcopal Hymnal of 1892.

Don't forget to vote for your ten favorite hymns. The top 15 will be sung in church during August. You can email your choices to jacksonhearn@goodshepherdkingwood.org
The deadline is July 5!