Music for Sunday, July 23, 2017 + The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

Vocal Music

• Finlandia – Jean Sibelius, Margie VanBrackle, Soprano

Instrumental Music

• All Glory Be to God on High– Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)
• Let Us Break Bread Together – Richard Proulx (1937-2010)
• Psalm XIX: The Heavens Declare the Glory of God – Benedetto Marcello (1686-1739)

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

• Hymn 290 - Come, ye thankful people, come (ST. GEORGE’S, WINDSOR)
• Hymn 686 - Come, thou fount of every blessing (NETTLETON)
• Hymn 424 - For the fruit of all creation (EAST ACKLAM)
• Hymn  - We are climbing Jacob’s ladder (JACOB’S LADDER)
• Hymn 344 - Lord dismiss us with thy blessing (SICILIAN MARINERS)
• Psalm 139:1-11, 22-23 Domine, probasti – Tone VIII.a

Thanksgiving in July? - Why are we singing "Come, ye thankful people, come?"

The Gospel this Sunday contains the parable of the weeds, where one person sows good seed, but another comes in the night and sows bad seed. (Who would do this? Is this the fore-runner of the modern internet virus?).  It's also known as the tares among the wheat. And here is where the opening hymn becomes relevant. Hear (or read, or SING) stanza two:

All the world is God's own field,
fruit as praise to God we yield;
wheat and tares together sown
are to joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be. 

So there you have it!

I am back from my two week pilgimage to England and Wales, studying and listening to the Cathedral Choir music of the Anglican Church, and being edified in the faith by prayers and preaching. I will not bore you with it here, but if you would like particulars, ask me! I'll try to make it brief!