December 11, 2022

We are fortunate this Sunday to have Otho Hoyte playing both the prelude and the postlude (as well as the processional and closing hymns). I am most grateful to have both Pam and Otho Hoyte with us, both of whom have extensive training and experience. The prelude will be a Paul Manz setting of "Prepare the Royal Highway, Prepare the Way, O Zion", a very familiar 17th-century Advent hymn, which we will also sing at the close of the service. Otho will play the hymn first, improvising the harmonies.

Our processional hymn is 72, "Hark the glad sound! the Savior comes", as you will note in the hymnal has a history going back to the 18th century. It is both familiar and easy to sing!

The origins of the Gospel hymn, 76 --"On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry"-- are even older, but the hymn I think is an Advent favorite.

Our anthem is a Richard Shephard setting of "Hark! A Herald Voice Is Calling". I have written about Richard Shephard many times; he was a very talented and productive English composer who passed on just a few years ago.

During communion, we have Martha and Lynn Bailey playing settings of 3 Advent hymns, all by Ray Pool, a contemporary American living in NYC. The hymns are: O come, O come Emmanuel, Of the Father's love begotten, Let all mortal flesh keep silence.

The closing hymn is 65, as I mentioned earlier. The postlude is 2 Paul Manz settings of "Savior of the Nation's, Come".