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Evensong| Sunday April 26
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This Sunday, April 26, we had planned to celebrate Choral Evensong, the last major musical event of the choir season. Since we cannot celebrate together, Heinrich had fun this week putting together a "Fantasy Evensong" from the many, many diverse musical offerings floating around YouTube. You can view it on
King's Chapel's YouTube channel (please do subscribe if you haven't already - it's the easiest way to make sure you see our worship service videos and everything else as it goes up, and we are posting quite a bit of content these days).
Here is the direct link
As you will see, it opens with a prelude recital by Heinrich - as it happens, from a recital given after Evensong at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. The featured piece is Cambridge composer Graham Gordon Ramsay's Jacob vs. Angel, an extended work in 6 movements about the inner and outward struggles with angels and other adversaries.
The Introit is sung by our choir, perennial favorite arrangement Our God is a Rock by Ken Berg. The "shelter in a time of storm" has been in high demand for most of us lately.
For the rest of the service music, we travel far and wide. Given the context, the music is high Anglican in flavor, with a Psalm and Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis by Herbert Howells. Several of the pieces have the scores right on screen so you can sing along if you are so inclined. The hymns are the majestic Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven, and Evensong mainstay The Day Thou Gavest.
Our choir returns towards the end to sing the anthem, Not They Who Soar, music by Stacy Garrop set to this poignant text by Paul Laurence Dunbar:
"Not they who soar, but they who plod
Their rugged way, unhelped, to God
Are heroes; they who higher fare,
And, flying, fan the upper air,
Miss all the toil that hugs the sod.
'Tis they whose backs have felt the rod,
Whose feet have pressed the path unshod,
May smile upon defeated care,
Not they who soar.
High up there are no thorns to prod,
Nor boulders lurking 'neath the clod
To turn the keenness of the share,
For flight is ever free and rare;
But heroes they the soil who've trod,
Not they who soar!"
- for those of us who perhaps feel we have been plodding a bit more than be have been soaring in the last month and a half...
As luck would have it, both readings assigned for this Sunday could also be found on YouTube - including a live action Road To Emmaus re-enactment! So it's safe to say there is something for everyone.
Finally, the planned postlude for the service was the Final movement from Widor's 6th Symphony. Since that was not to be, a worthy substitute must be Daniel Roth playing the piece on Widor's own organ, at St. Sulpice in Paris. We hope you enjoy this new foray into the virtual intersection of worship and music.
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This week our 2 year old granddaughter discovered dandelions. My son-in-law came back from a walk with her in which she'd delighted in the spotting them in yards throughout the neighborhood. "Look - there's one. And another! It's so beautiful, Daddy!"
He assured me that now we'd never need to pluck a dandelion from our own grass again; in fact, we never should. Dandelions are no longer weeds, he declared.
As someone whose teenage chore one summer was to dig up by the roots hundreds of dandelions from our Minnesota backyard, this should have thrilled me. But instead, what had taken deeper root within me was the aversion to a lawn splattered with these yellow beauties. I made a face at the thought of letting them flourish.
So often images get planted deep inside us and we're not even aware. One kind of wild flower is a weed to me and another -- the red poppy - is delightful decoration on Tuscan fields. One kind of face reminds me of a beloved and another is simply an unknown stranger I barely see or or may fear.
On a road leading from Jerusalem to Emmaus, two of Jesus' friends didn't notice the man nearby, and after he initiated a conversation, must have wondered whether he was to be trusted since he'd never heard of Jesus' crucifixion that weekend. The stranger must be uneducated, obtuse, or worse - someone who sided with Jesus' killers. But something made them choose to keep talking with that stranger. They discovered a way of seeing strangers that changed them forever.
Pray that we all risk looking with new eyes at one another. That's how the world always changes. Jesus said it this way: Be like children.
Joy
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Join the King's Chapel Zoom"Block Party" | Friday April 24, 5-6 PM
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David and Joy are hosting a first informal virtual gathering for King's Chapel members and friends on Friday night, April 24, 5-6 PM. We'll meet by Zoom (each of us in our own zoom "block", hence the name). This is a fun way to catch up with one another, see old friends, meet new ones, and ask your questions about the goings-on around the church. We'd love to provide you with the famous King's Chapel party hospitality, but in the circumstances, you'll need to bring your own drink and snacks.
For those less familiar with Zoom, David and I will log in ten minutes early so you can test out the system, adjust your picture and voice volume, etc. Why not give it a try?
Joy |
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Our Stewardship Campaign is now in full swing. Watch your mailboxes for important financial information and your 2020 pledge card. Also, coming soon.... messages from our members!
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Poetry Discussion Group | Weekly beginning April 20
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Join Kent Wittenburg and Cynthia Perkins as we explore the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke in the Book of Hours, Love Poems to God. These poems of spiritual yearning and discovery have had a major influence on many, including our own senior minister and the environmental activist and spiritual leader Joanna Macy. In his poems Rilke offers a doorway into our relationship with God as we know God, whether hidden, fleeting, distant, compelling, or near to us. We hope you will join us.
Four Sessions: 5:15pm - 6:30pm
Mon. 4/20; Tues. 4/28; and Mondays 5/4 and 5/11.
Please contact Kent-
kentwitt@gmail.com
or Cynthia-
cbhperkins@gmail.com
. Participants will receive the poems for the evening's discussion in advance; a Zoom video conference invitation to join the meeting is necessary and will be sent prior to the sessions.
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Weekly Bible Study Continues | Wednesdays, 6:15 PM
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King's Chapel Teleconference Bible Study continues Wednesday April 29th by phone and video conference. Our texts this time will be Acts 2:42-47, Psalm 23, 1 Peter 2:19-25, and John 10:1-10. We will gather to chat by phone and video conference at 6:15, begin studying in earnest at 6:30, and aim to wrap up by 7:30. Please contact facilitator Tim Nelson-Hoy at
tim.c.nh@gmail.com for details on how to join.
On reflecting on last week's discussion, Nels0n-Hoy commented, "What do you recognize, and what do you perceive? What happens when you perceive something important before you can consciously recognize what (or who) it is? We discussed this and other thought-provoking questions at another Teleconference Bible Study, when King's Chapel members and friends gathered to discuss Psalm 118, and the story of the encounter on the road to Emmaus from Luke 24. Our gathering included people for whom these stories were life-long companions, people who were encountering them for the first time, and all points in-between. We left with our understandings enriched by the many and varied perspectives everyone brought to the table."
Bible Study continues each week during Eastertide. Contact
Tim Nelson-Hoy
for login information.
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Coffee with the Ministers| Thursdays 10-11 AM, Weekly
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Bring your cup of coffee or tea and join Joy and David for an informal conversation by Zoom every Thursday morning from 10-11 AM. You can join either by phone or by your computer (which lets you see others). It's not as good as being together, but it's close. Drop in anytime during the hour. Contact Gretchen at gretchen@kings-chapel.org for login information.
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Conversation with the Educators | Thursday April 30 | 12 PM
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Thank you to all who contributed to the conversation about Literary King's Chapel on Tuesday evening. We loved hearing your insights and learning from you.
The next conversation, which will begin with a presentation about the saga of King's Chapel's historic communion silver, has been rescheduled for Thursday April 30 at 12 PM. Please RSVP to
Faye Charpentier at
faye@kings-chapel.org for the Zoom information. We hope to see you there!
Additionally, we are looking for upcoming topic requests from the congregation. If there is an aspect of King's Chapel's history that you are particularly interested in seeing discussed, we'd love to hear from you!
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Mother's Day Walk for Peace to be held Virtually | Sunday May 10 | 9 AM
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The murder of my son Antoine is the most devastating thing I have ever had to endure! I have been searching for my way to deal with my anger and to find peace in my heart so that I can continue on with life. Thank you for your guidance and support. God says the best is yet to come." - Anthony Perkins
These are the words of one of the many hundreds of families that have been touched by the work of the Louis D Brown Peace Institute (LDBPI). We ask you to join the King's Chapel team as we support the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute in their annual Walk for Peace. This year, because of the pandemic, the walk will be held virtually. While our team may not be able to gather physically, we can spiritually be together to help this organization in their goal to end gun violence in our city.
LDBPI has been walking to assist victims of gun violence since 1996; King's Chapel has been participating for many years. King's Chapel member Ciael Hills, commented, "
It felt so good to be walking with many others who were concerned about gun violence; I remember being afraid, too. When I went on my first walk, I had never been to Roxbury. With fearful anticipation, I wondered if I'd be wearing a target on my back. But when I joined hundreds of others walking for a good cause, my fears melted away. I continued walking, often joined by my daughter Rachel for many of them."
Join the King's Chapel team by donating HERE
. For more information on the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute including their mission and their goals, go to http://www.ldbpeaceinstitute.org/
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| This week, the History Program began its series of short "Did You Know?" videos on social media. The first video features History Program Director Faye Charpentier discussing the lesser-known history of King's Chapel during World War II. To view the first installment in this series, visit King's Chapel's Facebook or Instagram |
| In honor of Earth Day, last Sunday a group of fellow members of King's Chapel recorded a discussion of their experiences, thoughts, and actions with respect to the natural world and the current environmental emergency. The link to the recorded talk is available, but please note also that there is a PDF file there that contains further resources and links as well as emails of the participants. You can download the file directly We urge any members of King's Chapel with environmental concerns and interests to get in touch. |
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From our Community Action Committee
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Our unhoused neighbors are in need during these uncertain times. You can help! common cathedral invites us to donate items out of which their staff will then build "to-go" bag lunches. Sign up to donate HERE . They are still in need of donations April 23 & 24.
You can sign up to donate 50 sandwiches, 50 pieces of fruit, and/or 50 granola bars. Drop-off is 8AM-9AM at Emmanuel Episcopal Church - 15 Newbury Street on the day for which you sign up. The bag lunches will be used every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the next few weeks. |
We rejoice with the Jayawardena family, new members who regularly attend our Morning Light service. Gretchen is expecting a new sibling for little Noelle on May 10th, and Asitha has just published an article on the COVID-19 crisis in the
New England Journal of Medicine!
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Sunday Worship |
April 26, 9 AM |
Rev. Joy Fallon, preaching
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- The Rev. Joy Fallon, Senior Minister
- David Waters, Minister for Education and Membership
- Heinrich Christensen, Music Director
- Skip Lewan, pianist
- Hannah Carlson, soloist
- Eleanor Graber and Stephen Courtney, lectors
Readings:
Psalm 146
Luke 24:13 and following
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Did you miss last week's sermon or want to hear it again? Listen
HERE
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The worship service video for this Sunday morning follows the format of Morning Light. Our wonderful pianist Skip Lewan presciently recorded music for Eastertide back in March before we all retreated to our homes. So most of the music will be provided by Skip, with a guest appearance by soprano Hannah Carlson.
This Sunday afternoon we would have celebrated Evensong, the last major event in our choral season. As an alternative, I am assembling a YouTube playlist of music for a Fantasy Evensong, if you will. The sky is the limit when you can pull music from all over the Internet! We will share this playlist to our Facebook page, if you are not a Facebook person, email
heinrich@kings-chapel.org and I will send you a direct link.
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Contemplative Communion Service
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f you have been yearning for the quiet, intimate candlelit service of Wednesday nights, you can find the video HERE
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Staying Connected
with King's Chapel
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While we are physically closed we are spiritually open and are working to find ways to continue our connection with you, our beloved members and friends. We are learning new technologies so that we can continue social distancing while being here for you, as best we can.
Ways in which you can reach us are:
Worship
Our worship services are posted on our website: go to www.kings-chapel.org or to King's Chapel on Facebook to see videos of 9 AM Morning Light, 11 AM Morning Prayer, and Wednesday Evening
Contemplative Communion.
Prayer Connection
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Want to know what's
going on at
King's Chapel?
Click
HERE
to view the King's
Chapel Calendar at our website
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While we do not gather weekly for worship, we continue to offer you this newsletter, virtual services, and more. Bringing online content to you comes at a cost, and we no longer have the collection plate to pass each Sunday.
Additionally,
10% of the plate collection is designated for our Community Action partners.
Please consider a weekly donation to the plate, and donate
HERE.
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Contributing to Between Sundays
Our e-newsletter is sent each Thursday afternoon. Want something in Between Sundays? Feel free to email
administrator@kings-chapel.org with a written piece and/or pictures before Wednesday at 5 PM.
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Accessibility Assists
Our beautiful Georgian sanctuary was designed by Peter Harrison and completed in 1754. To make our services and programs more accessible, one of the box pews has been made wheel-chair accessible. Ushers are available to assist those wheelchair users to that pew. Additionally, we have installed an accessible bathroom on our main floor. An usher can direct you to the vestry.
A sound system has been installed in the sanctuary of The Chapel to amplify the sound during worship services. Hearing assistance devices are available for your use. Please see an Usher for assistance.
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