THE BANNER:
Donations and volunteers are needed for the Church of St. Michael and St. George weekly collection to support The Last Days Apostolic Church. Through
Bridges to Care and Recovery,
a program designed to train African-American ministers to recognize mental health issues in their congregants and to connect them with mental health services, the church was partnered with The Last Days Apostolic Church where District Elder May Johnson is pastor. For the past several weeks, parishioners have been donating food and household supplies and driving them to the food pantry of The Last Days Apostolic Church which currently serves three hundred families.
Read the handout for details about how to help.
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THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, June 6
12:00 PM: Yoga Class via Zoom. Email
Laurie Brown for details.
SUNDAY, June 7
11:00 AM: Online Coffee Hour
Please join us for Zoom coffee hour after the service on Sunday. Watch for the e-mail invitation Sunday morning or email
Laurie Brown
or
Fr. Tom
for details.
11:15 AM YM Sunday School on Instagram Live!
8:00 PM: Compline:
Join
Fr. Peter and his family for Compline over Zoom daily at 8 PM. Compline is the last of the four Daily Offices and includes prayers that are always timely, but even more so given this season of uncertainty. Compline takes about 10 minutes to pray, and its focus is on resting in the peace of Christ. To join Compline over Zoom, email
Fr. Peter
or
Laurie Brown
.
MONDAY, June 8
8:00 AM: Morning Prayer
9:00-9:45 AM: Women's Bible Study Live
Fr. Peter is leading a discussion of Proverbs. Download the computer program Zoom onto your computer or phone and e-mail
Marty Chapman
to receive the Zoom invitation on Monday mornings.
TUESDAY, June 9
8:00 AM: Morning Prayer
12-12:30 PM: HS Girls Bible Study Live
.
Genesis
All HS Girls are invited to participate via Zoom
WEDNESDAY, June 10
8:00 AM:
Morning Prayer
THURSDAY, June 11
8:00 AM: Mornin
g Pr
ayer
FRIDAY, June 5
8:00 AM: Morning Prayer
9:00 AM: Women's Bible Study via Zoom. Contact
Fr. Tom for details.
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FROM THE CHOIR ROOM
Over the past several weeks at our Sunday morning Zoom Coffee Hour, several parishioners have commented – all favorably to the best of my knowledge – on the music that has been used and offered for our Sunday online liturgies. I have received quite a few inquiries about how the hymns, in particular, are put together. We did discuss this at one virtual coffee hour gathering, but for those who were not able to be there, here is the process. Let’s use the familiar hymn, “Holy, holy, holy” as an example.
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The first thing I do is transcribe the hymn into music writing software which can take an hour or more, depending on the length of the hymn. I then copy it and begin to edit it with clear indications of voicings (how each verse will be sung – in unison or 4-parts, etc.) I then compose (or borrow – this time from David McK. Williams, sometime organist of St. Bartholomew’s Church, New York City) a descant, if wanted, and add that vocal line to the score. This file is then copied, set aside, converted to a PDF file, and labeled as the “vocal score.” This process takes about two hours.
I then take the copy of the “vocal score” I have just made and add a simple piano (or woodwind for tuning purposes) accompaniment suitable for each verse, i.e. an accompaniment that will best support the indications given to the singers in the “vocal score.” Once the accompaniment has been created, I add a rhythm track (yes, a drummer!) to maintain metronomic tempo for each of the singers as they sing in isolation from one another. This is what keeps the whole thing together. Then the vocal lines are removed from the score and the file is exported as a sound file. This new file is labeled the “vocal accompaniment score.” This is the shortest process, lasting only 60-90 minutes.
These two files, one a PDF and the other a sound file (usually mp3), are then distributed to the singers for recording. The instructions are to listen to the accompaniment file through earbuds or headphones while singing from the vocal score. The result is a recorded sound file of the human voice alone. Each singer is given about 5 days to accomplish this and they return their completed sound files to John McDonald. John is a tenor in our choir as well as professor of music education and choral conductor at McKendree University.
Remember John. He’ll be back in a minute.
During the time that the singers are recording their parts, I am composing an accompaniment to the hymn using the full resources of the music notation software and the synthesized sounds that are available. I try to make each verse different, interesting and varying in timbre, while always trying to “paint” the wordscape that the poet has provided. Here is where the bulk of my effort goes into the project – generally in the neighborhood of 12-24 hours. Once this process is complete, I create a sound file which I then send on to John McDonald (remember him?). This is the “accompaniment score.” Of course, this sound file must be recorded at exactly the same tempo as the vocal accompaniment score sent to the singers.
John begins the wizardry of combining all of the individual vocal files which have been submitted with the accompaniment file which I have sent him. This process of aligning everything (aided by the drummer, mentioned above) and the mixing of the files takes 18-24 hours.
Once the fully assembled file is complete it is reviewed carefully and, when completed, it is sent on to Kyle Tallman for inclusion in the video along with a copy of the hymn itself from the hymnal. Kyle does his magic (nobody knows how) and the result is the hymn on the screen while the hymn is being played – and sung – during the liturgy.
While all of this preparation is being done, Eileen Klamer is searching her resources for images that will accompany the singing either in the background or as a full image on the screen. I honestly don’t know how much time she spends on finding the images and preparing them, but I have no doubt that her investment of time in this is large. For the purposes of time calculation, let’s assume, because of her vast knowledge of western art and her treasure trove of photos, she accomplishes this work quickly in, say, 7 hours.
So, each 3-5-minute hymn we sing together on Sunday morning is the result of approximately 75+ hours of aggregate work on the part of many and it is a rolling, ongoing process since Sundays never cease to appear on the calendar. I, of course, am enormously grateful to this band of contributors to our worship experience and I know you are, too. It has been a fascinating experience along with a challenging learning curve that all have undertaken with a joyful mind and a glad heart. This is a latent blessing in the midst of the world’s chaos.
–Rob Lehman
Organist and Choirmaster
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"GRIEF AND HOPE IN THE TIME OF COVID" VIDEO
For those who were unable to join the recent webinar lead by Dr. Kelley Munger on the topic of ‘Grief and Hope in the Time of Covid’ the recording is now available.
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ISOLATION MEMORY BOX
The pandemic has turned out to be a defining moment for CSMSG, and once the dust begins to settle the church will have a key role to play as the shock of the disease and isolation wears off and parishioners begin to process their experiences. Bringing those two pieces together, we would like to start collecting "journal moments" (for lack of a better term) from the congregation to compile as a time capsule of sorts for future generations. Perhaps a photo and/or a brief note from each family to capture a specific memory/experience -- loneliness, homeschooling, empty shelves, exercise routines, etc.
The idea behind soliciting moments from parishioners is to reflect the day-to-day realities of individuals and families in isolation, and to provide another way to bring the congregation together by using these challenging times to inform future generations.
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STEWARDSHIP
It is clear that many parishioners may be facing financial challenges. Please be aware of the availability of the Pat Johnson Assistance Fund. (Some of you may have known her as Patricia Mary). This emergency fund was set up to provide financial support to parishioners in times of need. If you are facing financial hardships and would benefit from monetary support, contact a clergy member to request assistance.
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If you are interested in making a contribution to the Pat Johnson Assistance Fund, please click on the
“Give Now”
button below and follow the prompts. Pat Johnson Assistance is the second fund listed in the drop-down box. If you prefer to mail a check to the church, please write “Pat Johnson Assistance Fund” in the memo line. We also are happy to facilitate any contributions to your pledge or contributions for any other purpose. Please contact
Alexis Posnanski
with any questions.
Would you like an easy, secure and quick way to support CSMSG? Try Text to Give on your mobile device! If you know how to send a text message, you can make a gift. Click
here
for a few quick steps. Thanks for your generosity as we continue to serve and care for each other.
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JOURNEY TO THE HOLY LAND:
Plans continue for the Journey to the Holy Land next April 20 to May 1, 2021! Please contact
Fr. Peter
for more information. Visit
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CHILDREN'S MINISTRY
This week Church School students learned about Pentecost. The lesson included a video from the Jesus Storybook Bible relating the story of the disciples receiving the Holy Spirit, talking points for families, and a craft. View the lesson in the
Church School email
delivered to families every Sunday.
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YOUTH MINISTRY
Looking for ways to connect while we’re apart?
Sunday School
at 11:15 AM Sunday mornings on Instagram Live!
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FIND US ON INSTAGRAM
Sunday School - Sunday mornings at 11:15 AM
HS Girls Bible Study Tuesdays at noon
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PARENT LINK
THURSDAY MORNING PLAYGROUP: Parents of newborns to preschoolers will meet at 10:30 AM via Zoom on June 18! Please email
Marty Chapman
to receive a Zoom invitation.
FAITHFUL GENERATIONS:
Join this class on Sunday at 1:00 pm via Zoom for a discussion of Episode 3 of
The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross, a 6-hour documentary tracking the evolution of the African-American people, as well as the multiplicity of cultural institutions, political strategies, and religious and social perspectives they developed. ALL are invited to join.
Please email
Marty Chapman
to receive a Zoom invitation!
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SATURDAY YOGA CLASS
Saturdays at 12:00 PM
Parishioner Michelle Gurrola Burks teaches a free, 55-minute class via Zoom at noon.
Michelle has attended the 8 AM service at CSMSG for 18 years. She and her husband Jack were married at the church 3 1/2 years ago. She has taught yoga for 20 years and can be found at IMAYOGAGIRL on Instagram where she leads yoga challenges. Michelle is a Lululemon ambassador.
Yoga has many health benefits including decreasing stress, relieving anxiety, improving sleep quality and more. A yoga mat is helpful, but not necessary. A non-slippery spot and bare feet will work fine, too.
If you are a new participant, email
Laurie Brown
for the Zoom invitation. For those of you who joined us last Saturday, the Zoom information remains the same.
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CAN YOU HELP MAKE MASKS?
The women of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Eureka need help sewing Covid-19 masks for St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield. The volunteer coordinator at St. Luke’s stated they will need 5,000 masks per day within the next couple of weeks.
Click here for details about how to help.
Mary Beth Tipton is working with the Transition Center of St. Louis also in need of masks. To help, email her at
mtipton@csmsg.org
.
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HELP BRING MORE SMILEs TO CSMSG
You can support CSMSG every time you shop at
Amazon
by using AmazonSmile. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know and use…low prices, vast selection, and convenience, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase to CSMSG!
Here’s the scoop: To shop at AmazonSmile, simply go to
smile.amazon.com
. On your first visit to AmazonSmile select Church of St. Michael & St. George as your charitable organization to support. Do this before you begin shopping, and then every eligible purchase you make at
smile.amazon.com
will result in a donation to CSMSG.
Thanks for getting your Smile on with CSMSG!
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Be on the lookout for a phone call from Church Receptionist Becky Arthur and other staff members as we update our Realm directory. Now, more than ever, we need up-to-date email addresses and phone numbers. Thank you in advance for your help!
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