with palms before thee went

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 10 April 2006 13:03:27

No donkeys, unless you count the liturgically-correct red one made by the Godly Play group in the vestry. An unusual addition this year were the green (fresh) palm crosses. Rather difficult to hold as they were quite floppy, which spoiled the effect, but the colour looked good. The weather was kind as we processed round the church wall, following the palm-bedecked cross, singing, 'All glory, laud and honour' and 'Ride on, ride on in Majesty'. The main choir contribution was to sing, 'Were you there when they crucified my Lord' (arr. Morgan), which sent shivers down my spine and caused some of the congregation afterwards to declare that it was a real tear-jerker. I hope that was for the right reasons.

Evensong saw the chance to air some rather upbeat music for this time of year. As our Director of Music explained at the previous night's organ recital, you can have too much gloomy music during Lent. So to follow on from Saturday's 'Sortie in Eb' (Lefebure-Wely) and 'Liberty Bell' (Sousa) we had 'Lift up your heads' (Mathias) as the anthem, 'Give me joy in my heart keep me praising' as the final hymn and Tuba Tune (Lang) as the voluntary. Easter is on its way after all.....