For all the Saints

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 01 November 2004 08:39:13

A good excuse to sing all those old favourites about saints who boldly fought of old and stuff. The service would normally go on for ever with all those extra verses (the hymnwriters do like their saints), however there was a baptism so that meant no sermon. The vicar likes baptisms. The church was full of the chatter of little children and it was good to see the play area being so well used. The sister of the baby being baptised looked especially cute, in a matching mauve hat, mauve dress and blue-and-mauve shoes. I hope the scout from Miss Pears was hovering nearby.....
'Hail Glorious Spirits' by Tye was the anthem in the morning, which seemed to go with a good zing once we had had a cranked-up start (you can really make the most of the word 'Hail' if you wind up to it ;) ).

The evening service was a special Service of Light (for those who have been bereaved). The liturgy was very short because a major part of the service was people coming up to the chancel to light tealights and place them in the shape of a cross in front of the paschal candle. We sang 'Dear Lord and Father of Mankind' and then the rest of this ceremony was conducted in silence. The cross of brightly lit candles looked very special - strong yet vulnerable, which is how I guess most of the people lighting them felt.
Our two anthems were the early hymn 'Hail Gladdening Light' set to the Stanford tune, and 'How beauteous are their feet' by Stanford. We also sang the Nunc Dimittis, to Anglican Chant, at the end of the service before everyone said together the third collect, 'Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord.....'
It would have been so easy for such a themed service to be terribly naff, but it was conducted with such quiet dignity that even the most cynical choristers were converted - and we are a hard lot to please!

The All Saints - All Souls link will be completed on Tuesday with an evening Sung Eucharist; the choir singing the antiphon 'Recieve their souls, receive their souls' in between each group of names read out and remembered.