Civic Service

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 02 March 2004 09:29:32

(Almost) back to full strength today - only one choir member in hospital and only 3 missing for other reasons. And one student bass returned for his sister's birthday. The morning anthem was 'Listen sweet dove' by Grayston Ives, and the voluntary - Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (Bach) - by the time that had finished, only the most ardent coffee drinkers were still in church. Together with a few loyal choristers who like to listen to the voluntary in its entirety.

The evening service was the Civic Service, hence much busier than usual with the Lady Mayoress and her entourage in attendance, plus other representatives from organisations in the town. We stood at the back of a freezing church, as the doors were held open for the arrival of the Mayoral party who were then waylaid by the photographer from the local newspaper. It took about 20 minutes for the church to feel warm again afterwards, accomplished by much vigorous hymn-singing (And did those feet in ancient times.... Lead us heavenly father lead us.... Guide me O thou great redeemer....) The civic service used to be Evensong but as so many now are non-conformist or non-Churchgoers, the service has metamorphosed into a cross between a modern evensong and a hymn-sandwich. The hymn 'Tell out my soul' replaced the Magnificat and a shorter litany replaced the other items. Our choir anthem was 'The heavens are telling' (Haydn), which sounded particularly good in the contrast between the trio and the whole choir. I'm glad this was performed during the civic service as it needed an 'occasion' rather than a normal Evensong. The National Anthem rounded off the proceedings, followed by a procession out of the church and over to the town hall for wine and nibbles. It was nice to be thanked publicly by the Lady Mayoress for our contribution to the proceedings.