Peter Mitchell and the Bexley and Crayford District Organists' and Choirmasters' Association generously gave their time to rehearse and execute some excellent music. The Blackfen Church Choir took part, with singers on all four parts. Fr Simon Heans of the Ordinariate who regularly helps out at Blackfen, was the celebrant.
After the Introit, we sang Praise to the Holiest, to the Chorus Angelorum melody which is not so often sung these days. The Responses and the Preces were sung to the setting by William Smith of Durham which did sound familiar to me from back in the day. The office hymn was Jerusalem the Golden; Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis by Derek Holman, and the Anthem was "Behold how good and joyful a thing it is" to music by John Clarke-Whitfield. Glorious!
We had some good-humoured banter about Anglican Patrimony afterwards over cake - and Prosecco which I provided as an Italianate influence (along with tea, of course.) I am looking forward to having Choral Evensong again at Blackfen from time to time.
6 comments:
This is so cool. May it happen more often.
I am sure that learning from one another is an important part of growing together in unity. Recruiting another churches members (the ordinariate) puts unity back 50 years and returns us to the days of competition between churches.
I wish I had been there Father Evensong is in my view one of the loveliest Christian services and is thoroughly beautifully English. I would like to see it become mainstream in English Catholic Churches perhaps combined with Benediction which is Catholic service that could do with being restored in England.
Whenever I am down in Central London I try to attend Evensong in Westminster Abbey at 5pm. A very beautiful service and extremely atmospheric it is good to experience the Abbey as a Church not just a tourist site. Highly recommended to your readers
""Recruiting another churches members (the ordinariate) puts unity back 50 years and returns us to the days of competition between churches.""
Without in any way wishing to resort to abuse of Christians of other denominations, it has to be remembered that there is ONLY ONE Church. There IS competion between the Church which teached truth and sects like the church of England that teach at best a partial truth and at worst downright evil.
Glorious, indeed, Fr.
May it become a regular Service in many Catholic Churches.
Also, in response to Neil Addison's Comment: When Neil is next in London, may I suggest he pops in to Our Lady of The Rosary, Blackfen, on a Thursday evening, 2000hrs, for Benediction ? It's there every week.
in Domino.
Waht a great idea, and glad your choir enjoyed the chanting,( Bara Brith said that), a highlight of any cathedral weekend we are singign in. We sing on as may Sunday evenings as we are able locally. We didn't recognize the setting though.Maybe other organists associations could follow suite.
Post a Comment