March 12, 2023

We are pleased to have Otho Hoyte playing both the prelude and postlude this 3rd Sunday of Lent. The prelude is a setting of the hymn tune known as "Canterbury", a tune by the famous English composer Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625), who was a sort of transition from the Renaissance Period to the Baroque period. This arrangement is by the English-born Canadian, Healey Willan (1880-1968), who wrote operas, symphonies, and chamber music, but is best known for his church music. Some of his music can be found in our hymnal.

Our opening hymn is the beautiful "As longs the deer for cooling streams", 658, which might help you prepare for the Gospel reading from John and is a paraphrase of Psalm 42: 1-7. The Gospel hymn itself is 649, "O Jesus, joy of loving hearts", another wonderful hymn.

The day's anthem is well known to all-- "God So Loved the World", from John Stainer's (English, 1840-1901) oratorio "The Crucifixion", which is a meditation on The Passion. His music was very popular in his day, and our anthem is the highlight of his oratorio.

During communion we will hear arrangements of 2 appropriate hymns played on the harp; they are "Just as I am" and "Were you there". It might be helpful to meditate on the texts; the numbers are 693 and 172.

Closing the service we will sing hymn 686, the upbeat "Come, thou fount of every blessing", ever so popular and originates from "A Repository of Sacred Music", an 1813 collection of hymns.

The postlude is from J.S. Bach's "St. Matthew Passion", "In Tears of Grief", arranged by James Preston.