Music of the World-Wide Anglican Communion comes to All Saints.

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Steve O’Connor, Director of Music Ministries

Recently I attended a national conference of Anglican Musicians, celebrating the enormous diversity of musical cultures within our international Communion.  As we began our opening Morning Prayer celebration, we were greeted with the sounds of Caribbean Steel Drums and the sight of beautifully costumed African dancers in procession.  The delight among the worshipers was palpable, as we broke into a standing ovation.

As we approach the Feast of Pentecost, I’m reminded how Christians from many lands and tongues gathered in one place to worship and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  I often wonder what the music of that day must have been like.

Our Church, the Anglican Communion, is likewise broad and marked with enormous diversity.  “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth…” is sung across the world each Sunday morning to the music and rhythms of thousands of local cultures.  From the sounds of American gospel to chimurenga of Zimbabwe, bomba and plena of Puerta Rico, reggae of The Caribbean and the reels of Ireland, Anglicans lift their voices in song and surround their worship with the joyful sound of music in a multiplicity of ways.

This summer, we at All Saints will have a chance to experience some of these styles as part of our summer Arts in Worship Series.  For the next three months, we’ll hear and sing music of the Anglican Communion, from around the world.  We’ll kick off the summer on Pentecost Sunday, June 8.  We’ll feature the music of American gospel and welcome a Bluegrass band.  June 15, 22 and 29, the music of Latin America will be the focus.  July 6, 13 and 20 will bring us the music of Celtic lands.  We’ll feature Celtic harp and Irish fiddle.  July 27, August 3 and 10 will feature music of “the Islands.”  We’ll hear the Caribbean sounds of reggae, jazz, as well as Hawaiian folk music.  Finally, we’ll come full circle in August, as we welcome an American Gospel/Bluegrass band.

These professional guest musicians are a particularly welcome addition during the summer when our All Saints Choir rests, but of course, they come at a cost.  The fee for these highly trained, professional artists is approximately $300 for a Sunday morning, which is paid for in whole by your financial support of our All Saints Special Music fund.  Your generous contribution to the Special Music Fund enables us to invite a wide variety of artists to our worship each year.

Join us, as we worship well this summer and bring to All Saints the spirit of the Season after Pentecost.

I can’t wait!!  See you in church.

Steve O’Connor