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This weeks playlist focuses on Mary, mother of Jesus. From Gabriel's message of joy to Mary's loving response, this part of the Christmas story is told beautifully in music of many traditions.
Play all the music HERE, or sample each piece in the player below.
Advent is a time to pause, listen, and prepare ourselves for Jesus' coming. It is also the season for some of the best hymns in our tradition. Enjoy this playlist of hymns and anthems all about the expectation of Jesus' coming in Bethlehem and at the end coming at the end of days in judgement.
Enjoy all the music HERE, Or sample each piece in the player below.  Brian prepares lumber for the bellows. by Alex Benestelli Work is underway on our new pipe organ at Parsons Pipe Organ Builders. Located in Canandaigua, a beautiful part of the "finger lakes" region of upstate New York, the Parsons team is a fourth generation family business. Their skilled craftmanship dates all the way back to the 1800s. Here you can see the beginnings of the wind reservoirs for our instrument. Reservoirs are large box-like structures that regulate the wind pressure going to the wind chests and ultimately the organ pipes themselves. It is important for the organ to maintain consistent pressure so all the pipes produce the same tone and quality. "We’ve modified our regulator design for this organ to include a mounting frame. This will allow the leathered portion of the regulator (ribs and floating top) to be detached from the large well for future restoration. This is important here, given the limited space under the divisional wind chests for the winding system," said Ric Parsons, President of Parsons Pipe Organ Builders. Since this organ will last more than 100 years, it is important that we plan for restoration such as replacing leather components 40 or 50 years from now. You can see the design of the reservoirs below and the way they feed wind into the organ. Read the full article complete with more photos and diagrams HERE.  CNC machine cuts pieces to exact measurements.
Advent reminds of the great prophecies of Isaiah set so beautifully to music by George Frederick Handel. Enjoy this performance of the "Christmas" portion of Handel's great oratorio performed by John Elliot Gardiner with the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists.
Play all the music HERE, or sample each piece in the player below.
Advent Lessons and Carols is an annual tradition of readings and music telling the story of prophesy from darkness to light. This year, the service was held outdoors due to the pandemic, and the Schola Cantorum of St. James' sang the "O Antiphons" as well as choral music by Palestrina, Manz, Thomas, Praetorius, and MacMillan.
There is much to be thankful for this year. Amidst everything going on, music still brings us together and reminds us to be grateful for the many blessings we share. Though we "gather together" virtually, we are together in spirit.
Play the entire list HERE. or sample each piece in the player below.
Miss Gabby tells a little news about Sunday School and gives calming prayers before telling the story of Jonah.
Here is a simple craft for children to choose for their response time after the Godly Play videos if they so choose.
Local nonprofit helps La Jolla restaurant worker access care for multiple sclerosis  Caption for Photo in Graphics/Outreach: Edgar Uribe (left) stands with Piatti customer Martha Ehringer and Jesse Vigil of Big Table, which helped Uribe access treatment for his multiple sclerosis. By Elisabeth Frausto, Staff, La Jolla Light Writer
Nov. 9, 2020 La Jolla restaurant employee Edgar Uribe has multiple sclerosis that went untreated for a decade, until a local nonprofit stepped in to connect him with the care he needed. Uribe, a busser at Piatti in The Shores for eight of his 10 years at the restaurant, has been receiving medical care facilitated and paid for by Big Table, a faith-based nonprofit that works to connect workers in the food service and hotel industries with whatever assistance they need. Uribe said his MS “didn’t get really bad until last year.” He tried to find treatment, which proved difficult due to his citizenship status, he said. “I didn’t get any help.” Uribe was referred to Big Table through Piatti guest Martha Ehringer, who complimented Uribe’s hard work to the restaurant’s manager, Tom Spano. Uribe was “charming, sweet and helpful,” she said. When she learned of Uribe’s MS, Ehringer spoke to Spano about referring him to Big Table, which she had just learned about as outreach chairwoman for St. James by-the-Sea Episcopal Church. Jesse Vigil, city director for the San Diego chapter of Big Table, said Spano submitted the referral for Uribe. Big Table, which has an office in Pacific Beach, does not accept self-referrals. Uribe “is a great guy,” Spano said. “He works as hard as he can; he’s a good person in and out. We hope his MS can be halted, if not reversed.” Big Table “got me a doctor, who prescribed steroids,” Uribe said, which “calm down my nervous system.” Read the whole article HERE.
Alex Benestelli talks with organ builder, Manuel Rosales, during a recent trip to Los Angeles. Visits included recent Rosales organ consoles at St. Thomas' of Canterbury, Long Beach, St. Paul the Apostle, Westwood, St. James' in-the-City, and First Church of Christ, Scientist in Pasadena.
The organ console, the place where the organist sits at the keyboards, is highly customizable. Rosales described the important ideas to consider, including thoughts on the draw-knobs, keyboards, digital display, piston layout, and even the selection of wood. Using feedback from this visit, the Rosales/Parsons team will do draft drawings of our new organ console, and we will work together to refine our ideas into a final concept.
Music: Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Words: George Herbert (1595-1633) To listen to the full Five Mystical Songs click HERE. |
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