Lent 1 - San Francisco

St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Grace Cathedral (Anglican), San Francisco

ST MARK's LUTHERAN CHURCH
We attended the Choral Eucharist at St. Marks' Lutheran Church, a parish very similar to Mount Olive: in town, musical/liturgical, and open. It's a 100+ year-old building which had recently been refurbished after the earthquake. It's a beautiful space - wrapping around on the sides to give the feeling of gathering "around" word and table. The rear balcony also wrapped around about a third of the way - which gave more of a sense of the choir being "with the people" in their leadership since they'd be kind of next to us instead of behind us, yet for their anthem they would move the center, rear. One reading desk, central altar, font in the back. Everything very bright, and very beautiful.

The ligurgy was a wonderful experience, many things learned as a worshipper. They began the service with the Litany, processing around the nave as we sang. (making the same musical mistakes everyone does - thought we fixed those with ELW!). The people were engaged, and we had company in song - which does the most to bring others into the song. I still believe that to be the case with everything in liturgy: the people's action speaks the meaningfulness and depth of their faith more than any words. "Words of welcome" really don't. Action and song does. There were about 100 people in attendance, including a former tenor from the National Lutheran Choir! Quite diverse, obviously committed.

We sang setting five from ELW for the ordinary, and several hymns. The Psalmody used a new setting from a resource Augsburg recently published. The congregation sang only the antiphon, the verses were sung by the choir. (I still prefer to have the people sing these ancient and important songs of the church themselves). The choir thoughtfully did interesting things with the verses, however, alternating between two soloists, a quartet, and the whole choir singing anglican chant style. The cantor chose who among those options relative to the text. Something to take home!

The choir sang William Walton's "A Litany" with the text "Drop, drop slow tears" - a beautiful text very appropriate. A very clean sound - with a choir about the same size as Mount Olive. Clearly, however, their role was firstly liturgical and they did that very well.

The Communion had a huge paragraph about "what and who" was done and/or allowed, with verbage in addition. SCARY! We really loved that Grace Cathedral had simply said in their service folder at the disbribution - one sentence, and very clear (and open). With regard to instructions or anything else NOT a part of the liturgy: less is more.

After a wonderful postlude on the new Taylor and Boody organ, "Litanies" by Alain, we looked for a place to have brunch. Note to self: let's provide a sheet for ideas for post-Eucharist eatage for folks from out of town!

GRACE CATHEDRAL - a Lent Procession Service at 3:00

Another beautiful service, although very few in attendance. Around 30 total beside the choir. (And, literally "beside" as we sat in the Choir with them). It is a lovely Anglican space, very large with acoustics to match. The organ is a large Aeolian Skinner which is all over the room, and works extremely well - especially in the Anglican tradition. The choir is about 24 singers, half of which are the boy sopranos. A lovely sound, although rough in the details of ensemble.

It was a lessons and hymns structure, with four lessons each followed by an anthem and hymn. they sang literature by Byrd (Civitas sancti), Walton (Drop drop slow tears), Victoria (Domine non sum dignus) , Herbert Howels (Like as the hart), and a mystery piece not cited in the bulletin. Sounded like Pary. The Howels especially touch me, beautifully done. All four were pieces I'd like to include in either NLC or Mount Olive.

To end the service, we sang the Great Litany in procession to the Baptismal font for the closing prayers. There is a labyrinth near the font, and a person using that in meditation was suddenly surrounded by a full procession of 6 clergy, cross, torches, choir, and 30 congregants! Didn't seem to rattle her, she just kind of froze and waited to finish. The congregation sang (a zillion times) one of two simple responses - which the choir embellished harmonically in various ways - very effective. Another trick to take home.

Much was learned - both things to emulate, and things we can avoid in our context. More on that when I return......

Over and out - Agent Cherwien