On Monday afternoon, our long time custodian at Pine Street Church, June Ferguson, passed into the Church Eternal. All of us on the staff are saddened by this passing, even though we knew it would be coming some time in the not too distant future. As with anyone we love, we would have preferred to Read more
Early in May, the Chamber Singers and I presented a service of Choral Evensong in celebration of the Feast of the Ascension. As always, it was a beautiful service, and adorned with some of the best music written to help bring these prayers and scriptures to life. We use the version of Evensong found in Read more
In the past few weeks I’ve been thinking about Harry Emerson Fosdick’s beautiful hymn text, “God of Grace and God of Glory” which he wrote in 1930, the same year he presided over the opening of the Riverside Church in New York City as its first pastor. Fosdick, who had been a Presbyterian came close Read more
For hundreds of years, cathedrals and churches of the Anglican Communion have called worshipers to Evening Prayer with these words. Dating back beyond the historic Prayer Book of 1662, Evening Prayer was adapted from the canonical hour of Vespers practiced in the Roman Communion … one of three such prayer hours kept by the Church Read more
Last week, while the eyes of the nation were on the events surrounding the tragedy at the Boston Marathon, and the disastrous fire and explosion of the fertilizer plant in the town of West, Texas … a well-known musician passed into the Church Eternal. George Beverly Shea, Billy Graham’s friend and soloist for some sixty Read more
In the past week we have witnessed one of the truly unique events in Christianity … the election and investiture of a new Bishop of Rome … Pope Francis … the man who will now walk in the shoes of the fisherman. For those of you who are thoroughly Protestant … it is believed that Read more
Last Sunday we began the year-long celebration of the thirtieth anniversary of the founding of Downtown Daily Bread. And it was a wonderful morning at Pine Street. The eleven o’clock worship hour was well attended, and the luncheon and program that followed made for a great kick-off event for this historic moment. Congratulations to the Read more
I recently read an article about Chartres Cathedral in France. This great church whose construction began in 1193 and continued for a century is noted for its great architecture, stained glass and music … all of which may well be ‘standard of the world’ class. It interested me to note that beginning in the 13th Read more
WOW! Where did it go? A few days ago I quietly celebrated my fifteenth anniversary as Organist-Choirmaster of Pine Street Church. And really, all I can say is, ‘Where did it go?’ They say time flies when you’re having fun, and maybe that’s the case here, because I still delight in this place … its Read more
I want to apologize to those of you who have been good enough to read this blog over the last year or so for the absence of said blog over the past couple of months. I’m afraid the crunch of the Christmas holidays got to me this year, and something had to give … and Read more
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