You Never Know Who Will Show Up For Worship on a Saturday Night in Advent

Join us on the first and third Saturday of each month for our casual/contemporary service. We sometimes cancel this service in the event of a holiday, so feel free to check with me during the week! Tony

A Vocal Recital You Do Not Want to Miss This Sunday!

Lindsey Tuller is doing a vocal recital in Taliaferro at St. John's Cathedral this Sunday at 3:00 p.m. Her voice is no stranger to St. Mark's. In 2007 she sang the soprano arias from J.S. Bach's cantata "Wachet auf ruft uns die Stimme." You will recall that, when she sang, the room was filled not only with her amazing voice but with the spirit of a woman who loves to sing.

Last September she appeared with the San Marco Chamber Music Society along with her husband Tim Tuller. She sang several works, but I especially enjoyed the three songs by Frank Bridge.

Other musicians appearing at this recital are Collin Patierno (guitar), Timothy Tuller (piano), and our own Ellen Olson (viola).

From Ms. Tuller's Facebook Event Page:
Enjoy the impressionistic vibes of Frank Bridge, the soothing & familiar tones of Charles Ives & Harry Burliegh, the avant garde beginnings of George Crumb, an expressionistic glimpse into Arnold Schoenberg's atonality and the haunting melodies & fiery passion of the great classical composer Manuel de Falla; An experience you will not want to miss.

A reception follows. You don't want to miss this event!!

All Saints Day at St. Mark's

This year we observed All Saints Day by inviting people to come forward and light a candle in memory of a loved one. We also specifically remembered the saints from St. Mark's who have joined the church triumphant since the last All Saints Day. They were Ruby Baacke Iisager (1923 - 2009), Najla J. Ayoub (1914-2010) Argene "Mittie" Betz (1914-2010), Bruce Reymond (1929-2010) and Mattie Ruth "Coonie" Krantz Smith (1921-2010). In addition to remembering these saints, we celebrated three new saints baptized in the last year!

Almighty God, you have knit your people together in one communion in the mystical body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in lives of faith and commitment, and to know the inexpressible joys you have prepared for those who love you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. - Evangelical Lutheran Worship

Angels Spotted in the Choir Loft!!

Early last week, two angels showed up in the choir loft. I guess they had left their wings in heaven and exchanged them for a vacuum cleaner, broom, and other cleaning supplies. The choir loft in the nave got a complete makeover and it is now sparkling like new! They vacummed the chair cushions, cleaned the floor, and dusted the piano.
Thank you Margaret and Viki!

San Marco Chamber Music Society JDRF Benefit Results

The San Marco Chamber Music Society held its annual concert of chamber music to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund on September 12th. Along with Eric and Ellen Olson, Tim Tuller and Lindsey Tuller presented a varied concert with works by Szewczyk, Brahms, Krebs, Bridge, Mullikin, and Bach. The entire concert was wonderful, but I have to confess the three songs by Frank Bridge (1833-1879) were my favorite - perhaps because I'd never heard them before.

Contributions from individuals were $1,896.00. A matching gift of $500.00 from Thrivent Financial For Lutherans brought the total amount raised to $2,396.00!

Did you miss SMCMS's first concert of the season? Then you won't want to miss future concerts on 1/16/2011 (Jacksonville Oboists), 2/13/2011 (Strings and Flute), and 4/3/2011 (Make It a Double). All concerts are at 7:00. There is no admission charge, but an offering will be taken.

St. Mark's is proud to host these outstanding concerts!

Contemporary Worship at St. Mark's

According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, the word “contemporary” refers to something happening, existing, living, or coming into being during the same period of time. When “contemporary” is paired with “worship,” the usual image that comes to mind is worship led by a praise band, words projected on a screen, and multi-media presentations. That is not what the Saturday Casual/Contemporary service looks like at St. Mark’s. (Please understand, I am NOT speaking against anyone’s preferred style of worship or any church’s liturgy. I am simply stating that we have taken a different path.)

Lutheran worship “stands unashamedly in the liturgical tradition.” (Association of Lutheran Church Musicians Statement on Worship and Music) This means we will always have the elements of Gathering, Word, Table, and Sending. It also means that we will follow a lectionary – a prescribed series of readings that support and illuminate the church calendar.

So, what is contemporary about our Saturday service? We are telling our stories through dance, drama, and other artistic means. Congregational song is vitally important, but we are more likely to sing something written by David Haas or Marty Haugen (and other contemporary hymn writers) than something written by Isaac Watts. Along with hymns, we are also using “praise choruses.” We are “playing” with the psalm, sometimes using Isaac Everett’s “The Emergent Psalter” or reading the psalm together with an instrumental “vamp” playing beneath.

We’re also holding services in the gym (aka the fellowship hall), primarily because the nave with its very traditional trappings of stained glass windows, organ pipes and other appointments, has a lot to say about what kind of music and worship styles work best there. In the gym, we have set apart a worship space with colorful banners and the use of lighting. It’s worshipful – and portable!

After the first service was held, one of my favorite parishioners said to me, “Tony, I have to congratulate you on the Saturday service. I hear it’s gone very well. I would never come to Saturday night because that’s just not my thing. . .” A few weeks later, this same woman found herself at the Saturday service and said it was “incredible.”

So there you have it. This is what contemporary worship looks like at St. Mark’s. We worship on the first and third Saturdays of each month. I hope you’ll plan to join us sometime. Feel free to stop at your favorite coffee shop on the way and bring your beverage to church with you. Also, bring a friend.

Looking Ahead to a Special Service in Advent

Lost in the night do the people yet languish,
longing for morning the darkness to vanquish,
plaintively sighing with hearts full of anguish.
Will not day come soon? Will not day come soon?
Nordic hymn translated by Olav Lee, 1859 – 1943
Evangelical Lutheran Worship No. 243

In Advent, while many of us are shopping in crowded malls, attending more than one party each week, and wondering how we could possibly eat one more Christmas cookie, there are people who are unable to participate fully in the joy around them. They are “lost.”

Perhaps they are lost in grief at the prospect of facing a holiday season without a loved one who died earlier in the year - or even many years ago. Perhaps they are lost in the struggle to find employment and somehow provide “christmas” for their family. They could be lost in loneliness, depression, or in the knowledge that old age in advancing on them. There could be any number of reasons and many may be lost in more than one of them.

December 21, also known as the winter solstice, is the longest night of the year. This year, we will observe a “Longest Night” service designed to bring messages of hope and deliverance through the intimacy of prayer and song, shadows and candlelight. Some will say that Tuesday of Christmas week is an odd time to have this service, but since it is right on the cusp of Christmas (when feelings of loss and grief are bound to be at their height) it really is exactly the right time to bring our burdens to Christ.

My brother Adam died at the age of 37 this past April. I’ll be inviting my brothers and sisters to this service. I’m going to invite friends who, as a family, have dealt with breast cancer this year. I’m also going to invite friends who have dealt with recent bitter disappointments.

Do you know someone who might benefit from hearing words that comfort, heal and deliver? Please invite them to this service. Better yet, say, “I’d love to come with you.”

The service will be on Tuesday, December 21st, in the nave.

“Christ is coming soon! Christ is coming soon!”

Contemporary Worship at St. Mark's Coming This Saturday

Our contemporary/casual service is coming this Saturday at 5:30 in the gym/fellowship hall. Come and see the readings presented in dance, drama, and song. Musical styles represented this weekend include calypso, Celtic, and contemporary song.

Banners are being fashioned (see pictures) and they will be used to set apart a section of the gymnasium, creating a space where God's people can gather to worship and pray.

Our contemporary service is held on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month.

This week Moses tells we have two choices: life if we follow God, death if we follow other gods.

Paul challenges Philemon (and us) to treat others as children of God. Jesus tells us that following him will not be easy.

Come to worship on Saturday and bring a friend! All are welcome!

Come Sing In One of Our Choirs!

In his book “Let the People Sing,” David Cherwien describes the climate we should strive to create for congregational singing as “true hospitality in which there is absence of fear of judgment; true, simple and natural communal expression in song.”

One of the ways the church helps create this is environment is by having a group of individuals dedicated to learning, rehearsing, and leading the song – the choir! The primary mission of this trained group of singers is to nurture our most important choir – the assembly!

If you have been considering a role in musical leadership, there are two ways to participate.

A small ensemble leads the singing at our 8:30 service. They meet at 8:00 on Sunday morning in the music suite to rehearse the hymns, service music, and to learn a short piece for the musical offering. We need more voices in this group! If you can read music, that will be a big help, but it isn’t required. See Tony Cruz for more information, or simply show up on Sunday morning, ready to sing!

The Festival Choir sings at the 11:00 service. They rehearse hymns and service music, but also spend time on music that is designed to be sung by a trained choir. In the words of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians Worship Statement: Simple congregational song and music of the highest artistic achievement join together in praise of God and in the proclamation of the Word. This dialogue has long been an important aspect of worship at St. Mark’s. The Festival Choir rehearses in the music suite on Wednesday evening at 7:40, and again on Sunday morning at 10:30. The ability to read music is helpful, but not required. See Tony Cruz or any choir member for more information.

Please join us in one of our choirs!

Photo credit: Bill Daugherty

When Bad Things Happen to Good Organs

It's the call no organist wants to receive in the middle of the night - or in the middle of the day as I did!

"Tony, they've dropped something on the organ and one of the keys broke off."

Naturally, I couldn't stay away. I was at church within a couple of hours where I found a key glued back in place, and not too badly I might add. BUT, two of the WHITE keys in the MIDDLE of the keyboard REFUSED TO SING!

The first person I called was our organ technician, Dave Klug. Dave promised to come on Monday to see what needed to be done. It wasn't that big an issue, really. The weight of the object that fell had cause the contact points beneath the two keys to move so that when a key was played, there was no signal to open the pipe. Easily fixed.

So we had one service played completely on the piano. No big deal and lots of people enjoyed hearing more piano. I could have used another week on that Rheinberger prelude anyway.

Maybe this isn't such a great story, but I really wanted an excuse to post this really picture. The manuals (keyboards) are folded up and back so that the technician has access to what he needs. It's a neat photo - but let's hope we don't have to see it again!

Oh, the answers to your questions. 1. No, the organ does not have a roll-top cover. 2. No, I don't know why.

River City Men's Chorus Encore Performance! August 27th at 8 PM

My name is Tony and I’m a Facebook addict. (Hi Tony!) Well, maybe not an addict, but I do spend a lot of time there and I’ve seen some really interesting things – not the least of which was an invitation to join a men’s choir. I wouldn’t have thought to start a choir on Facebook, but R. Wayne Bailey, Choral Director and Professor at Florida State College Jacksonville, did - and with some pretty stunning results.

The River City Men’s Chorus started as a 6-8 week commitment of rehearsals followed by a single concert. I sang in the Duval County All-City Chorus under Mr. Bailey a very long time ago (1980!) and had always hoped there would be another opportunity, so I said “yes.”

To make it even better, the concert would be a benefit for In The Pink, a non-profit salon/boutique that caters to women living with cancer. You can read more about their work at www.jaxinthepink.com.

The concert featured a choir of about 30 men singing a wide range of musical styles including classical, spiritual and gospel – something for everyone to enjoy. The concert also included performances by other Jacksonville area musicians.

This successful benefit raised over $1,700.00. It was so successful (and so much fun!) that we’re doing it again! See a repeat performance on Friday, August 27th at St. Paul’s by the Sea Episcopal Church (465 11th Ave N in Jacksonville Beach). The concert starts at 8:00 PM and I hope to see you there!

An Artifact Goes Home

One of my long term projects is entering all of the choral anthems in our library into an Excel spreadsheet. This should make it easier to find anthems by title, composer, season, biblical citation, ELW number and many other ways.

As I was working last week, I came across Ralph Vaughan Williams' "O Taste and See." Across the folder was written "July 20, 1970," which I am assuming is the last time this anthem was sung at St. Mark's before it was filed away just like any other piece of music is filed after being sung.

This one, however, was not like any other anthem for stamped boldly across each copy were the words "Hendricks Ave Baptist Church / Jacksonville, 7, Florida." Had this piece of music been on loan to St. Mark's for forty years? It would be kind of embarrassing to try to return it now. Maybe I could just sneak over there, under cover of darkness, and slide it under the choir room door. Maybe they wouldn't even want it back.

Another important piece of this story: just over two years, A fire started in the choir room at HAB, made its way to the sanctuary, and the church burned to the ground just before Christmas. They have since rebuilt a beautiful new worship space with a 60+ rank Schleuter pipe organ.

I sent an email to Tommy S., Minister of Music at Hendricks and asked him what he would like for me to do. What to me was a folder of yellowed anthems, so old they cost 20 cents a piece, was something to treasure. You see, the fire had destroyed the choral library. This piece of music was an artifact of the not-so-distant past, an artifact that will soon be going home.

The Butterly Effect

Today, as I've been making final preparations for the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians Region 2 biennial conference, the butterly effect has been coming to my mind. According to Wikipedia, the butterfly effect is something like this: The way that a butterfly flaps its wings could alter the air around it, and then the atmosphere, in such a manner that the path of a tornado could be altered. That seems a litte far-fetched to me but here is something that doesn't. The more we take the time to learn from each other, and the more we take time to teach each other, we alter the world in which we live.

It's not hard to see how this would happen at a music conference. A conferee may go home with one idea on improving congregational hymn singing that takes such hold in her home church that it changes that community's singing culture forever! A singer in her children's choir grows up to become a church music director and teaches the same method in his churches for years.

A vocalist might hear something about vocation that changes the way he sees his singing completely. Instead of pure art or entertainment, it becomes true worship that draws others in to a closer relationship with God.

You can see where I'm going with this. We are all students and we are all teachers. We all have the potential to be life altering butterflies.

Maybe someday I'll write about how this could have an adverse effect, but for now, I'm excited about what I will learn in the next few days that will change the way I think and work. No matter what your profession is, take time to be a student and a teacher.

We Welcome the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians Region 2

St. Mark’s is hosting region 2 of the Association of Lutheran Church Musicians through Thursday of this coming week. About 45 organists, choir directors, singers, instrumentalists, educators, etc. are expected to be here through Wednesday. There are several events to which you are invited.

Sunday, June 20 at 7:00 PM
A concert by the San Marco Chamber Music Society featuring Eric and Ellen Olson along with pianist/harpsichordist Christine Clark. A reception, sponsored by the St. Mark’s WELCA will follow.

Monday, June 21st at 9:00 AM
Opening Eucharist in the nave at St. Mark’s

Monday, June 21st at 7:00 PM
An organ concert by our conference organist Florence Jowers of Lenoir-Rhyne University. She will play the brand new Schleuter pipe organ at Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church.

Tuesday, June 22nd at 8:30 AM
Morning Prayer with organ and handbells at All Saints Episcopal Church.

Wednesday, June 23rd at 10:30
Closing Eucharist with the conference choir under the direction of Dr. André Thomas from Florida State University.

I hope that you will be able to come to some of these events.

Music for a Funeral

Many of you reading this blog know that my brother Adam recently died. His passing was sudden and unexpected. One morning, while jogging, he collapsed and never regained consciousness. Needless to say, my entire family was (and still is) devastated. When I was asked to serve as the organist for his funeral, I hesitated, but only for a second. Finally, I was grateful to have something to do – something I actually knew about!

The first order of business was to choose the hymns. I had already thought of this and had a few suggestions – three of which were used.

There is a saying in the organist world. If you don’t specify the hymns before you die, you’re going to get “Amazing Grace,” “In the Garden,” and “The Old Rugged Cross.” (Let me stress, there is nothing wrong with ANY of these, especially if they are what someone has requested.)
So these are the hymns and why they were chosen.
First, “Amazing Grace.” I know that conflicts with the last paragraph; but, I chose it because we sang it around Adam’s hospital bed during an intensely moving prayer service. Also, I know that Adam is in God’s care and keeping and that one day, we will all be with Adam “bright shining as the sun” and singing God’s praises together.

The second hymn was “It Is Well With My Soul.” Google the history of this hymn and you’ll learn that the author wrote it in response to the dreadful news that his wife and children had perished when their ship sank en route to America. Adam left three sons behind aged 16, 10, and 6. The first verses speak of sorrow with each one giving away to a refrain of a simple but solid statement of faith. The final verse speaks of the resurrection!

Finally, I chose “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” Adam spent some time in the Lutheran Church, but was baptized in a non-denominational (though Christian) service. At the time he died he was a member of a Presbyterian church. I have to admit I was thinking of Adam’s ancestors when I chose the hymn – hardy Norwegian Lutheran stock they were. If our loved ones meet us when we die, I know that some of those Lutherans were there waiting for him on the other side.

There was other music: Eric and Ellen Olson played the oboe and viola during the prelude, my niece Jessica played a guitar solo that Adam taught her, and Jessica accompanied another niece, Maya, who sang and made us all proud of her voice and poise. Finally, my brother and sister and I sang “Steal Away.”

I guess if this story has a moral, here it is. If you know what hymns you want to have sung at your funeral, then tell someone. I’m sure Adam, being only 37, never thought it was anywhere near the time to share that information. I hope he likes the ones we picked. Rest in peace, dear brother. We love you.

Church Music Celebration: Sunday, May 30th at 3:00

Our annual church music celebration features all of the St. Mark's musical ensembles singing, ringing, and playing their favorite pieces from the past year. That adds up to quite a variety of music for all of the liturgical seasons and includes offerings by the Festival Choir, St. Mark's Ringers, Alleluia Ringers, Kingdom Choir, members of the San Marco Chamber Music Society and the Behind the Pulpit Ensemble.

In this informal setting, you'll hear works by Paul Manz, William Billings, Arnold Sherman and many more. A reception will follow.

This event is free and all are welcome! We hope that you will join us.

Holy Week and Easter Sunday at St. Mark's

Holy Week began on Palm Sunday with our Procession of Palms and our neighbors: Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church and All Saints Episcopal Church. Here are the details for the rest of the week:

Wednesday (3/31/10): Lenten devotion in the nave at 10:30 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. The topic is Holy Communion with readings from scripture and Martin Luther's Catechism.

Maundy Thursday (4/1/2010) at 7:00 p.m. The Festival Choir sings On the Passion of Christ by David H. Williams. Communion follows and then the Stripping of the Altar.

Good Friday at 12:00 noon(4/2/2010): A traditional service from Evangelical Lutheran Worship that we have not done before. (This is NOT the three-hour-long service that many Lutherans will remember from their growing-up years.) The service is devotional in nature, with hymns, prayers, and the Solemn Reproaches.

Good Friday Evening at 7:00 p.m. Our Living Stations of the Cross service combines pageantry, prayers, readings and hymns of Our Lord's Passion by the Festival Choir to create a unique service that you won't want to miss. The Stations of the Cross are depicted in tableau (see the picture above of Jesus Meets His Mother). Invite a friend to experience this with you!

Easter Vigil (Saturday, 4/3/10 at 7:00 p.m.) For centuries Christians have used candlelight, prayers, hymns, and Old Testament readings that tell of God's grace from the time of creation to build anticipation for the cry of "Alleluia!" Our service includes music by the St. Mark's Ringers, Festival Choir, and Kingdom Choir. This is a much abbreviated version of the traditional Easter Vigil which, I'm told, used to last into the wee hours of the morning.

Easter Sunday (Sunday, 4/4/2010 at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m.) "The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!" will be our cry as we remember the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Alleluia Ringers play "Alleluia! Give Thanks!" The Festival Choir sings William Billings' "The Lord Is Risen Indeed" and Eric and Ellen Olson provide selections from Vivaldi's Gloria with the oboe and viola.

All are welcome! Come and See!

Newberry College Singers at St. Mark's on March 7th at 6 PM

Founded in 1932, the Newberry College Singers are a premier auditioned choral ensemble with a rich tradition of singing through excellent performances of choral mastersworks that range from repertoire of the Middle Ages through the 21st century. They will be performing a free concert at St. Mark's on Sunday, March 7th, at 6 PM.

An offering will be taken and all are welcome!

Handbell Weekend 2010

On Friday, Feb. 19, eleven of our handbell ringers and I loaded up the cars and headed for Lutheridge, an ELCA-affiliated conference and retreat center in the mountains near Arden, North Carolina. We had registered for the Intermediate Track and were looking forward to ringing under the direction of clinician Michael Joy.

The schedule was a grueling one that included 10.5 hours of rehearsal time before our concert Sunday morning.

In addition to rehearsals, workshops, and lots of eating (Lutheridge does great meals!), we spent a very pleasant evening with Pastor Bill and Karla Trexler in their beautiful new home. Pastor Trexler served St. Mark's as Pastor from 1979 until 1995 when he was elected Bishop of the Florida-Bahamas synod.

And yes. . .there was SNOW! Pastor Tim explained that most of the snow we were seeing had actually been on the ground since before Christmas. We arrived during a warming spell so it was beginning to melt and make things muddy. (A good thing too. Some of us were nervous about the possibility of having to drive on ice.)

Exhausted but musically refreshed, we started our trek down the mountain on Sunday afternoon at about 2:00. We met for dinner at a Cracker Barrell in Pooler, GA before beginning the final leg of our journey home.

Thanks to everyone who went and drove. Special thanks to Rose and Larry for obtaining the trailer, loading it, and pulling all of our equipment up the mountain! Thank you to Pastor and Karla Trexler for a delicious dinner and wonderful evening!