Music for Baptism of Our Lord: January 12, 2020

Opening Voluntary Chorale Prelude and Chorale on “Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam”     

settings: Friedrich Wilhelm Zachau (prelude), Johann Walther

This hymn by Martin Luther is not included in Evangelical Lutheran Worship so it may not be familiar to many at St. Mark’s. It appears in several hymnals used by other Lutheran churches.

J. S. Bach wrote a cantata based on this tune. It was sung in our very first Bach Vespers service in 1990, and then again in 2016.

Grigory Gagarin ca 1840-1850

To Jordan came the Lord, our Christ,

To do God’s pleasure willing,

And there was by St. John baptized,

All righteousness fulfilling;

There did He consecrate a bath

To wash away transgression,

And quench the bitterness of death

By His own blood and passion.

He would a new life give us.

Martin Luther, Translated by Richard Massie (1854)

Gathering Hymn O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright (Wie schön leuchtet)

ELW 308

Hymn of the Day When Jesus Came to Jordan (King’s Lynn)

ELW 305

Musical Offering Come, Gracious Spirit Alfred V. Fedak

Sung by the Festival Choir

Communion Hymns

O Living Breath of God (Vårvindar friska) ELW 407

Wade in the Water (Wade in the Water) ELW 459

Sending Hymn God, Whose Almighty Word (Italian Hymn)

ELW 673

Closing Voluntary Wie schön leuchtet

setting, Mark Sedio

Reminders of our baptism are all around us.
This one is at a rest stop in North Carolina.

Grigory Gagarin painting: By Grigory Gaagarin - http://lj.rossia.org/users/john_petrov/680833.html#cutid1, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1780791