All Saints’ Day Remembrance Invitation

On Sunday, November 3, 2024 St. Martin’s will observe All Saints Day by reading a necrology, or a list of the names of those who have recently died. Included in this list are those who have been prayed for in the Prayers of the People, those who are interred in the St. Martin’s columbaria or who have been buried from this parish since last All Saints Day.

If your loved one would not be listed among these and you would like to have the name of your loved read in this year’s necrology, email the name to stmartin@stmartinschurch.org by Wednesday, October 30.

Fill a Thanksgiving Bag for Circle of Concern

Our outreach committee will distribute grocery bags tomorrow, Sunday Oct. 27 with an attached list of items needed by Circle of Concern for a Thanksgiving meal. Please pick up a bag--or TWO!-- fill it, and return it by Nov. 10 to be delivered to Circle.

Music Notes from Denise, October 26, 2024

This Sunday our readings take a more optimistic direction. In Job 42, the Lord restores Job’s fortunes after Job declares the omnipresence of God’s goodness. Our Psalm 34 begins I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall ever be in my mouth. Our Processional hymn will be Praise, my soul, the King of heaven, written by Henry Francis Lyte in 1834 to John Goss’ tune Lauda Anima (Latin for “Praise, my soul”) In the mid-19 century, the pressure was on hymn writers to keep their versifications of psalms as close to the Scriptural text as possible. Henry F. Lyte would have none of this however, and boldly published a book of psalm paraphrases entitled Spirit of the Psalms. Lyte decided he could maintain the spirit of these beautiful texts while still using his own words, probably with the intention of making the reader see the psalms in a new light. One such paraphrase is “Praise, my Soul, the King of Heaven.” Lyte’s text speaks to the love of God and our dependence on God in a clear and imaginative way. Think of what might happen if we woke up every day with these words on our lips: “Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, evermore His praises sing.” How would our lives change if we walked through our days singing “Alleluia!” or through our times of sorrow declaring that we rest in the gentle hand of God? This is a text with beautiful imagery and thoughtful prose that gives us words to praise our God with heart, mind, and soul. (Hymnary.org)

Our Sequence hymn, Taste and See, is also a paraphrase of Psalm 34: Taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are they who trust in him! It was written in 1983 by Dr. James E. Moore Jr. (1951-2022) who became one of several notable composers in the Black Catholic Movement bringing Black gospel style to Catholic hymnody. In the 1970s and 80s, Moore served as professor of liturgy and music at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology in Cincinnati. He also  toured with choirs across Europe and settled in Vienna, Austria in 1984. This hymn has become popular among Catholic and Episcopalian congregations since. (BlackCatholicMessenger.org)

Both our Communion hymn and Final hymn will illustrate our Gospel reading in Mark 10 when Jesus responds to Bartimaeus, a blind beggar: What do you want me to do for you?”…the blind man said…”My teacher, let me see again.” Jesus said ”Go; your faith has made you well.” Our Communion hymn will be We come to you for healing, Lord written by Rev. Dr. Herman G Stuempfle (1923-2007). He served as the President of the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, PA. He also wrote many hymns and was known for taking an active stance on social issues. This hymn brings the idea of healing into the present as we develop our faith and trust in God to support us in our daily lives. (hymnary.org) The Final hymn will be Amazing Grace!, which describes how our faith in God has provided healing and support, just as Bartimaeus found.

For the Offertory, St. Martin’s Choir will sing a new anthem in honor of our Stewardship campaign, A Giving Place, words by Joseph M. Martin and music by Heather Sorenson. This beautifully expressive anthem reminds us to create a welcoming space for all. The final verse affirms our voices as we speak to the heart of our ministry.

Lord, make this church a giving place, a house of prayer, a sacred space,

A chapel of Your boundless grace. Lord, make this church giving place.

Lord, make this church an open door, where every word redeems, restores,

A healing room for evermore. Lord, make this church an open door.

Lord, build this church with broken hearts, on fragile jars of clay.

Through wounded windows shine Your light in a thousand glorious ways.

Lord, make this church a light of hope, a beacon bright, a welcome home,

A gathering where Your love is shown. Lord make this church a giving place.

                                                (2024 Shawnee Press by Hal Leonard LLC)

May we find our own call to reach out to each other and especially support the mission of St. Martin’s by turning in a Pledge of Giving for the coming year. Our Music Ministry relies upon your willingness to give of both your time and money to support the music that has become an integral part of our church.