Friday, August 25, 2017

An eNote from Nancy

Greetings, Church Family!

My husband Lin and I always say how grateful we are to return from vacation and be excited about returning to our work. If you’ve ever had a job you dreaded, then you will know what a joy it is when that is not the situation! Thank you for your greetings this week, your kind words about moving Sophie to college, and know I am grateful to be back home with you.

It’s Bach-to-School Sunday! Bring your backpacks, briefcases, and computer bags, placing them on the stairs around the altar prior to the beginning of worship. Then, during the Children’s Message, we will learn one of J.S. Bach’s most famous tunes, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, to the words of a Psalm in the back of our hymnal. If you’d like to practice the tune, here’s a quick recording of it (you’ll recognize it’s often played at weddings these days): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwWL8Y-qsJg

Just in case you’re interested, here’s a little more information on the tune and Bach’s teaching life. Bach actually took the tune from German composer Johann Schop and made it more well known with his harmonization in his 1723 Advent Cantata BWV 147. Bach was the Cantor (Music Director) at St. Thomas Church, a Lutheran church in Leipzig, German, from 1723 until his death in 1750. A part of this role was teaching at the St. Thomas School, founded along with the church in the 13th century. Boy choristers (choir members) attended and lived at the school. Can you imagine going back to a school with these kinds of roots?!? Can you imagine Bach as your choir director? Can you imagine Lee or Nolan in one of those wigs?!?

If you’d like to listen to some of 1080 compositions (yes, he was a busy man!), there’s a neat website that posts a new recording each Friday: http://allofbach.com/en/

We are all on a lifelong learning journey with God, and I look forward to being back in worship with you this Sunday, growing and learning together.

Rev. Nancy Walton