THE MUSIC MINISTRY OF COLONIAL HEIGHTS UMC!

NOVEMBER 1, 2009

Music Notes
Hanging of the Green Antiquity
Choral Music

Sunday, November 29, 5:00 PM, light re!eshments
The Hanging of the Greens is
a British winter tradition whose
origins pre-date the Christian era.
Greenery was used to lift
people's spirits during the long
winter and remind them that
spring was not far away. When
Christianity spread across
Europe, holly became
synonymous with the word
"holy” and invokes great
symbolism. These seasons are
still changing and growing as old
customs are refined and new
traditions begin. Both in the
home and in the church, many of
our rituals find their origins in
customs outside
Christianity. Converts
bring these customs
to Advent and
Christmas. There
should be no qualms
when employing
these customs for they, along
with the people that introduce
them, are baptized into
Christianity. These celebrations
are laid at the feet of the Christ
Child as gifts from his people.
We are “Hanging the Green”
on Sunday evening, November
22, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM. Let’s
assemble in the Ministry Center
for light refreshments and then
begin the preparations to
decorate our church and prepare
our hearts. The more we have to
help, the faster and easier it will
be to begin this Advent season.
Join the “Brown Baggers’
Bible Bunch Advent study on
Mondays during Advent in
December at noon. Bring a bible,
a bag lunch and we provide a
soup and drink. We also have a
study guide to accompany the
study. This is an in-depth study
and requires prayer, study and an
open mind as we approach the
scriptures of Advent/Christmas.
The oldest choral repertory that survives is
that of ancient Greece, of which the 2c BCE
Delphic hymns and the 2c CE hymns of
Mesomedes are the most complete. The
original Greek chorus sang its part in Greek
drama, and fragments of works by Euripides
(Orestes) and Sophocles (Ajax) are known
from papyri. One of the latest examples,
Oxyrhynchus hymn (3c) is also of interest as
the earliest Christian music.
Medieval music
The earliest notated music of western
Europe is Gregorian Chant, along with a few
other types of chant which were later
subsumed (or sometimes suppressed) by
the Catholic Church. This tradition of unison
choir singing lasted from sometime between
the times of St. Ambrose (4c) and Gregory
the Great (6c) up to the present. During the
later Middle Ages, a new type of singing
involving multiple melodic parts, called
organum, became predominant
for certain functions, but initially
this polyphony was only sung
by soloists. Further
developments of this technique
included the motet, which,
unlike the Renaissance motet,
describes a composition with
different texts sung
simultaneously in different
voices. The first evidence of
polyphony with more than one
singer per part comes in the Old Hall
Manuscript (1420, though containing music
from the late 1300s), in which there are
apparent divisi, one part dividing into two
simultaneously sounding notes.

CHRIST THE
Pope Pius XI instituted The Feast of Christ the King
in 1925. He connected the denial of Christ as king
to the rise of secularism. At the time secularism
was on the rise, and many Christians were
doubting Christ's authority, as well as the Church's,
and even doubting Christ's existence. Pius XI, and
the rest of the Christian world, witnessed the rise of
dictatorships in Europe, and saw Christians being
taken in by these earthly leaders. The Feast of
Christ the King was instituted during a time when
respect for Christ and the Church was waning. In
fact, it is still needed today, as these problems have
not vanished. Pius hoped the institution of the feast
would have various effects.
1.That nations would see that the Church has the
right to freedom, and immunity from the state.
2.That leaders and nations would see that they are
bound to give respect to Christ.
3.That the faithful would gain strength and courage
from the celebration of the feast, as we are reminded
that Christ must reign in our hearts, minds, wills, and
bodies.

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 THE MUSIC MINISTRY OF COLONIAL HEIGHTS UMC! NOVEMBER 1, 2009

MEMBER AND FAMILY NEWS because you have to be trusted in

(If you have information to share about order to have friends, get a job, November Anthems
November 1–All Saints Sunday
and to be helped. Nobody wants (Daylight Savings Time
ends)
yo u o r yo u r fa m i l y, p l e a s e s e n d
information in email jimlyon@mac.com. to be like the little boy who cried The Unclouded Day (arr. Clements)
If we inadvertently omit your name on wolf.” Way to go, Elizabeth!
the birthday list or omit information you November 8
CHUMC…Knoxville? This Little Light of Mine (arr. Johnson)
have submitted, contact Jim. )
Devin Lyon, past member of November 15
Happy November the Music Ministry, is now the A Lord-Built House (Lentz)
Birthdays pianist at Colonial Heights United November 22–Christ the King/
Jack Garland (11/15), Methodist Church of Knoxville. Thanksgiving Sunday
Ji m Ro l l e r ( 1 1 / 2 2 . He is reunited with the pastor Coronation (Courtney)
When Morning Gilds the Sky
Gerald Gilbert (11/22) under which he had his first (arr.McKechnie) COLONIAL RINGERS
Jim Thoma (11/26) accompanying job, Laura Rasor. Jordan’s Angels (Leavtt)

WOMEN’S ENSEMBLE
Happy Great Grand Baby! Scented and Perfumed for Fall…
Rose Rowland (alto & bell NOT! November 29–1st Sunday of
Please remember that a choir Advent
ringer) and Ken Rowland are Selection from “Canticle of Joy” (Martin)
proud new great grandparents. is a famil y that sits in close Hurry, Shepherds, Run! (Wagner)
Their great grand baby was born proximity. Therefore, forego any WOMEN’S ENSEMBLE
last month. Congratulations! scented deodorant or perfume on
Wednesdays and Sundays. That
Musical Nightmares! will be greatly appreciated by Remember When !
Nancy Locke (alto, bell ringer, those with allergies and sensitive
Women’s Ensemble) related how noses. Thanks.
she is upset with her music Pentecost Banners
director at CHUMC. She was Thanks Time and Again
ready to play bells when Jim begin Make sure to thank all of the
signaling using naval flags. Nancy choir members and others that
thought she was supposed to volunteered to make the Clergy
mimic the motions of the flags Orders’ Day a smoothly run and
and became very angry when Jim impressive victory for our church
began yelling at her. Another this past month. Over 70 members
ringer related that the night brought food, parked cars, waited
before a performance she dreamt on tables, prepared food and
that she approached the handbell welcomed the 350 ministers that
table and looked down only to find attended. Thanks from pastors are
that she had vegetables in front of still pouring in from across the
her that she was to ring. Who conference for the volunteers of
knew that ringing bells causes our church and how well-run the
nightmares? Such are the dreams day was handled.
of Handbell Ringers!
Trustworthy Writer NOTE: Jim wi& be on vacation
Elizabeth Kelso, a member of Oct. 28–Nov. 8. There will be no
Sunday Night Live! Children’s rehearsals except Front Porch on Oct. During the last huge layoff at
Mu s i c , a n s w e r e d a w r i t i n g 28. We can help in CHUMC’s “Trunk Eastman and surrounding
assignment in the Kingsport or Treat.” A& other rehearsals wi& companies, we hosted a
Times-News in the “Write On! occur and normal Wed. rehearsal “Good Grief ” seminar for
Young Voices Speak.” She stated, schedule resumes on November 4. the community.
“It is important to be trustworthy Thanks.

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