October 29, 2023

The organ prelude is a setting of the Irish tune "St. Columba", by Henry G. Ley (1887-1962), an English composer and teacher. The hymn is well loved and is 645 in our hymnal.

Our processional hymn is the 20th century hymn (including text), "Father eternal, Ruler of creation", 573. We will sing verses 1, 2, and 5.

The tune for our Gospel hymn is an old -- but very familiar -- German tune, 596, "Judge eternal, throned in splendor". You will note perhaps that the text is more recent.

We have a number of choristers out of town this weekend, and so we will sing a congregational hymn at the offertory. This may also be considered fitting since the two services are combined. The hymn is one of the most well known, "Rock of ages, cleft for me", 685.

At the beginning of communion, Audy Walker will sing Joseph Haydn's "When I Think Upon Thy Goodness". Haydn (1732-1809) is sometimes overlooked as a great composer, but that he was, being known as "the father of the symphony" (he wrote over 100), and also the father of the string quartet. You probably have heard his choral work, "The Creation"; his keyboard works are extensive also. It is interesting that he and Mozart were friends and that he taught Beethoven.

The communion hymns, 683 and 348, I think are both familiar.

Closing, we will sing what I "know" is a favorite of many, "Jesus shall reign", 544; note in the hymnal how long this hymn has been around!

The postlude is a Paul Manz setting of hymn 412, "Earth and All Stars", a hymn appropriate for the day. Everything is 20th century -- the text, the hymn tune (by David Johnson), and the setting by Mr. Manz.