dual personalities

Tag: Evensong

August 5, 2012

Going up yonder

by chuckofish

Last Sunday daughter #1 and I went to the Choral Evensong service at my church Grace Episcopal. This service was the culmination of the Royal School of Church Music summer camp and the music was all performed by the children who attended the camp. The boy went to this for several years and was a proctor there once or twice as well. It was a lovely service and the large choir of young voices was a treat to hear.

This was my favorite song–“I’m Going Up Yonder” by Walter Hawkins. Although I love the traditional Anglican chants et al, this was a wonderful selection. And I admit–I had to get the Kleenex out. Turn up the volume and listen to the whole thing. (And thank you to whoever posted this on Youtube.)

If anybody asks you
Where I’m going
Where I’m going soon

I’m goin’ up yonder
I’m goin’ up yonder
I’m goin’ up yonder
To be with my Lord

If can take the pain
The heartache that it  brings
There’s comfort that in knowing
I’ll soon be home

If God gives me grace
I’ll run this race
And soon I’ll see my Savior
Face to face

I’m goin’ up yonder
I’m goin’ up yonder
I’m goin’ up yonder
To be with my Lord

If anybody asks you
Where I’m going
Where I’m going soon
Goin’ home

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January 7, 2012

Westward leading, still proceeding

by chuckofish

Thursday night I went to the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ Evensong at Grace Church. It was a lovely respite during a busy and stressful week. The church was still decorated with white poinsettias and trees with white twinkly lights. The three wise men had joined the rest of the creche figurines before the altar. And we got to sing “We Three Kings”–always a favorite. I remember learning it for my first Christmas Pageant, which was held actually at my school (back in the good old days). The Junior Kindergartners made up the “choir”. We wore freshly-ironed white cottas with big red bows and carried these neat flash-light candles. We sang in the near-dark. It was very mysterious and cool. And “We Three Kings” was a very mysterious and cool hymn. All that traversing afar, over field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star. Not to mention that dramatic ohhhhh-ohhhh-ing into the refrain! Then there is that fourth verse:

Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume
breathes a life of gathering gloom;
sorrowing, sighing,
bleeding, dying,
sealed in the stone-cold tomb.

Awesomely descriptive and creepy. I can honestly say that was the best pageant I was ever in. The next year, as a Senior Kindergartner, I was given a part (with a solo) so it was much more stressful. I was Joseph. (Yes, I went to an all-girls’ school.) My best friend, Trudy Glick, played the Innkeeper, and we could barely contain our hilarity during our important conversational exchange concerning the lack of room at the inn. Oh well. At least I didn’t faint, like my good friend Harriet who played an angel. And I made it (tremulously I’m sure) through my solo.

Good times. Were you ever in a Christmas pageant?

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