Pew Sheet – 17th October, 2021

The Deacon writes ‘As we prepare to move to the next phase of the relaxation of Covid rules and guidelines we have to keep up our personal awareness of those around us. We will all have to take personal responsibility for our own care as we go about our daily routines. In doing this we have to remember there are those around us who for many reasons have not been vaccinated and therefore are more vulnerable to infection. This group includes those who through illness or allergies are unable to be vaccinated so we all have to do all we can to minimise risk of Covid transmission. As we await the Government guidelines which we expect to be issued in the coming weeks, we will have to consider all the medical guidelines accompanying this to determine our next moves as a parish community. We are I am sure, all looking forward to being able socialise and meeting up as a community together again outside church. In anticipation of this we will have to be patient with each other and respect that there will be those among us who will have some reluctance to getting together; which for very personal reasons may not be shared. It is important that we respect individual wishes and concerns and do not inadvertently encourage each other to do something we may not be comfortable doing. Let us be patient with each other as get back together as a community socialising.’

Music Notes 17-10-21

Hymns at St Mary’s

105 O the deep, deep love of Jesus

513 O Christ, the Healer

13 God moves in a mysterious way

Our first hymn today is sung to a tune named Ebenezer. It is named after the Ebenezer Chapel in Rhos, Glamorganshire in Wales. The composer of the tune, Thomas John Williams, was a regular worshipper there and published this hymn in 1897. He worked as an insurance man and played organ at several Baptist chapels. The tune was probably harmonised by Ralph Vaughan Williams, who included it in the Church Hymnal of 1906. He described Ebenezer as ‘amongst the world’s one hundred finest tunes’. It was known as ‘The Bottle Tune’ for a time as a story spread that it had been found in a bottle on a beach! The text, written by Samuel Trevor Francis, is full of images of the sea ‘vast, unmeasured, boundless, free’.

We hope to have hymn singing in the gallery by a small group of singers soon. If you would like to be on the rota don’t forget to contact me. Hymn requests and suggestions always welcome too.

Bébhinn

087 228 5965

bebhinnmuire@gmail.com