Pew Sheet – 2nd January 2022

The Rector writes ‘I’m so sorry that I can’t be with you at the Services in person this morning but unfortunately all of us in the Rectory have to isolate due to Covid-19.        I would like to wish each one of you all a peaceful New Year and I hope and pray that 2022 will prove to be a better year for us all than the last two years. We are a resilient community and with the grace of God, we will get through all that this Pandemic has to throw at us.   

We have now begun, as a parish, to read the whole Bible in one year so don’t forget that there will be an optional  Zoom gathering at 8pm each Wednesday night where I can hopefully answer any questions you might have about the bits you have read in that week (Covid can’t stop me hosting that!).

I have sent the link for this weekly meeting in a previous email but let me know if you need the link again and I can email it to you. I look forward to seeing you virtually until I can see you in person again. Happy New Year to you all! ’

Music Notes 02/01/2022

Hymns at St Mary’s

128    Hills of the North

202    What child is this?

172    O come all ye faithful

Our first hymn today has a fine melody, written by Martin Shaw (1875-1958).

Shaw was the son of a church organist at Hampstead in London. He too became an organist and composer and he became associated with the movement to reform English church music at the turn of the twentieth century.

He worked with Percy Dearmer and Vaughan Williams on the hymn book Songs of Praise which appeared in 1925. They were keen to move away from the Victorian style of tune which Shaw likened to ‘overripe bananas’. They sought to produce beautiful, simple hymn tunes with texts free from overblown language. 

Look out for a feature on the parish Facebook page next week. The first Monday of each month will feature a short video interview with someone from the pipe organ community. I will be talking to organists, organ builders, organ maintenance specialists, and many others. The first interview is with someone who will be well known to many of you, having been an organist in Cork for many years.

Tune in on Monday to find out who that might be!

Bébhinn 087 228 5965

bebhinnmuire@gmail.com