Hymn of the Day: “Jesus, Come! For We Invite You” ELW 312
Text: Christopher Idle (1938)
Tune: UNION SEMINARY, Harold Friedell (1905-1958)
In 1979 Christopher Idle, a priest of the Anglican Church, wrote “Jesus, come! for we invite you” to complement the story of Cana. In this splendid text, we ask to be transformed, to become a new creation, to receive more than we can imagine. The second stanza includes a reference to Christ’s gifts, which connects well with today’s second reading and at holy communion, in stanza 4, we ask to taste God’s love. (Gail Ramshaw)
Christopher Martin Idle was ordained in the Church of England. He recently returned to London, where he is involved in various hymnal projects. He is a prolific author of articles on the Christian's public responsibilities.
Harold Friedell was an American organist, choirmaster, teacher, and composer. After completing his studies he served as organist and master of the choir at Saint Bartholomew’s Church (New York). Friedell also taught on the faculty of the Union Theological Seminary School of Sacred Music. As a composer, Friedell composed works for organ, orchestra, and choir, as well as hymn tunes, descants, and music for solo voice. Friedell composed the choral anthem "Draw us in the Spirit's Tether" in 1949, from which the hymn tune "Union Seminary" was taken."
Offertory Anthem: “Star in the East” Frank Pesci (1974)
Many are familiar with this text, “Brightest and Best” found most frequently paired, as it is in the ELW, with MORNINGSTAR. Frank Pesci has chosen the text set to STAR IN THE EAST from Southern Harmony, 1835. Regardless of the tune, few hymns of merit have troubled compilers more than this one. Some have held that its use involved the worshipping of a star, whilst others have been offended with its meter as being too suggestive of a solemn dance. Cotterill gave it in the 8th edition, 1819, of his Selection and omitted it from the 9th, 1820; and Elliott, following the example in detail, had it in his 1st edition Psalms and Hymns, 1835, and dropped it from the 2nd, which others have done much the same. It has, however, survived these changes, and has become one of the most widely used of Reginald Heber’s hymns.
Born in Washington, D.C., Frank Pesci has studied composition with Luigi Zaninelli and John Heiss. His sacred works include three dozen motets, sacred songs, works for children, and three Mass settings. As a professional liturgical musician, he sang at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in D.C. and Trinity Church Boston, under Leo Nestor and Marilyn Keiser, and led music programs in Mississippi and Massachusetts. Frank has worked for education and performing arts non-profits throughout the mid-Atlantic and New England. He is currently the Executive Director of the New Hampshire Music Festival and Associate Artistic Director of Boston Opera Collaborative.
Cold on His cradle the dewdrops are shining;
Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall;
Angels adore Him in slumber reclining,
Maker and Monarch and Savior of all!
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us Thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
Vainly we offer each ample oblation,
vainly with gifts would his favor secure.
Richer by far is the heart's adoration,
dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us Thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid.
Opening Voluntary: Soul, Adorn Yourself with Gladness--Aaron David Miller (1972)
“Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele” (Deck Thyself, My Soul) is a German Lutheran communion hymn, written by the poet Johann Franck and the composer Johann Crüger in 1649. Many composers have set the tune for organ, including J S. Bach, who in BWV 180 “adorns” the melody with ornamentation. Here the American organist and composer, Aaron David Miller, creates his own ornamented version of this tune.
The original of the beautifully ornamented tune represents a second collaboration of music and text by Johann Crüger and Johann Franck. Johann Crüger composed SCHMÜCKE DICH and first published the tune as a setting for the first stanza of the SCHMÜCKE DICH text by Johann Franck. The tune name is the incipit of the original German text. Johann S. Bach used this tune in his Cantata 180; he and many other composers have written organ preludes on the melody.
Aaron David Miller is noted for his highly imaginative and creative style, found in his performances, improvisations and compositions. He serves as the Director of Music and Organist at House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, Minnesota and maintains an active recital schedule. He is a forensic musicologist for Donato Music in Scarsdale, NY.
Closing Voluntary: “Now”, Michael Helman (1956)
Today’s Closing Voluntary is based on the hymn tune, “Now” by Carl F. Schalk (1929 - 2021) He was professor of music at Concordia University, River Forest, Illinois, where he taught church music since 1965. Honored as a Fellow of the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada in 1992, Schalk was editor of the Church Music journal (1966-1980), a member of the committee that prepared the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), and a widely published composer of church music.
Michael Helman is currently Director of Music/Organist at Faith Presbyterian Church in Cape Coral, Florida. He is an active composer of handbell, organ, and choral music with numerous pieces pieces in print.