Music for Sunday 3 April

St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne.

This week marks the mid-point in Lent.  My Latin-rite friends will no doubt have been looking forward to this week, with the Laetare chant for the introit being just one of the delights of this Sunday -- along with pink (*ahem* ROSE) vestments.  The change of colour indicates that the rigours of the fast are lifted a little, and you can begin to see the end of the season lurking in the mists.

In Anglicanism, this Sunday has come to be known as Mothering Sunday.  Among the customs observed at this time is the baking, blessing and sharing of Simnel Cake, making a gift of flowers to women in the congregation, and generally touching base with one's mother.  In England, this Sunday is Mother's Day; in the antipodes we have to wait until May.

Other customs include making a visit to the cathedral, or mother church, of one's diocese.  If you only go once a year, it might as well be to evensong this week -- check out the music offerings in your local cathedral to see what's happening.  Then turn up and enjoy something of the experience, even if the lack of incense leaves you feeling less than satisfied, or the preaching too "mainline" for your liking.

But back to the parish pump...

Readings for the week are linked here.  The psalm setting is a home-cooked affair.

The service setting at St George's will be Michael Dudman's Parish Eucharist (Together in Song, 756).  At All Saints the setting will be plainsong, led by the choir.

Hymns are as follows:

Introit: O for a thousand tongues to sing [210, tune 425]
Sequence: The king of love my shepherd is [145]
Offertory: Just as I am, without one plea [584 i]
Communion: Amazing grace, how sweet the sound [129]