Image source

Along with many of you, I pray for peace in all the Middle East, and especially in Jerusalem.  My pilgrimage at St. George’s College in that holy city made a profound impact on my spiritual life.  Now I have learned of a way to give back the blessing I received and for you to make a difference for a community that affords Christians throughout the world the opportunity to experience Jesus’s life and ministry in His homeland.  Here is the news and request for help from The Rev. Barkley Thompson, President, North American Committee for St. George’s College Jerusalem.  (Emphasis added and lightly edited)

“The current crisis in the Holy Land precludes pilgrimages to St. George’s and that loss of pilgrim income leaves St. George’s vulnerable to closure.  The North American Committee (NAC) for St. George’s College in Jerusalem is launching a capital campaign called “Let Light Shine Out of Darkness” with the purpose of raising an initial $695,000 to sustain St. George’s College through 2025. We hope to raise an additional $500,000 to build an endowment to ensure St. George’s continued success.  We hope you will prayerfully support this campaign to let light shine out of the darkness in this time. Your gifts will be gratefully accepted and added to those already committed by the full NAC board.  If you are inclined to give now, please CLICK HERE * to make a secure donation.  St. George’s College in Jerusalem is a center for reconciliation and formation for each of us and I hope you will help us ensure stability for them during this time of crisis.”

Thank you for your consideration to support our fellow Christians in their hour of dire need.

Fran

For more information on St. George’s College, Jerusalem, visit their website: https://www.saintgeorgescollegejerusalem.com/

The Muldoon Memorial Concert Series is about to begin its 2024-2025 season of free Sunday afternoon concerts, all at 4:00 pm at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church. You are warmly invited to attend these concerts, each of which will be followed by an informal reception where you can meet the artists.

October 6, 4:00 pm – Terra Voce Ensemble (Flute and Cello)

 Terra Voce thrills audiences with lively concert programs that explore a colorful array of musical styles from Baroque to tango, Brazilian choro and European folk. Known for performances that combine the diverse and unexpected, cellist Andrew Gabbert and flutist Elizabeth Brightbill connect with their listeners through music that surprises, uplifts, and inspires curiosity. The duo’s down-to-earth approach creates a relaxed and refreshingly informal setting for performances that test the limits of what is possible on just two instruments. This performance is partially supported by funding from the Virginia Commission for the  Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.

January 26, 4:00 pm – Joshua Espinoza Trio

Latino-American jazz pianist Joshua Espinoza blends and bends genres into songs that are immediately relatable yet hard to define. Alongside bassist Kris Monson and drummer Jaron Lamar Davis, the Joshua Espinoza Trio explores the undefined space between jazz improvisation, classical chamber music, pop aesthetics and folk traditions.

March 23, 4:00 pm – Fourth Annual Annandale Bach Birthday Marathon

An afternoon of short performances of organ works of J. S. Bach by talented local artists on St. Alban’s beautiful (and recently restored) mechanical action organ (John Leek, Op. 1).Audience members can drop in and depart at will – but you’ll want to stay for the whole thing! When the marathon ends at 6:00 pm., concertgoers and musicians will continue to celebrate Johann Sebastian  with a festive reception, where beer and German fare will be served.

May 18, 4:00 pm – William Porter, Organist

Widely known as a performer in the United States and in Europe, William Porter has also achieved international recognition for his skill in improvisation in a wide variety of styles, ancient and modern. He has performed at major international festivals and academies across Europe and North America, and has served as a jury member for a number of important organ competitions. He presently serves as Professor of Organ at the Eastman School of Music, where he also teaches improvisation, harpsichord, and clavichord. He previously taught at the New England Conservatory, Oberlin College Conservatory, McGill University in Montreal, and Yale University. Prof. Porter will offer a public masterclass for area organists the day prior.

For information about supporting this series by contributing to our concert fund, please see last page of this publication for a donation form or pick a form up in the narthex. We are look forward to welcoming you to our concerts!

This reflection comes from the monthly newsletter The Word. For the entirety of the October newsletter, click here!

As I reflect on the general operations of a church – from the numerous coffee hours, funeral receptions, parish life events like ice cream socials and Oktoberfest (coming to us this year on Friday, October 4!), the grounds and building care necessary for the maintenance of the building, to the swaths of people who support on Sunday mornings from Altar Guild to lectors to the choir – I am truly astonished and humbled. The sheer number of people and the total number of hours that are spent maintaining and supporting our church alongside the clergy and staff is, when you really think about it, jaw-dropping.

It is abundantly clear to me that the act of serving and participating in the life of the church is not just volunteerism, but a profound act of worship.

The buzzing activity of this parish reminds me very much of the early church in Acts 2. We have people from all over the world, with all different backgrounds and careers, from all different ages and experiences of life. People in the early church “ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people” (Acts 2:46-47). Sounds familiar, right?

All of us who engage with the holy spaces of St. Alban’s, even the simple act of being here in person as a worshipping member of the community, are participating more fully in the life of Christ, in the living memory of the early church, and in the continued dynamism of the hands and feet of Jesus, as St. Paul writes, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27) . There is something sacred – dare I say sacramental – in being and doing within a church. Indeed, I am convinced that the working, serving, praying, and being with one another is a critical way by which we engage with the God of All Reality.

If you have been hesitant to serve in some capacity here, if you have been hesitant to join a group or to try reading the Scriptures on Sunday mornings, or to serve as a crucifer, consider that this offering of your time and skill in worship is an offering and a sacrifice to God. It is an offering which contributes to our joined action in the worship of our Lord Jesus Christ ever more fully. We serve because He first served us, and we recognize the gift that “from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1:16). Amen!

This reflection comes from the monthly newsletter The Word. For the entirety of the October newsletter, click here!

Silence speaks volumes. That’s an old quote that’s been around for so long; no one really knows who first said it. In our busy worlds we have podcasts and audio-books to keep us company on our daily commute. My doctor’s waiting room had a large TV that constantly blared some unrealistic reality show from the Home and Gardens channel. Life is busy enough, and chaotic enough, so I wonder, do we really need to introduce yet more noise?

When I think about the idea of silence, I’m reminded of Proverbs 17:28: “Even fools who keep silent are considered wise; when they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent.” Those are wise words, and I know I should heed them every now and then, but the silence I have in mind is not so much about keeping one’s mouth shut, but enjoying the absence of noise, chaos and busyness.

Silence is food for the soul: on several occasions Jesus needed to get away for silence and for prayer and he encouraged his disciples go to a quiet place and get some rest. At a recent clergy gathering I attended, the conversation turned to the topic of silence in worship. I immediately acknowledged that I don’t do a very good job of keeping silent during Sunday worship. A member of the group reminded me that silence during prayer and during worship is not dead space but is instead living space – time that is alive with God’s Spirit.

I did a word count the other day (many thanks to the Adobe Acrobat Reader “find” function) and was surprised to see that the Book of Common Prayer uses the word ‘silence’ over 90 times. Some of the moments of silence in our liturgy are absolutely beautiful and striking: there is silence during the ordination service just before the bishop prays the prayer of consecration over a new deacon or priest.  The silent entrance at the beginning of the Good Friday liturgy followed by a period of silent prayer is very stirring. But not all silence needs to be so significant or powerful.

There are moments of silence prescribed and implied throughout our liturgies. We hold a moment of silence after the sermon, before the Nicene Creed, as a brief time of reflection – on both the scriptures read and the homily just preached. Silence between prayer petitions in the Sunday morning Prayers of the People allows us to add our own heartfelt prayers to the communal prayers being offered up. Silence before the public prayer of confession is meant to be a time to briefly assess those troubled areas in your life that need to be offered up to God. During the celebration of the Eucharist, when the priest consecrates the bread and wine, there are unscripted moments when it is appropriate for the priest to pause for a moment of personal, silent prayer (remember, while you’re worshiping the clergy are working….).

Before Sunday worship begins with the processional hymn, hopefully there is silence, and time for you to kneel (or not) and pray that your heart is open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; that your eyes are open to the beauty and wonder of God’s creation; that your ears are open to the cries of the needy and the downtrodden; that your mind is focused on the worship of God and that you may be energized, refreshed and prepared to go into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. (We even provide a couple of prayers for you in the back of the bulletin.)

Mother Teresa once said, “We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence.” I invite you to try to put a little bit of silence in your day, if you can – even a few minutes in a day will make a difference. Your soul will thank you, and you might just find that it becomes a routine part of your day.  “Go away to a quiet place and rest awhile.”  (Mark 6:31)

On Sunday May 19 at 5:00 PM, the choirs of St. Alban’s, Annandale and St. John’s, McLean will offer a joint service of Choral Evensong for Pentecost.

The service will take place at St. John’s – the church’s address is 6715 Georgetown Pike. There is plentiful parking!

Adam’s husband Karl Robson is the Director of Music at St. John’s – they have frequently collaborated like this in the past and are excited to do so again! Please come and support our choir on their last Sunday of the program year.

We hope to see you at St. John’s, McLean, at 5:00 pm on Sunday, May 19 at 5:00 pm!

Please join us Sunday, October 22 at 4:00pm for a free performance by professional singer Madeline Miskie, who presents a program called “Into the Light: Songs of Transformation.” The common thread woven throughout the program is transformation, exploring critical moments in time when the truth cannot be unseen and change is inevitable. Spanning the genres of plainchant, baroque, folk, art song, contemporary musical theater and pop, this program promises wide range of vocal colors and musical soundscapes.

The Muldoon Memorial Concert Series was established in 1990 by the Muldoon Family in memory of long-time choir members Ken and Hulda Muldoon. The series offers several concerts during the church year, and remains free and open to the public, thanks in part to an Endowment Fund. For more information about the concert series, and upcoming concerts, click here.