St Cecilia's Festival of Choirs
Welcome to St Cecilia’s Festival of Choirs 2024
On Friday 22nd November 2024, parishes in the St Barnabas’ Cluster,
Milton Keynes gathered together to celebrate and give thanks for music ministry across our churches.
St. Cecilia lived during the 2nd-3rd century and martyred for her Christian faith. She is often depicted in art with musical instruments although she was not really associated with music until the 15th century. Her name is now synonymous with sacred music and her feast day is celebrated on November 22nd worldwide.
An evening of song and music performance dedicated to her memory was given including thanksgiving for all the music ministers in the whole cluster. All the music was performed with a hope that it helps those in ministry and those in the pews draw closer to God, to enhance communal worship, to inspire devotion to God. Her story encourages musicians to see their role as not only performers but also as stewards of sacred music in the service of the Church. Below is the music performed in 2024 by our churches.
Image: St Cecilia and the Angels, from V&A Museum Collections. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O80869/st-cecilia-and-the-angels-oil-painting-delaroche-paul/ [accessed17thNovember2024]
Music chosen by St Mary's Church
Music Leader: Maria Breslin
Conductor: Beatrice Chan
1 – Song of Peace – Jean Sibelius
We chose this piece because it is about peace, enhanced by the beautiful Finlandia sound. We pray for peace to “God of all the nations.”
2 – Laudate Dominum – Jacques Berthier
Traditional Latin, with Taizé simplicity, gives praise to the Lord in an ostinato bass. The verses from Psalm 117 tell how strong is God’s love and mercy, with more Alleluias ringing out praise.
3 – The Lord’s My Shepherd – Stuart Townend
A modern setting of the much-loved Psalm 23. Of all the beautiful settings, this is the most joyful, with a descant refrain reaffirming “I will trust, I will trust in You.”
Music chosen by Our Lady of Lourdes
Music Leader: Yoofi Clarke
Conductor: Chinese Esther Aside
“We chose 3 songs that reflect 3 solid foundations and our prayer as you listen to our songs is that your faith will also be built on these solid foundations:
Our faith in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit which is founded on the faith of the apostles; Our hope in the passion, death, resurrection and coming again of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ that produces joy in spite the daily challenges of life; Our love that stems from making Jesus the centre of our lives, influencing everything we do and helping us to love others as he has loved us.”
Music chosen by Christ the King Church
Music Leader: Agatha Fung
Conductor: Anna Dodds
Psalm 103 :Bless the Lord my soul
Beautiful Taize song that helps us praise God completely and with all our heart and soul. He is our Father who forgive and love us no matter what.
Psalm 23 : Sing it in the valleys
It’s a very happy song, to help us pray for Jesus to walk with us every day. It’s a confession of our faith in Jesus – I believe!
Music chosen by St Edward the Confessor
Music Leader: Michelle Chum
Conductor: Michelle Chum
Psalm 130 is a cry for mercy. A penitential psalm, it expresses a longing for God’s mercy and forgiveness. We know that we are flawed and sin. We cry out for God’s mercy for which we know is there. God’s love for us is unconditional. Our hope in God’s mercy is strong despite our own depths and downfalls. We come to church, to actively participate in mass, asking for forgiveness so that we may receive such grace and mercy.
“Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;
Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.” (Psalm 130:1-2)
Song by Karl Digerness
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We call out Jesus’ name. We call out for salvation. At all times. We bow our heads at His Name. We say His name to show reverence and devotion. We call on His name for deliverance, redemption and guidance. He is our source of mercy and salvation. We know that Jesus answers the cry for our mercy and to bring us into the experience of God’s steadfast love and redemptive grace.
Yeshua, Yeshua, Yeshua.
Song by Harpa Dei
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Jesus was sent to heal the contrite of heart. He called sinners, to show us the way. To love God’s Word. To trust in God’s Word. To commit to and find strength in God’s Word. Psalm 119 may be the longest in the Book of Psalms but it gives us focus on the greatness of God’s Word. We long to live it, to obey God’s law, commandments and teachings, for we desire wisdom and spiritual growth.
“Teach me, O God, to follow your ways to the end.” (Psalm 119: 33-35)
Song by Christopher Walker
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Singing psalms is age old. As psalmists, music ministers, we are helping to show the powerful connection that the cry for mercy, redemption and guidance can be understood through the person and work of Jesus Christ. We call out for the need for forgiveness and salvation in Psalm 130, and as Christians we call on the name of Jesus for redemption and cleansing from sin. We desire for guidance and the love of God’s word and in Jesus Christ we find the Word made flesh. We not only seek salvation but also the wisdom and strength to follow God’s will, just as the psalmist singing Psalm 119 seeks to walk in God’s ways.
The name of Jesus is the fulfilment of these cries. When we call on His name, we receive the mercy of forgiveness (Psalm 130) and the wisdom for living God’s Word faithfully (Psalm 119). Jesus’ name is the answer to our deep longing for redemption deliverance and guidance.
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The song performed by Fr Mark is popular in the English Speaking Caribbean, and is usually performed for special occasions, Feasts, National days etc. When Bishop Clyde Harvey, the Trinidadian Bishop of Grenada, was studying Theology in Louvain, Belgium, he was captivated by the melody of the song Allez Vous en Sur Les Routes, by Odette Vercruysse, a Belgian singer. He wrote the English words to fit the melody. Bishop Clyde Harvey is a musician who has composed several other pieces of popular Caribbean Liturgical music.
“Tell of My Love to the Islands”