Well, did you enjoy our Praise Him with Trumpets? Our thanks to David and his brass quartet for their vigorous leadership of our singing on Sunday night! I've received some very favourable comments, so thank you to everyone who took part. The choir's "God's gonna set this world on fire" went down well, too. (So we'll be performing it again very soon!)

This Sunday morning, the choir will be singing something very different - Babylon's Fall, by John Beaumont. Who was Beaumont? Well, he seems to have been an Englishman who wrote a book of hymns in 1801, called the "New harmonic magazine or compendious repository of sacred music in full score". (Makes our hymn-book titles sound punchy by comparison, doesn't it?) Beaumont's book includes our anthem. The words of Babylon's Fall are attributed to Isaac Watts and are derived from the Book of Revelations. And I found the music copied out in some nineteenth century manuscripts from Dundee. Here's the interesting part. John Beaumont expressly wrote that "if any person chuses to alter my composition, let them remember it is not with my consent". The Dundee owner of the manuscripts was clearly unaware of the prohibition, and seems to have altered things merrily and with gay abandon! Including (choir, please note!) transposing it down a tone. Who said copyright was a new problem?

Now, I just need to type the final version of the Celtic Praise service, then I can start thinking about Christmas ...

Celtic Praise - 6.30 pm on Sunday 23rd November
Killermont Parish Church, Rannoch Drive, Bearsden (Glasgow)

Praise Him with Trumpets hasn't even taken place yet, and already I'm working on the programme for our Celtic Praise towards the end of November. Regard it as an early St Andrew's Day celebration if you like - other things are happening on the 30th, so it had to be early!

I can't wait to tell you what's in store for you, but it hasn't been finalised yet - so I suppose I'd better not spill the beans. Let's just say there will be a huge range of instruments, not to mention singers, piano and organ. I've drawn together a pool of really good Scottish songs from Common Ground, and the choir will be singing our favourite "How lovely is Thy dwelling place" to a well-known Scottish tune.

I've booked the flutes, the fiddles, the saxophone ... I'd better remember to phone the bagpiper next!

It's going to be very definitely Celtic in flavour, and uplifting in mood. Join us there!

Oh happy day - I got my brass quartet arrangement of "Jerusalem" done just after midnight so I was able to hand it over to our Quartet Maestro this morning. But of course, because "Jerusalem" doesn't meet with universal approval, we are singing it to the words of a psalm instead. I played it over on my computer and I must say that it sounds quite promising. Over to you, Maestro!

I'm looking forward to our Praise Him With Trumpets evening service next week (26th October at 6.30 pm). It should be joyous, bright and breezy - and just a little louder than usual! Let's dress correspondingly brightly to fit the occasion.

Celtic Praise, on the evening of November 23rd, will be different again. But you'll have to watch this space to find out more about it, as plans are still being made. Regard it as an early St Andrew's Day special...

It's the mid-term break this week, folks (as though anyone could have missed it!) -- so as a special treat, don't forget there is no choir practice this Thursday (16th October). I shall be in London on business that day.

However, I look forward to seeing everyone next Sunday, when we'll have a quick get-together before the service to run over the choir music.

My name is Karen McAulay, and I'm the Organist and Choirmistress at Killermont Parish Church. I'm going to post details of choral contributions Sunday by Sunday, but for now I'll just outline tomorrow's music.

Introit - Take the time to call my name (Common Ground 122 verses 1 & 2)
Anthem - Turn Thy face from my sins (Attwood ; CAB 95 page 512)
Recessional - Take the tiredness of my days (CG 122 verses 3 & 5)

Our Minister is preaching a series of sermons on the Lord's Prayer, and I hope that the theme of the anthem will tie in with this.

Advance notice! Another of our evening Sunday Praise services is coming up, on Sunday 26th October. If I tell you it's entitled "Praise Him with trumpets", then you can probably guess that there will be guest instrumentalists. Last month's evening Praise service had a modern slant, so this month we're going to be a bit more traditional. The Choir will hopefully be out in force, and everyone can be guaranteed of a Good Sing!

Only hours later, and I'm back! I thought I'd post the list of choral contributions from next week until the 23rd November. (After that, it's time for Advent and Christmas - yes, I'm thinking about it already.)

So, here goes:-

19 October
Introit Songs of God’s People 19, v.1 Christ be beside me
Anthem CAB 60 p.293 O Lord my God to Thee ; Arcadelt
This anthem is a special favourite of mine!
Rec SGP 62 v.1 Lead us, O Father, in the paths of peace

26 October
Introit SGP 107 v.2 Though we pass through tribulation
Anthem SFP 1E Blessed is the man
Rec SGP 29 v.4 You, creator God, have written

2 November
Introit CG 51 v.1 How can I keep from singing
Anthem Babylon’s fall ; John Beaumont, pre-1813
(found copied into an old Dundee manuscript, presumably from a printed book)
Rec SPF 126 When the Lord He turned again

9 November (Remembrance)
Introit CG 71 v.3 With the healing of division
Anthem CG 141 What shall we pray
Rec Abide with me ; Hogan

16 November (Youth)
Introit CG 21 Christ be our light
Anthem God’s gonna set this world on fire ; Hogan
Rec CG 112 Sing to God with gladness

23 November
Introit AB 79 O that Thou had hearkened ; Gounod
Anthem CG 95 O Lord the clouds are gathering
Rec CG 133 Today I awake