Oh, we had a lovely time! We were determined to give our soprano Susan a good send-off before she goes to the USA. The practice was brief - I had to leave to "go and get something I'd forgotten". Which gave everyone a chance to sit and drink tea while I fetched a special surprise for Susan - a Tenor-gram clad in Rangers football strip. She was serenaded in style. The tune was "O sole mio". And Andrew's top notes were superb.

"Beneath thy window, as the sun is fading,
Among the happy flowers my watch I’m keeping,
While gentle breezes to thy presence creeping,
Thy dreamy heart with songs are serenading.

Just one soprano! Give her to me!
How could you send her across the sea?
No more will she implore,
O Karen, tell us, when is this for?

The Ibrox pitches will fade without her,
The players languish; they’re sad about her,
Those hearty terraces will roar less brightly,
The fans will know she’s gone across the sea!

Just one soprano! [etc]

Our Thursday evenings will miss her laughter,
We’ll miss her banter – the chatter after;
She knows she’ll keep her place in our affection –
We’re all just waiting for her trips back home.

“Oh, that was lovely!” She is so young,
Yet there’s a list of the things she wants sung …
Alas, no time for more –
Another chapter has just begun!"

Music image from interviu.it

Sunday 29th October

The organ music played over the past two weeks has all had personal significance - it is music I remember my father playing. He has been a church organist all his adult life, though he less frequently graced the organ stool once he was ordained as a part-time minister. When he retired, he resumed organ playing, only giving up a few weeks ago when he became too frail to clamber onto the organ stool. Since then, he has had another two mini-strokes and is currently in hospital down in Norfolk. My music has been a quiet tribute to all his years of playing.

• Opening voluntary: Canon in D, by Pachelbel
• Offering voluntary: Andantino in E, by Cesar Franck
• Outgoing voluntary: Tuba tune by C. S. Lang

Sunday 22nd October

• Opening voluntaries: O Mensch, bewein, and, Jesu, joy of man's desiring; J S Bach
• Offering voluntary: Scots air
• Outgoing voluntary: March on a theme by Handel; Guilmant

Farewell!

Susan Wernham, a popular member of Killermont Choir, is shortly leaving us to go to America with her husband. This was Susan's final service, and our minister, Alan Hamilton, paid tribute to Susan's long years of service and cheery disposition. The Choir and I will be sorry to see her go, too, but will mark her departure with a farewell supper next week. Au revoir, Susan!

Sunday 15th October

Organ music played:-

Before the service - Prelude in B minor by Cesar Franck; Elevation by Guilmant; Nobody knows the trouble I've seen.
During the offering - Lascia ch'io pianga, by Handel
Outgoing - You raise me up, by Rolf Lovland and Brendan Graham

Please pray for:-

All church organisations; also our neighbouring churches as they plan the forthcoming union.

Image from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, library website - acknowledged with thanks.

Killermont Fun Day (Saturday 7th October 2006)

The Choir's input was to man the bookstall. We raised in excess of £127. Very many thanks to all the generous choir members who gave their time to make this such a success. And just as many thanks to our customers, too!

A Personal First (Sunday 8th October 2006)

The band played today, so I had the chance to participate in a different way. It's a strange feeling, worshipping in the body of the Kirk rather than seated at the organ.

Today, however, was special. This was the first Boys' Brigade Parade at which all three of our sons participated.

To reiterate what was said in today's service, please pray for all church organisations - especially the Boys' Brigade, which has such an important role to play in helping our sons grow up in the Christian faith.

Pray, too, for all those involved in leading worship at Killermont.

This evening, we had a service of Remembering and Healing. It was well-attended and very much appreciated by all present.

This is the music I played:-

• Evening hymn, by Purcell
• Che faro senza Euridice, by Gluck
• Ashokan farewell, by Jay Ungar (the music to the series Civil War. You can visit American Jay Ungar's website here.)
• Berceuse (Cradle Song) by Benjamin Godard

Image - I'm happy to acknowledge use of this picture, which came from http://www.fairview-killin.co.uk/

Choir contributions 17th September to 5 November 2006:-



17 September (Harvest)
Introit 233 v.1- Come, you thankful people, come
Anthem CAB 71 p.366 - Praise, O praise ; Martin How
Recessional 804 - You shall go out with joy

24 September - The Band will accompany worship. (Your organist will be in Norfolk accompanying her nephew's christening!)

1 October
Introit 576 v.1 - Jesus before me
Anthem 575 - Over my head
Recessional Celtic Anthem, "The peace of Christ be with you" ; Geoff Nobes

8 October - The Band will accompany worship

15 October (start of October holiday week)
Introit 105 v.1 - Glory to God
Anthem 180 - Give thanks with a grateful heart
Recessional 176 - Let’s sing unto the Lord

22 October (end of October week - Communion)
Introit SGP72 v2 - Living Lord
Anthem CAB32 p155 - Holy, Holy, holy ; Tchaikovsky
Recessional SGP2 - A new commandment

29 October
Introit 805 - Your will be done on earth, O Lord
Anthem Celtic Anthem -Alone with none but you ; Andrew Wright
Recessional CAB27 p141 - God be in my head ; Rutter

5 November
Introit CG42 - God to enfold you
Anthem - The armed man. Benedictus ; Jenkins
Recessional CG189 v.3 - Be still, for the power of the Lord

All newcomers are welcome to join us - Choir Practice is at 7.30 pm on Thursday evenings at Killermont Parish Church, Bearsden. (Go on - you know you've been meaning to give it a go!)

And we make a mean cup of tea/coffee, too!

image from uncc.edu - with many thanks!

Choir practices begin again on Thursday 24th August!

Killermont Parish Church Choir warmly welcomes newcomers - we meet at 7.30 pm, and on our first practice of the session, we'll be rewarding ourselves with an extra long tea-break so we can catch up on each other's news.

We look forward to meeting again, and pray earnestly that others will feel inspired to join us this session.

Sunday 27th August is Rededication Sunday. Here's the choir music:-

Introit - Hymn 507 verse1, Jesus, I come
Anthem - Church Anthem Book 37, Jesu, joy of man's desiring ; J S Bach
Recessional - Hymn 681 verse 1, Send out the gospel

Sunday 3rd September

Introit - Hymn 757, Come all you people
Anthem - Hymn 802, We are here to praise (special two-part setting)
Recessional - Hymn 573, Saranam (I surrender)

image of August church flowers from southforestflowers.com - an American florist.

We're recruiting singers right now!

Killermont Church Choir (Bearsden, Glasgow, Scotland) is in good heart and good voice, but we're always ready to welcome new singers.

See if you're anyone like this:-

• You used to sing in a choir at school
• You used to sing in a choir when you lived somewhere else
• You always enjoyed singing but have never been in a choir
• You enjoy music and fancy a new leisure activity
• ......................................... (fill in your own situation!)

Why not come and give it a try when we meet up again at the end of August? We rehearse on Thursday evenings at church, at 7.30 pm. We always have a tea-break - social networking is very important to us!

The choir is a family - but we're happy to welcome newcomers. Go on - you'll love it!

Sunday 25th June 2006

Killermont is in Summer Sunday mode now. There's a short, informal family service at 9 am, and a "conventional" service at 10.15 am.

Before the 10.15 am service, you heard:- "Oh, my beloved father" and "Nessun dorma" (both by Puccini); during the offering I played "I'll walk with God", from The Student Prince by Brodszky; and we finished with "Crown Imperial", by Walton.


To the kind people who joined us in praying for our friends' daughter over very many months, I am sorry to have to relate that sadly all the doctors' best efforts were not able to win the struggle with cancer. We celebrated her funeral a week ago - it was a very positive celebration of a life filled with enthusiasm, happiness and - yes - a zest for life itself.
The huge smiley balloons in Marie Curie colours were chosen by our friends' daughter as a signal that this was a service to be celebrated. Our thoughts are with the family and many friends coming to terms with their untimely loss.
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www.mariecurie.org.uk You can donate to the Marie Curie Cancer Care charity here.

The family has suggested that charitable donations might also be given to the Ileostomy Association, who offered much support, gratefully appreciated. http://www.the-ia.org.uk

While you say a prayer, you might like to take a cyber-walk through these churchyard gardens, with absolutely fabulous spring flowers: http://www.mooseyscountrygarden.com/english-gardens/churchyard-garden-spring-daffodils.html (The church is St Giles', in London.)

28th May 2006

Today, you heard:-

• Elevation, by Guilmant
• Prelude on Crimond, by Hesford
• Bourree from the Water Music, by Handel
• Fanfare, by Gordon Jacob

Did you enjoy the anthem? "Lord, can this really be", is a hymn from the new Church Hymnary (CH4). Maybe we'll all sing it together one day.

You may remember that over a year ago, I requested your prayers for the daughter of friends of ours. For a few glorious months, it looked as though her health had improved enormously. Sadly, the improvement didn't last, and things are now very bad again. Please pray for her and her family.

Please also pray for the spouse of a colleague of mine, fighting their own battle with cancer and currently undergoing chemotherapy. That's another family whose plans for the next few months have suddenly been up-ended.

If you're currently blessed with good health, give thanks for it!

On Palm Sunday, the band played on. The Choir "rested their voices" (evidently!), for they were in splendid voice for the evening Gospel songs service.

And that brings us to day - Easter Sunday. We had a Sunny Sunrise Service! The best weather we've had yet, in fact. It was still a bit nippy for the guitar-playing minstrels (brrrrr!), but the singing was enthusiastic. The breakfast afterwards was good, too.

For the regular morning service, I played:-

Before the service: You raise me up (Rolf Lovland and Brendan Graham); then Postlude on Laudate Dominum (Rosalie Bonighton).

During the communion: Romance from The Gadfly (Shostakovich), and Domine Deus (Vivaldi's Gloria).

Outgoing voluntary: In Dir ist Freude (J S Bach)

After that - nearly five hours at church! - we scuttled home for lunch, and then some serious Family Fun at Finlaystone. ("Family Fun" is what our youngest son calls any outing when we all go out together! And the more active it is, the more fun - obviously.)

Well, they do say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions - like your organist not updating the Killermont Praise weblog for over a month, maybe?

Faced with the 5.5 mile drive to the frozen heights of Killermont, I might as well have been looking at an ascent of Mount Everest. The image shows my car busily going nowhere on 12th March. (I might add that three little boys joyously frolicked in the snow all morning, and a wonderful time was had by all - including our washing-machine.

Last week, 19th March, we were back in business again. I played the Adagio by Albinoni/Giazotto, a blues piece entitled "Free the Spirit", by Blinko, and the outgoing voluntary was Nun danket, by Karg Elert.

Today, 26th March, I took the final hymn as my musical theme, and played -

• Trio, and Toccatina for flutes, both based on "And can it be", in a setting by Christopher Tambling.
• Sursum corda, by John Ireland
• God so loved the world, by Stainer (during the Offering)
• Concertino on "And can it be", again by Tambling.

Those with observant musical ears may have noticed that for the past two weeks I have played an organ interlude from Stainer's "Crucifixion", as the choir processed in. It's intended to be a signal that worship is about to start - and hopefully to remind everyone of the liturgical season, too.

Look forward to Palm Sunday evening at 6.30 pm, when Killermont Parish Church Choir leads worship in an evening of Gospel songs - some reflective, and others vibrantly joyful. Listen, join in, and just take a break from the busy daily routine to reflect on this special time of year.

Amongst our musical contributions will be a set of spirituals arranged by the gifted American Moses Hogan, who sadly died far too young, quite recently.

Oh, the embarrassment of realising that it is many weeks since this blogspot was updated!

Happy New Year from Killermont Choir!

Today, I played "To a wild rose" (Macdowell) and "In Elysium" (Gluck) before the service. During the offering, I played "The sun whose rays", from The Mikado (Sullivan). The outgoing voluntary was "Monmouth" (Wood).

Sometimes the strangest or seemingly trivial pieces of music just catch our imagination. Thus it was that our recessional, "You shall go out with joy", ended up being sung twice. The children so enjoyed clapping in time to the music that I couldn't resist giving them a repeat!





Permit me to become serious for a moment. Followers of Killermont Praise! will know that we have held the daughter of our friends in our prayers for some time now. After a few months of really encouraging progress, suddenly we hear that things are not so good again. Your prayers would be very welcome at this most difficult time.

Please also pray for a 12-year old known to our oldest son. This boy lost his mother in tragic circumstances last weekend. His mother was a classroom assistant at the school still attended by our two younger boys, so there is great sadness at the school, too. Please pray for a child who now has so much more to cope with, in addition to struggling to adjust to the challenges of a big secondary school. We don't know much about the family, but I'm sure that some prayers for this youngster's future would be very appropriate.