Media

The St. James' Choir performs Keep Watch, Dear Lord (Craig Phillips) for Advent Lessons & Carols.

Organist Jason Klein-Mendoza offers a weekly hymn reflection on last Sunday’s sermon. Hymn: Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus | STUTTGART

“Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus” is one of the many hymns written by Charles Wesley. The text was most likely paired with the tune STUTTGART as it is in our hymnal, but it is also common for the text to be set to HYFRYDOL or CROSS OF JESUS, the later tune often associated with Holy Week and Good Friday. Wesley’s text explores Old Testament prophecy of the coming of the Messiah. Wesley sets out all the hopes for the believer that Jesus will bring. We continue to wait in that hope this Advent season. As always, we invite you to either sing along at home or just follow along with the text and music as you continue your week in prayer. The last verse in this meditation was arranged by Paul Halley.

Organist Jason Klein-Mendoza offers a weekly hymn reflection on last Sunday’s sermon. Hymn: Lo! He Comes, With Clouds Descending | HELMSLEY

This beloved hymn of the Anglican tradition has its roots an Irish Moravian hymn. The first form of the text is not by Charles Wesley, but by John Cennick in 1750. Wesley rewrote Cennick’s text and published his version in 1758. There have been various changes and deletions from this poem over the centuries, but the version we sing is largely Wesley’s version. Wesley later paired the text with the tune HELMSLEY in 1765 which is speculated to be based on a tune by Thomas Augustine Arne. Even with a varied history, this hymn is typically sung on the first Sunday in Advent because of its imagery of the coming days. While the text is largely based in the book of Revelation, it works perfectly the Advent themes of watching and waiting for the birth of Christ. As always, we invite you to either sing along at home or just follow along with the text and music as you continue your week in prayer.

This Contemplative Visual Meditation features this week's readings accompanied by images and music, and is prepared for us by Lisa Cerrina.

Organist Jason Klein-Mendoza offers a weekly hymn reflection on last Sunday’s sermon. Hymn: King of Glory, King of Peace | GENERAL SEMINARY

17th century poet George Herbert was one of the most prolific and enduring sacred poets of his time. His text for this poem praises a King not of power or dominion, but one of peace and love. He writes about a deep relationship with a King that is nurturing, sustaining and sacrificing. The poem (from The Temple of 1633) contains seven stanzas, but one was omitted for the sake of singing. Echoing the title and spirit of the poem, the stanza that is missing is: Thou grew’st soft and moist with tears, Thou relendest: And when Justice call’d for fears, Thou disentedst. The broad, sweeping music that is in The Hymnal 1982 was written by David Charles Walker, a former priest in the Diocese of Los Angeles. He served in various ministries in Southern California, including All Souls’ Parish in Point Loma (San Diego), All Saints’ Parish (Beverly Hills) and as Chaplain at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles.

Organist Jason Klein-Mendoza offers a weekly hymn reflection on last Sunday’s sermon. Hymn: Not Here for High and Holy Things | GORONATION (alt. tune)

If you were on the patio or watched the live stream this past Sunday, you’ll notice the text of this hymn is one we sang on Sunday. The tune, however, is different than what corresponds with the number in our hymnal. Music has the uncanny ability of setting text in a different context. Using this text with the tune Coronation allows the last verse of the text by Anglican Priest, Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy to not only live fresh, but carries the triumphant tone of giving thanks to God for our blessings as we share them with others. Often garnering him wild accusations, Studdert Kennedy rejected joining a political party and distrusted most politicians, simply believing that all people were of worth in God’s sight.

Organist Jason Klein-Mendoza offers a weekly hymn reflection on last Sunday’s sermon. Hymn: Once He Came in Blessing | GOTTES SOHN IST GEKOMMEN

This hymn, not frequently sung by many Anglicans, is actually a hymn for the season of Advent. It’s still appropriate for the time late in the season of Pentecost, and especially in our world. We’re edging closer to a season of preparation for the birth of Christ, but were reminded in this week’s Gospel to “Keep awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (John 25:13) of his coming. This hymn reminds us to trust in the coming savior to free us from torment and heal us. Michael Weisse, a Bohemian Brethren Pastor, wrote the tune for this hymn. He was a contemporary of Martin Luther and was from a region in Silesia (modern day Poland). As always, we invite you to either sing along at home or just follow along with the text and music as you continue your week in prayer.

Organist Jason Klein-Mendoza offers a weekly hymn reflection on last Sunday’s sermon. Hymn: I Sing a Song of the Saints of God | GRAND ISLE

This past Sunday, we celebrated the Feast of All Saints, giving thanks for those holy people, both saints and ordinary folk, that have gone on to their great reward. We give thanks for the faithful cloud of witnesses that continue to lift and support us. Lesbia Scott’s poetry illuminates the cloud of witnesses in the variety of people that are counted among the saints. Though this hymn appeared in the 1940 Hymnal, it almost didn’t make it into The Hymnal 1982. The editors of the new hymnal didn’t see the merit of this hymn in the life of the church at the time. Fortunately for the hymn’s continued longevity, the General Convention of the Episcopal Church saw merit to this hymn and decided to include it in the new hymnal despite the editor’s objection. Many parishes (St. James' included) consider this hymn and Sine Nomine to be two of the hymns that must be included on All Saints' Day.