St John's Cathedral Community News October 2017 #91

WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO #3 – The Five Marks of Mission

EVENSONG

The Purpose of the Anglican Church

“In Quires and Places where they sing.” In 1544 Thomas Cranmer wrote to his boss Henry VIII with a blueprint for church music in the newly Reformed age. It should “not be full of notes, but as near as maybe a syllable for every note; so that it may be sung simply and devoutly”. Cranmer had put his finger on a dilemma that had been inherited from the medieval period and would remain unresolved 400 years hence. Is it the primary job of church music to clarify the word of God or refresh faltering souls? Which matters most: meaning or sound? In 1651, everything came to a full stop when Oliver Cromwell cancelled not just Christmas carols but all church music. The story of church music is one that celebrates the sheer pleasure of raising a joyful sound to the Lord and resolves to worry about what it all means later “Evensong as we know it today.” Daily in Anglican Cathedrals around the world, we begin the work for which we have come to church, that of praising God. Observant Anglicans sing and chant their way out of the working day in a short but outstandingly beautiful ceremony known as Evensong. One of the great duties of faith is to be the carrier of culture. Religions are the repository of our wonderful liturgical music and the majestic language of the King James Bible. Sung Evensong represents at once the most rousing and soothing aspects of faith. It is an opportunity for rest and reflection at the end of a day’s work, play or trials. It incorporates the Psalms which are precious and holy to us because they formed the Lord’s hymn book, and can never be superseded; the two great hymns of the church, The Magnificant and The Nunc Dimittis ; The Apostles Creed, our belief for which we live; the Responses and the Anthem. This act of Divine worship is not a solo. Priest and people each need the other’s goodwill and prayers. “Evensong at St John’s.” The average church goer still looks upon Evensong as a Sunday service only. Daily Evensong or Evening prayer has been for many years part of this Cathedral’s worship, but very little use is made of this privilege. On occasions, the only attendees at Evensong might be the choir and clergy. If you go, you can think spiritual thoughts, or think secular thoughts about the history of Australians who carried the culture to this land, struggled to build mighty edifices like this Cathedral and who bothered to preserve this timeless liturgy. A wonderful peace and stability of soul is gained by those who year after year have said or sung the Church’s Daily Prayers. The risk is that, if no one goes, Evensong as we know it might disappear into the mists of time. For further on the Marks of Mission please visit http://www.anglicancommunion.org/identity/marks-of-mission.aspx

Evensong is sung* in this Cathedral every Sunday of the year at 6.00pm. (*except in January when it is said.) Evensong is also sung on the first Wednesday of the month at 6.00pm.

23

OCTOBER 2017