New Year Begins

Here we are again--Labor Day has passed, no more white pants allowed, and "a new level" of the liturgical year begins for us. Here's what I mean by "a new level":

(a) The new year's sign up sheets for a whole assortment of liturgical involvement have gone out to all community members. Who wants to be a eucharistic minister or a reader at mid-day prayer or a cantor or a hospitality minister? Who would like to write petitions or plan Sunday liturgies? Who can arrange weekend chapel environment--and who would like to be a sacristan this year?

(b) This week the first Tuesday choir practice took place. We jumped right in with a couple of new songs and lots of responses and one-line melodies that now become available for use;

(c) Handbells started up, too. Ten ringers this year, all of whom admitted to being a little rusty after three months off, but nonetheless managed to produce some decent music by the end of the first hour;

(d)The first rehearsal for the full community schola is this Sunday--probably about 25-30 strong. We might not have a Christmas hymn Sunday, but they won't be far away! With only 2 practices/month, Advent and Christmas events come around pretty quickly.