Ministries
- Music Ministry
Contact:
Kate Forbes email: kateandrobert@gmail.com
2014
"He who sings prays twice." (St Augustine)
Brief Outline of the Ministry
To lead and support the community in song.
· To select
hymns that are liturgically and musically appropriate for Sunday
Mass and special seasons.
To play hymns that help the community to pray.
2014 - Music Ministry Report
· The
members of our Music Ministry are (left to right) Pat Drummond,
Joe Blansjaar, Diana Landsberg, Mary Kingston, Kate Forbes and
Tony Perriam. Thank you for sharing your musical gifts.
· We appreciate
each one's commitment to this Ministry, especially our keyboardist
of 34 years, Mary Kingston, who makes a 64km round trip to be
with us each Sunday.
· Our newest
member is Joe Blansjaar who joined us in February this year.
Joe and Tony Perriam share the important role of cantor for the
Responsorial Psalm proclaiming it with clarity, conviction and
sensitivity.
· Also,
thank you to Joe for learning and singing the new translation
of the Exsultet for the Easter Vigil - an inspiring 11 minute
proclamation of Jesus as Light of the World.
· When
available, Diana Landsberg plays the piano for us in the rare
event that Mary is away. We are very grateful to Diana for
her assistance and appreciate, too, the distance she travels to
be with us.
· Thank
you to Matthew Brawn for displaying, on the screen, the hymns
that are not in our As One Voice hymn book.
· Marie
Marjanac, one of our fine singers, who joined our group in July
2012, has returned to Lithgow Parish for the time being to support
a youth group at St Patrick's Sunday Mass. We thank her
for the time she was able to be with us.
· We welcome
the continued involvement of children (and the young at heart)
to play percussion instruments during the recessional hymn (an
idea introduced to us by former parishioner, Bettina LeGras).
Finally, it is always a privilege to provide our community with
the musical component of our worship. Praying through song
is a very powerful and joyful experience, and your enthusiastic
participation enriches our liturgy. Thank you, everyone.
As Sr Lyn Eastmure (our Pastoral Director 2003-09) used to say:
"Together, we form an orchestra for the audience of God."
2013 - Music Ministry Report
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your
hearts to God." Colossians 3:16
My name is Kate Forbes, a member of the Music Ministry since last
century, well, 1989 to be more precise.
At Sacred Heart Blackheath, we are indeed blest
to have a strong singing community led by a dedicated group in
the Music Ministry. Sometimes, when I pause from singing
for a moment or two to provide a harmony, and I hear the community
lifting their voices in song, my eyes well with tears (in
a good way). Thank you, everyone.
We are working our way through the As One Voice books 1 and 2
with the words of hymns from book 2 being printed in the bulletin
as required. The community has embraced the new mass setting
of Colin Smith's Mass Shalom and sing it with gusto.
Mary Kingston, the longest serving member of our Sacred Heart
Music Ministry, was be presented with the Diocesan Medal of Honour
by Bishop Anthony Fisher during a Solemn Mass on Sunday, 25th
November, at St Patrick's Cathedral in Parramatta. See photo below
Mary's commitment to the Blackheath Parish over the past 33 years
has been the kernel around which others have been able to gather
and form a worshipping music community.
I greatly appreciate each and every one who contributes to leading
the community in song. Our musicians/singers are Mary Kingston,
Tony Perriam, Rhonda Symonds, 'Big Joe' , Anthony Gilchrist, Diana
Landsberg, Pat Drummond and me (Kate Forbes).
We also warmly welcome Marie Marjanac, a new parishioner, who
is gifting us with her beautiful singing voice.
We are always on the lookout for more musicians and singers so
if you feel drawn to join us, you will be received with open arms.
- Kate Forbes
Summary of achievements for 2013:
· As
the new church year began in December 2012, I have included the
Advent and Christmas season music
amongst our achievements as well as the carol service preceding
the Masses for the Christmas Vigil and Christmas Day.
· The highlight
was Easter the pinnacle of our Church's year. Our
music marathon is always the Paschal Triduum.
Thank you to those who joined us for these holiest of days.
· On 22nd
September, we played music for a very special celebration when
the Sacrament of Confirmation
was conferred upon seven of our young parishioners by Bishop Anthony
Fisher OP.
I don't think we have had a Sunday mass in 2013 without music
so I will list this as one of our achievements, too.
Summary of challenges for 2013:
There have been times during the year when we did not have
our full complement of singers/musicians. Although, this
isn't really a challenge, as we always give of our best no matter
the number, we will always welcome new members. So, if you
are a singer or instrumentalist, and feel called to join us, we
would be pleased to speak with you.
Vision and Plans for 2014
To keep on keeping on.!!!
Report prepared by: Kate Forbes (November 2013)
2012 - Mary Kingston
Receives The Diocesan Medal Of Honour
On Sunday, 25th November, 2012, following a Solemn
Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral, Parramatta, 2 people received
Papal Honours and 29 people received the Medal of Honour with
Mary Kingston being one of the recipients of the Diocesan Medal
of Honour. This Medal of Honour acknowledges those who serve the
Church and the community with honour and distinction. Congratulations
to Mary Kingston for 33 years of service to the Sacred Heart Parish
and community of Blackheath.
This year brought the sad loss of David Ridoutt,
whose wonderful voice as both Cantor and Choirleader was a great
loss to us all. You can hear David's beautiful voice here.
Music Ministry 2011
The
Sacred Heart Ensemble
Back
row : David (Cantor), (Livinia &) Pat,
Middle
Row: Kate, Gerard
Front
Row: Tony, Mary, (Keyboards) Rhonda & Gabrielle
plus....
Rosemary, Patrick, Jane, Thomas and Maria
(strings)
Our
Parish Song "The Heart Of Our Believing"
written
for us by Fr.
Kevin Bates
on the occasion of the Centenary of our Parish
Audio
and lyric Click
here
"Who
Is that Refugee?" A compelling and challenging setting of
The
Flight into Egypt (Matthew 1:28) from Music Ministry team member,
Pat
Drummond's album 'The Chess Set'
Audio
and lyric Click
here
"Panis
Angelicus" a beuatiful setting of Céser Frank's hymn from
our much
loved and well remembered cantor, the late David Ridoutt' s album
'Ben's Gift'
Audio
and lyric Click
here
Other Ministries
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